View source for Meg Ryan

== Public image and legacy ==
During the peak of her career, Ryan was one of Hollywood's most [[bankable]] stars, comparable to [[Julia Roberts]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wong |first=Curtis M. |date=August 30, 2023 |title=See Meg Ryan Reclaim Her Rom-Com Crown In First Movie In 8 Years |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/meg-ryan-rom-com-trailer_n_64ef4a6de4b0fe066b17aec7 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230831013125/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/meg-ryan-rom-com-trailer_n_64ef4a6de4b0fe066b17aec7 |archive-date=August 31, 2023 |access-date=April 8, 2024 |work=[[HuffPost]]}}</ref> She has been called one of the greatest actresses of the 1990s.<ref name=":5">{{Cite news |last=Loomes |first=Phoebe |date=February 22, 2019 |title=Meg Ryan: The movie role that ended her acting career |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/meg-ryan-the-movie-role-that-ended-her-acting-career/SYCIEK7LQHNKAAMRYZY7VNTKFU/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231105115122/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/meg-ryan-the-movie-role-that-ended-her-acting-career/SYCIEK7LQHNKAAMRYZY7VNTKFU/ |archive-date=November 5, 2023 |access-date=April 8, 2024 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]]}}</ref> She was also one of Hollywood's highest-paid,<ref name=":11">{{Cite news |last=Hopewell |first=John |date=August 3, 2018 |title=Locarno Laureled Meg Ryan Prepares 'The Obsolescents' (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2018/film/news/locarno-laureled-meg-ryan-the-obsolescents-1202895280/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902114801/https://variety.com/2018/film/news/locarno-laureled-meg-ryan-the-obsolescents-1202895280/ |archive-date=September 2, 2023 |access-date=April 10, 2024 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |quote=the Locarno Leopard Club Award finds Ryan more these days 'in the director and producer mode'}}</ref> earning as much as $15 million per film by the end of the decade.<ref name=":15">{{Cite news |last=Shnayerson |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Shnayerson |date=December 1999 |title=Madcap with a Twist |url=https://archive.vanityfair.com/article/1999/12/madcap-with-a-twist |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324103009/https://archive.vanityfair.com/article/1999/12/madcap-with-a-twist |archive-date=March 24, 2023 |access-date=April 11, 2024 |work=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]}}</ref><ref name=":13" /> Ryan is particularly known for her work in romantic comedies, having starred in several from the late 1980s until the early 2000s.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Ng |first=Philiana |date=November 3, 2023 |title=Meg Ryan was the queen of romantic comedies. Here's how she became our most relatable superstar. |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/meg-ryan-queen-of-romantic-comedies-most-relatable-superstar-003406768.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJIhrBox2wwbDJMLsXIDilZr6OMd62v_bPmTj7wKhjJnhi21S_PQaTHxYdvkwbmqK5Dh2ZN_rVGnwSS1mUDZ92w4Dq3GNPUuF1zPjmtSJ25WxW4FTUIbHTGS7vrU9zuMw7NoaYruY0FmT1PyA7OSVC_eW7Dqq4DC__RWM1qeqneb |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240405190619/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/meg-ryan-queen-of-romantic-comedies-most-relatable-superstar-003406768.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJIhrBox2wwbDJMLsXIDilZr6OMd62v_bPmTj7wKhjJnhi21S_PQaTHxYdvkwbmqK5Dh2ZN_rVGnwSS1mUDZ92w4Dq3GNPUuF1zPjmtSJ25WxW4FTUIbHTGS7vrU9zuMw7NoaYruY0FmT1PyA7OSVC_eW7Dqq4DC__RWM1qeqneb |archive-date=April 5, 2024 |access-date=April 5, 2024 |work=[[Yahoo Entertainment]]}}</ref> The 1990s were particularly prolific for Ryan's work in the genre, appearing in six romantic comedies during the decade.<ref name=":0" /> Two of her films, ''When Harry Met Sally...''(1989) and ''Sleepless in Seattle'' (1993), are ranked among the [[AFI's 10 Top 10#Romantic comedy|10 greatest romantic comedies of all time]] by the [[American Film Institute]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=AFI's 10 TOP 10 |url=https://www.afi.com/afis-10-top-10/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240709040223/https://www.afi.com/afis-10-top-10/ |archive-date=July 9, 2024 |access-date=April 12, 2024 |work=[[American Film Institute]]}}</ref> The organization also ranked the same films among the [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions|100 greatest romance films]], at numbers 25 and 45 respectively.<ref>{{Cite news |title=AFI's 100 YEARS...100 PASSIONS |url=https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-passions/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240516100403/https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-passions/ |archive-date=May 16, 2024 |access-date=April 12, 2024 |work=[[American Film Institute]]}}</ref> Journalist [[Jane Pauley]], as well as Kate Erbland of [[IndieWire]], recognized Ryan as one of the leading ladies responsible for the genre's resurgence,<ref name=":14">{{Cite news |last=Pauley |first=Jane |author-link=Jane Pauley |date=August 28, 2016 |title=Meg Ryan: An accidental movie star returns |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/meg-ryan-an-accidental-movie-star-returns/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160829124112/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/meg-ryan-an-accidental-movie-star-returns/ |archive-date=August 29, 2016 |access-date=April 10, 2024 |work=[[CBS News]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Erbland |first=Kate |date=August 18, 2022 |title=The Rom-Com Boom Owed Everything to Its Leading Ladies |url=https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/rom-coms-90s-women-1234750886/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240328122827/https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/rom-coms-90s-women-1234750886/ |archive-date=March 28, 2024 |access-date=April 9, 2024 |work=[[IndieWire]]}}</ref> earning her the nickname the "Queen of Rom-coms".<ref name=":16">{{Cite news |last=Nina Rothe |first=E. |date=August 6, 2018 |title=Meg Ryan: how a Hollywood 'girl next door' came of age |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/film/meg-ryan-how-a-hollywood-girl-next-door-came-of-age-1.757453 |access-date=April 15, 2024 |work=[[The National (Abu Dhabi)|The National]] |quote=People did not like it and they didn’t like me doing it. What I really learnt is that I had assumed a kind of girl-next-door archetype, and when you mess with an archetype, you have to ask permission.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Bradley |first=Faye |date=October 26, 2023 |title=10 of Meg Ryan's best romcom films ever: What Happens Later releases in November, so here are her top 90s and Y2K flicks to rewatch, from When Harry Met Sally to Sleepless in Seattle with Tom Hanks |url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/entertainment-news/article/3239226/10-meg-ryans-best-romcom-films-ever-what-happens-later-releases-november-so-here-are-her-top-90s-and |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240405190620/https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/entertainment-news/article/3239226/10-meg-ryans-best-romcom-films-ever-what-happens-later-releases-november-so-here-are-her-top-90s-and |archive-date=April 5, 2024 |access-date=April 5, 2024 |work=[[South China Morning Post]]}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Seth |first=Radhika |date=November 11, 2023 |title=An Ode to Meg Ryan, Queen of the Cozy Rom-Com |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/ode-to-meg-ryan-queen-of-the-cozy-rom-com |url-access=limited |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240116051959/https://www.vogue.com/article/ode-to-meg-ryan-queen-of-the-cozy-rom-com |archive-date=January 16, 2024 |access-date=April 5, 2024 |work=[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]}}</ref> Benjamin Lee of ''[[The Guardian]]'' attributes Ryan's association with the genre to her "endless source of warmth and charisma, boasting a magic, ineffable charm that only a handful of other actors have ever truly had".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=Benjamin |date=November 3, 2023 |title=What Happens Later review – Meg Ryan's airport romcom is an airplane movie |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/nov/03/what-happens-later-review-meg-ryan-david-duchovny-airport-romcom |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240405195836/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/nov/03/what-happens-later-review-meg-ryan-david-duchovny-airport-romcom |archive-date=April 5, 2024 |access-date=April 5, 2024 |work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> Journalist [[Michael Shnayerson]] declared Ryan the "queen of the [[Screwball comedy|screwball romantic comedy]]" whose "instinct for [[physical comedy]] puts her in a league with the greats—[[Carole Lombard]], [[Rosalind Russell]], [[Jean Arthur]]".<ref name=":15" />

For much of her career, Ryan typically played cheerful, witty,<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Robinson |first=Joanna |date=March 6, 2020 |title=What Meg Ryan Thinks Is Missing From the Modern Rom-Com |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2020/03/meg-ryan-cut-and-run-audible |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701182119/https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2020/03/meg-ryan-cut-and-run-audible |archive-date=July 1, 2022 |access-date=April 8, 2024 |work=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity]]}}</ref> and quirky women in romantic comedies,<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Trujillo |first=Laura |date=November 29, 2003 |title=The Essentials: 'What Happens Later' star Meg Ryan shares her favorite rom-coms |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2023/11/29/meg-ryan-essentials-favorite-movies/71522503007/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240709140600/https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2023/11/29/meg-ryan-essentials-favorite-movies/71522503007/ |archive-date=July 9, 2024 |access-date=April 5, 2024 |work=[[USA Today]]}}</ref> but she has also starred in thrillers, dramas, and action films.<ref name=":0" /> Ryan does not feel she was [[Typecasting|pigeonholed]] into the romantic comedy genre, explaining that they comprise a comparatively small portion of her [[Meg Ryan filmography|filmography]],<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Longeretta |first=Emily |date=October 28, 2023 |title=Meg Ryan's Comeback: The Rom-Com Icon on Acting Again After Eight Years, Nora Ephron and Whether the Genre Pigeonholed Her |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/features/meg-ryan-comeback-what-happens-later-rom-coms-1235771174/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240405191615/https://variety.com/2023/film/features/meg-ryan-comeback-what-happens-later-rom-coms-1235771174/ |archive-date=April 5, 2024 |access-date=April 5, 2024 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref> and insists that her desire to explore different genres as an actor did not stem from any pressure to reinvent herself, but rather a genuine passion for trying new roles.<ref name=":10" /><ref name=":12" /> Described as an embodiment of the [[girl next door]] archetype,<ref name=":11" /><ref name=":10">{{Cite news |last=Anthony |first=Andrew |author-link=Andrew Anthony |date=October 5, 2003 |title=Life of Ryan |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2003/oct/05/londonfilmfestival2003.features |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240217125456/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2003/oct/05/londonfilmfestival2003.features |archive-date=February 17, 2024 |access-date=April 10, 2024 |work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> the media dubbed Ryan "America's sweetheart" (a description first applied to silent screen star [[Mary Pickford]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Leavey |first=Peggy Dymond |title=Mary Pickford: Canada's silent siren, America's sweetheart |date=2011 |publisher=Dundurn Press |isbn=978-1-55488-945-7 |series=A Quest biography |location=Toronto ; Tonawanda, N.Y}}</ref>) due to  her wholesome on and offscreen personas;<ref name=":3" /> it was a label she admitted to feeling conflicted about.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jordan |first=Julie |date=October 25, 2023 |title=Meg Ryan Reflects on Being Labeled America's Sweetheart: 'It's 100% Projection' (Exclusive) |url=https://people.com/meg-ryan-reflects-on-being-labeled-america-s-sweetheart-it-s-100-projection-exclusive-8379830 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240409184355/https://people.com/meg-ryan-reflects-on-being-labeled-america-s-sweetheart-it-s-100-projection-exclusive-8379830 |archive-date=April 9, 2024 |access-date=April 9, 2024 |work=[[People (magazine)|People]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=June 10, 2018 |title=Meg Ryan: I never wanted to be an actress |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/hollywood/meg-ryan-movies-5211761/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240409163717/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/hollywood/meg-ryan-movies-5211761/ |archive-date=April 9, 2024 |access-date=April 9, 2024 |work=[[The Indian Express]]}}</ref> Joanna Robinson of ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'' felt Ryan's early roles limited both the jobs she was offered and audience perception of her.<ref name=":4" /> However, journalist [[Andrew Anthony]] insists Ryan was greatly responsible for the image she perpetuated, rather than a victim of it.<ref name=":10" />

Some of the actress' attempts to explore different [[archetype]]s and genres have been met with mixed results. Notably, her role in ''In the Cut'' (2003) drew backlash from critics and fans,<ref name=":11" /><ref name=":12">{{Cite news |last=Longsdorf |first=Amy |date=February 23, 2004 |title=Meg Ryan met her match- As boxing manager Jackie Kallen, actress still fighting to lose girl-next-door image |url=https://www.pottsmerc.com/2004/02/23/meg-ryan-met-her-match-as-boxing-manager-jackie-kallen-actress-still-fighting-to-lose-girl-next-door-image/ |access-date=April 10, 2024 |work=[[The Mercury (Pennsylvania)|The Mercury]] |quote=The last time Meg Ryan tried to stray from her girl-next-door image, she took heavy punches from critics and fans.}}</ref> after which she dramatically limited her workload and public appearances.<ref name=":9">{{Cite magazine |last=Thomson |first=David |date=March 1, 2012 |title=David Thomson on Films: What Ever Happened to Meg Ryan? |url=https://newrepublic.com/article/101169/in-the-cut-meg-ryan-campion |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240410125515/https://newrepublic.com/article/101169/in-the-cut-meg-ryan-campion |archive-date=April 10, 2024 |access-date=April 10, 2024 |magazine=[[The New Republic]]}}</ref><ref name=":5" /> ''[[The New Republic]]'''s David Thomson said Ryan became "widely regarded as that nice girl next door ... who lost her sweetness" after the film.<ref name=":9" /> In retrospect, Ryan said they should have prepared audiences for her departure from the archetype she had become known for.<ref name=":11" /><ref name=":16" /> According to Anthony Brett of ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', Ryan's infamous ''Parkinson'' interview damaged her reputation for several years.<ref name=":18">{{Cite news |last=Brett |first=Anthony |date=August 25, 2021 |title=Did Michael Parkinson really ruin Meg Ryan's career? |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/did-michael-parkinson-really-ruin-meg-ryans-career/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230705012339/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/did-michael-parkinson-really-ruin-meg-ryans-career/ |archive-date=July 5, 2023 |access-date=April 9, 2024 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref> Ryan's public image also suffered from rumors that she had an affair with her ''Proof of Life'' (2000) co-star [[Russell Crowe]] while still married to [[Dennis Quaid]] <ref name=":5" /><ref name=":13">{{Cite magazine |last=Flynn |first=Gillian |author-link=Gillian Flynn |date=September 28, 2000 |title=What repercussions will the Meg Ryan/ Russell Crowe affair have? |url=https://ew.com/article/2000/09/28/what-repercussions-will-meg-ryan-russell-crowe-affair-have/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240217125456/https://ew.com/article/2000/09/28/what-repercussions-will-meg-ryan-russell-crowe-affair-have/ |archive-date=February 17, 2024 |access-date=April 10, 2024 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref> In 2019, Ryan described herself as a "terrible celebrity" who finds fame to be uncomfortable, exhausting and disabling.<ref name=":5" />

Ryan is particularly fond of movies from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, citing actors [[Claudette Colbert]], [[Clark Gable]], [[Carole Lombard]], [[Katharine Hepburn]] and [[Jimmy Stewart]] as personal favorites and influences of hers.<ref name=":2" /> She claims to have never read an article written about her or her work, describing herself as too vulnerable.<ref name=":1" /> Ryan also became known for the [[Shag (haircut)|shag]] haircut she wore during the 1990s, which was often requested by fans and nicknamed "[[Eponymous hairstyle|The Meg]]" after her.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Anbouba |first=Margaux |date=November 8, 2023 |title=Meg Ryan Embraces "Meg Ryan Fall" By Reviving Her Iconic '90s Haircut |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/meg-ryan-90s-haircut |access-date=July 15, 2024 |work=[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Cepeda |first=Genevieve |date=November 13, 2023 |title=Meg Ryan's Hairstylist Breaks Down Her Iconic Hair, Then and Now (Exclusive) |url=https://people.com/meg-ryan-hairstylist-sally-hershberger-details-her-iconic-hair-exclusive-8400405 |access-date=July 15, 2024 |work=[[People (magazine)|People]]}}</ref>