Meg Ryan facts: When Harry Met Sally actress’ age, movies, husband and more
20 February 2025, 16:40
The Top Gun and You’ve Got Mail star has recently experimented with working behind as well as in front of the camera.
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Whether you love her as Sally in 1989’s When Harry Met Sally or as Annie in 1993’s Sleepless in Seattle, if you’re a romcom fan, you’ve likely enjoyed watching at least one of Meg Ryan's many films.
But the well-known actress famously dislikes the spotlight, meaning much about her personal life has remained more mysterious than some of her contemporaries.
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There is still much to learn about the romcom sweetheart, however. So without further ado, here’s everything you need to know about Meg Ryan...
What is Meg Ryan’s age?
Meg Ryan was born on November 19, 1961, in Fairfield, Connecticut.
The actress is 63 years old.
What movies has Meg Ryan starred in?
Meg Ryan has starred in over 50 different projects over the years.
When Harry Met Sally (1989) - Clip: I'll Have What She's Having (HD)
Some of her most well-known films include:
- When Harry Met Sally
- Sleepless in Seattle
- You’ve Got Mail
- City of Angels
- Top Gun
- Anastasia (voice role)
- Kate & Leopold
- What Happens Later (also co-writer, director and producer)
- Ithaca (also director)
- Rich and Famous (her first role)
Meg has also starred in TV shows including The Simpsons, Wildside, and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
When was Meg Ryan’s infamous Parkinson interview?
Meg Ryan’s tense interview with famed English journalist and broadcaster Michael Parkinson became almost as famous as some of her biggest films after it aired in 2003.
The actress was invited onto Sir Michael’s eponymous talk show for an in-depth chat about her career and to talk about her then-latest project, an erotic thriller called In the Cut.
Meg Ryan interview - Parkinson - BBC
The pair did not hit it off, resulting in an often toe-curlingly awkward and at times seemingly angry exchange between the two.
Meg later told Marie Claire in 2006 that she felt Parkinson was “like some disapproving father. It [was] crazy,” showing she still felt upset about the TV moment.
In 2021, Michael told Radio Times that he regretted how he behaved during the interview, saying: “I wish I hadn’t lost my temper with Meg Ryan. I wish I’d dealt with it in a more courteous manner.
“I was quite obviously angry with her and it’s not my business to be angry towards the guests. I came across as kind of pompous and I could have done better.”
But the veteran interviewer, who passed away in August 2023, argued both were to blame for the frosty exchange, adding: “Neither of us were on top form.”
What is Meg Ryan doing now?
In 2025, Meg Ryan made headlines when she and her When Harry Met Sally co-star Billy Crystal reunited after 35 years to film a Super Bowl ad as the romcom’s famous lead couple.
Advertising Hellmann’s mayonnaise, the ad recreates When Harry Met Sally’s famous diner scene by showing Sally really enjoying a Hellmann’s mayonnaise seasoned sandwich!
When Sally Met Hellmann's - Big Game :60
Elsewhere, Meg Ryan most recently starred in the 2023 romcom What Happens Later alongside The X Files’ David Duchovny.
The American star co-wrote and directed the film, and starred as its lead character Willa.
Who is Meg Ryan’s husband?
Meg Ryan was married to The Parent Trap actor Dennis Quaid from 1991 to 2001.
The pair met while starring alongside each other in the 1987 sci-fi comedy film Innerspace and married in 1991, but announced their separation and eventually divorced just ten years later.
Both Meg and Dennis reportedly had affairs during their marriage, and Meg has since referred to the pair’s union as “unhealthy” and “painful".
Near the end of their union, Meg’s relations with her Proof of Life co-star Russell Crowe became a huge tabloid focus.
But despite Meg’s separation and eventual divorce from Dennis, her and Russell’s relationship also came to an end in 2001.
Meg Ryan dated John Mellencamp on and off again from 2011 to 2019, with the pair even getting engaged in 2018, but the actress is now seemingly still single.
She shared with Glamour in 2023 that despite being a romcom icon, she still finds navigating dating and relationships “just as ridiculous as ever".
“I don’t think anyone ever gets good at it,” she added. “Maybe people do. I don’t!”
Who are Meg Ryan’s children?
Meg Ryan has two children: a son, Jack, from her marriage to Dennis Quaid; and an adopted daughter called Daisy.
Jack Quaid was born in April 1992. Growing up on movie sets with his parents, Jack developed the acting bug and is now an accomplished star of films including 2023’s Oppenheimer and 2022’s Scream, plus TV shows such as The Boys.
Meanwhile Meg’s daughter Daisy is currently studying English at Smith College, Massachusetts, and according to her mum in one Times interview, hopes to study in the UK one day.
What is Meg Ryan’s net worth?
Meg Ryan’s exact net worth is unknown, but is estimated to be around $45 million (£35.6 million) today.
In 2002, she appeared on Forbes’ Celebrity Top 100 List, with an estimated net worth of $25 million ($43 million today, or £34 million).
Billy Crystal kept THIS nostalgic item in his pocket every time he hosted the Oscars
