Actress Meg Ryan was at the top of her game in the 90s. She was appearing in numerous fan-favorite films when the aftermath of her affair with “Proof of Life” costar Russell Crowe, a high-profile divorce, and a box office flop saw her disappear from Hollywood, retreating to a quiet life to raise her son and adopted daughter. Now she’s back and looks unrecognizable and, most likely, engaged.

Meg Ryan was the queen of rom-com and one of Hollywood’s entertainment industry’s “It Girls” during her prime. She stood out among many with her stunning smile and irresistible blue eyes, and despite never dreaming of becoming an actress, she took the world by storm with her diverse roles.

She debuted her acting career playing Debbie Blake in the 1981 drama “Rich and Famous,” then later joined the cast of the CBS soap opera “As The World Turns,” where she played Elizabeth “Betsy” Stewart.

In the mid-’80s, she took on a supporting role in the box office hit “Top Gun,” then achieved critical acclaim with her appearance in the 1987 film, “Promised Land.” That same year, she also filmed the sci-fi movie “Innerspace,” where she met her husband, Dennis Quaid.

Despite an initial attraction, they did not start dating until they starred in the thriller film “D.O.A” the following year. They exchanged vows on Valentine’s Day in 1991 and welcomed their son Jack in 1992.

Ryan disclosed that they had not planned the wedding beforehand and had woken up one morning and decided that was the day. They went to City Hall, but the line was too long, so they had their concierge at the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles track down a minister, and the lovebirds married in their hotel room.

A year into their dating, Ryan landed her breakthrough role playing Sally in the romantic comedy-drama “When Harry Met Sally,” a role that earned her a Golden Globe nomination. Over the next decade, her career spiked, making her a household name.

Unfortunately, the dramatic rise in her career did not sit well with her husband. Quaid, also an actor recognized for such films as “I Can Only Imagine,” “Strange World,” and “The Parent Trap,” among others, was not happy that his wife was more famous than he was.

During a sitdown with ET Canada, Quaid said he was a big deal when he and Ryan met, but as their relationship progressed, the tables turned.

His career began dwindling, even as Ryan gained more popularity. Whenever they would be out on the streets, fans would only shout her name, and slowly but surely, it started getting under Quaid’s skin. He confessed:

“I have to admit it. I actually did feel like I disappeared. I didn’t think I was that small, but I was.”

In retrospect, he says the jealous stint shouldn’t have happened. However, he long decided not to cry over spilled milk, took it as a learning opportunity, and has since grown from it.

Sadly, as the world ushered in the dawn of a new millennium, “The Day after Tomorrow” actor and the “In The Land of Women” actress were mourning the end of their union.

Leaving Hollywood for a Quiet Life
Ryan and Quaid announced their separation in 2000, and their divorce became final in July 2001. However, they maintained a relationship even after the split because of their then-8-year-old son Jack.

In August 1998, People reported seeing them together as they accompanied their son to the movies and church. They had been reportedly separated for a while at this point. Following the announcement of their separation, something else also started happening in Ryan’s life. She began hanging out with “Proof of Life” costar Russell Crowe.

And when Ryan and Quaid finally divorced, the rumor mills began spinning, with many speculating that she had left her union for Crowe.

Ryan took a lot of heat for it, but years later, she clarified to the world that her seemingly happy marriage hadn’t “been a happening marriage” and had been a very unhealthy one for a long time. She told Oprah that she had made a colossal mistake by staying in her marriage longer than she should have:

“It was never about another man. It was only about what my and Dennis’ relationship couldn’t sustain.”

She forever remains grateful for Crowe, who stood by her side, despite taking heat for being a homewrecker, something Ryan says could not be further from the truth:

“I didn’t leave my marriage for Russell Crowe. I left my marriage…My marriage wasn’t working.”

Initially, Ryan said that the collapse of their marriage was no fault of hers, and neither was it Quaid’s. In fact, she openly declared that “The Intruder” actor was an honorable man, and he had never cheated.

Ironically, according to an article by Today, she told Instyle that Quaid had cheated on her for a long time, but she only found out about it after their divorce. Each blamed the other for the failure of their marriage, with Ryan blaming Quaid’s wayward ways and Quaid blaming Ryan’s fame.

People’s perception of her was a far cry from the heroines she played in the movies that made America fall in love with her, and any attempts to clean her image hit a brick wall.

Even her confession about Quaid cheating on her did not shift the criticism from her. Eventually, Ryan and Quaid went through a highly publicized divorce, and instead of sympathizing with her, people continued to blame her for the failure of her marriage.

The damage was already done, and there was no going back to being America’s sweetheart. Her disastrous streak was, unfortunately, not limited to her personal life.

The once-famous actress, who had made a name for herself with classics such as “Courage Under Fire,” “City of Angels,” and “When A Man Loves A Woman,” soon found herself appearing in box office flops, such as the 2003 “In The Cut.”

One minute she was the most coveted Hollywood actress; the next, she was burning through life experiences. It was not a good look on her, and as she told New York Times:

“I was burned out. I didn’t feel like I knew enough anymore about myself or the world to reflect it as an actor. I felt isolated.”

Eventually, Ryan grew increasingly frustrated with her roles and her damaged reputation and decided to rethink her choices. A life away from the lights and glamour of Hollywood did not seem so bad.

After all, a less public, far more serene life would allow her some time to herself and help her concentrate on being a present mother to her son, Jack, and her daughter, Daisy True, who she adopted from China in 2006.

She eventually moved from Los Angeles to New York days after her son’s high school graduation and gladly stepped into her role as a single mother.

Even though her son always had his father and the two were close, Ryan preferred raising the kids on her own, observing that it was much easier than having to share the parenting roles with another adult:

“When you’re the only one in the house with the kids, you get to be the one in charge. You’re the one making the rules. There’s no stress because you and some other adult don’t agree on how you want to raise your kids.”

Her disappearance from Hollywood left behind a trail of rumor and speculation, but it was the life she had chosen, and it worked perfectly for her.

During her time away, she prioritized her friends and family and spent plenty of time with her son and daughter. She also launched an eCommerce project with her friends that helped bring them closer.

Ryan Makes a Comeback — A Different Look and a Brand New Show
Despite the actress’s years-long hiatus from acting, she did not completely let go of her ties in the industry, and according to The Things, she worked behind the scenes as a producer and director. Her first film to direct was “Ithaca,” released in 2015, and she seemingly enjoyed the experience and realized that that could be her calling.

After returning to show business, Ryan received criticism for allegedly having work done on her face with publications and fans noting how different she looked during the 2016 Tony Awards. No one could ascertain for sure whether she did have work done to enhance her looks.

Still, Hollywood Life took it upon themselves to dig up the truth behind her new appearance and sought the opinion of plastic surgeon Mark Youssef from Younique Cosmetics.

Asked to give his expert opinion on Ryan’s new looks, he declared that, in fact, not only did she have something done, she had too much done. He said she looked different from the Ryan people have always known, and that could be why people reacted as they did to her new appearance.

Youssef observed that Ryan had some filler or fat transferred to her cheeks, saying it was too much because her cheek looked too large.

He also commented on her nose, saying it looked narrower than before. He thought she had a rhinoplasty, a procedure to make the nose look more pinched. She also reportedly had volume added to her lips and Botox to her forehead, as well as a facelift.

Fans took to Twitter to express their opinions on her new looks, most of them criticizing her for choosing to go the cosmetic surgery way to enhance her appearance.

@christine32365 used some powerful words to describe her distaste for the actress’s appearance, asking the actress to get her money refunded:

“She looks disgusting! Get your money back because that’s a huge fail.”

@lauski56 thought the “Curb Your Enthusiasm” actress looked like a doll that needed repair, while @EastsideMC felt it was hard looking at the actress due to her new looks:

“Honestly, it was hard to look at her.”

Her hiatus from Hollywood was not only about her career. She also needed some time away to figure out her love life after being through such a daunting experience with her first marriage. In 2010, she was bitten by the love bug and fell in love with singer-songwriter John Mellencamp.

Their relationship lasted four years before they broke up in 2014. Unable to stay apart, they rekindled their flame in 2017, and in 2018, they went a step further and got engaged with the “Against The Rope” actress announcing her engagement to the “Hurts So Good” singer on her Instagram.

Ryan and Mellencamp made for a beautiful love story. They would often be spotted grocery shopping at Gourmet Garage in New York’s SOHO neighborhood or having coffee at Espresso Love. They seemed like the perfect fit for each other, and as one observer noted:

“I thought that was her husband because they seemed [so] comfortable and familiar with each other, just like an old married couple.”

Unfortunately, the couple’s second attempt at making things work hit a brick wall. The pair broke up in 2019, with reports claiming the actress had broken off the engagement. A source told Us Magazine.

“She’d had enough and ended [their engagement]. She has no regrets.”

In 2021, Ryan was spotted wearing a ring on her engagement finger during lunch in Santa Monica. It has raised questions about whether the actress is still engaged to Mellecamp or in a new relationship. She has, however, kept mum about it, and it remains a mystery.

Initially, Ryan was said to have lost her interest in acting, but she is back in the game. As fans wait to ascertain what is in store for the actress in matters of love, she is busy acting and directing and will most likely win back people’s favor with the new show where she plays Willa and also doubles up as a producer.

The “Serious Moonlight” actress is set to appear as Willa in the 2023 rom-com “What Happens Later,” a story about ex-lovers reuniting after splitting up decades ago.