Biography:
Born: 1961 November 19
 Pretty,
blond-haired, blue-eyed leading lady with an effervescent
personality, Ryan is the daughter of a casting agent. She
debuted onscreen in a small role as Candice Bergin's
daughter in Rich and Famous (1981), but she intended to
become a journalist. While studying journalism in night
school, she got a lucky break and landed a part on the TV
soap opera "As The World Turns;" her character
became popular and she remained on the show for two
years. 
After some time traveling, she
returned to college, was in the cast of a short-lived TV
series, and had some more small roles in two films
between 1981-86. Ryan's screen career really began to
develop when she landed an important supporting role in
the blockbuster Top Gun (1986); this lead to the female
lead in Steven Spielberg's Inner Space (1987).  While filming that movie she met
actor Dennis Quaid, whom she later married; the two of
them went on to appear together again in two other films.
With her lead role in Rob
Reiner's hit When Harry Met Sally (1989) she established
herself as a star. After appearing in another successful
romantic comedy, Sleepless in Seattle (1993), Ryan chose
a tougher role as an alcoholic wife and mother in 1994's
When a Man Loves a Woman.
|