Meg Ryan net worth in 2024 has been a topic of interest for many fans. Known for her roles in classic romantic comedies, Ryan has made a lasting impact on Hollywood. She became a household name with hit movies like When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and You’ve Got Mail. Her charm and talent on screen made her one of the most popular actresses of the 90s.
Let’s take a closer look at her earnings and where her wealth comes from.
Meg Ryan in Brief
| Full Name | Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra |
| Date of Birth | November 19, 1961 |
| Place of Birth | Fairfield, Connecticut, USA |
| Occupation | Actress, Producer |
| Height | 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm) |
| Partners | John Mellencamp (former partner) |
| Spouse | Dennis Quaid (married 1991–2001) |
| Children | Jack Quaid, Daisy True Ryan |
| Net Worth | $85 million |
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What is Meg Ryan Net Worth in 2024?
Meg Ryan is an American actress and producer with a net worth of $85 million as of 2024. Meg Ryan’s main source of wealth comes from her successful career as an actress. She gained fame in the 1980s and 1990s with hit films like When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and You’ve Got Mail. These movies made her one of Hollywood’s top stars, earning her millions in salary.
Ryan also made money from producing films and directing. Over the years, she has invested in real estate and other business ventures, which have added to her wealth. Even though she is not in the spotlight as much now, her past earnings and investments continue to support her financial success.
Meg Ryan’s Salary
In 1994, Meg earned $5 million for her role in the historical drama I.Q.. Four years later, she earned $8.5 million for City of Angels.
In 1998, Meg had a big year. She made $10.5 million for starring in You’ve Got Mail with Tom Hanks. That year, her total earnings were $19 million, making her one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood at the time.
In the 2000s, Meg continued to earn big paychecks. For Proof of Life and Kate & Leopold, she made $15 million per movie.
From 1994 to 2002, Meg earned over $60 million from movies. This amount would be even higher if you adjusted for inflation.
Meg Ryan’s Early Life
Meg Ryan was born in Fairfield, Connecticut. Her mother, Susan Jordan, was an actress and English teacher. Her father, Harry Hyra, was a math teacher. Ryan has Polish roots from her father. She was raised Catholic and went to St. Pius X Elementary School.
She had two sisters, Dana and Annie, who both passed away and a brother named Andrew Hyra. Andrew is a musician and part of the band Billy Pilgrim. Ryan’s parents divorced when she was 15 years old.
Ryan finished high school at Bethel High School in 1979. She studied journalism at the University of Connecticut and New York University. While in college, she worked in TV commercials and appeared on the soap opera As the World Turns. She left college early to focus on acting. Ryan chose her stage name “Ryan” from her grandmother’s maiden name when she joined the Screen Actors Guild.
Meg Ryan’s Career
Early Career
Meg Ryan began her acting career in 1981 with the film Rich and Famous directed by George Cukor. She then appeared on the soap opera As the World Turns from 1982 to 1984. During this time, she also appeared in commercials for brands like Burger King and Aim toothpaste. Her early roles included parts in Charles in Charge, Armed and Dangerous, and Amityville 3-D. In 1987, she earned her first Independent Spirit Award nomination for her role in Promised Land.
In 1986, she played Carole Bradshaw in Top Gun, starring alongside Anthony Edwards. This role was revisited in Top Gun: Maverick in 2022 with flashbacks. Ryan also starred in Innerspace in 1987 with her future husband Dennis Quaid. The couple also worked together in D.O.A. and Flesh and Bone.
Breakthrough Roles
Ryan’s big break came in 1989 with the romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally…, where she starred opposite Billy Crystal. This film was a huge hit, and Ryan received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance. She then starred in Sleepless in Seattle with Tom Hanks, which earned her another Golden Globe nomination. Their earlier film Joe Versus the Volcano had been a commercial failure but later gained a cult following.
Ryan also starred in the romantic comedies You’ve Got Mail and French Kiss. In 1994, she took on a different role in When a Man Loves a Woman, playing an alcoholic counselor, which was well-received by critics. Ryan continued to be known as “America’s Sweetheart” and won awards like the Women in Film Crystal Award in 1995.
Expanding Roles
In 2000, Ryan starred in Hanging Up, a family comedy-drama, alongside Diane Keaton and Lisa Kudrow. Though the film didn’t do well with critics, Ryan kept taking on diverse roles. In Proof of Life, she starred with Russell Crowe in an action thriller about a kidnapped man. Despite the media attention around their affair, the film had mixed success.
Ryan then returned to romantic comedies with Kate & Leopold and starred in In the Cut, an erotic thriller. She also played a boxer’s manager in Against the Ropes, which didn’t perform well at the box office.
Independent Films
After a three-year break, Ryan returned to acting in 2007 with In the Land of Women, a drama where she played a woman dealing with breast cancer. She also starred in The Women, a remake of the 1939 classic. The film was a success financially but received negative reviews. Ryan also appeared in Serious Moonlight, where she played a wife who locks her husband in a bathroom to save her marriage.
Directorial Debut
Ryan took a break from acting in the 2010s to focus on directing. She was involved in several projects but none came to fruition. In 2015, Ryan made her directorial debut with Ithaca, a drama based on the novel The Human Comedy by William Saroyan. She returned to acting in 2023 with What Happens Later, a romantic comedy she also directed.
Ryan has also been active in television and charity work. She appeared in the PBS documentary Half the Sky and worked on the NBC series Web Therapy in 2013.
Meg Ryan’s Personal Life
Ryan married actor Dennis Quaid on February 14, 1991. They have one son together, Jack Quaid, born on April 24, 1992. They separated in June 2000 and divorced in July 2001.
Ryan started a relationship with actor Russell Crowe after working together on the movie Proof of Life.
In January 2006, Ryan adopted a 14-month-old girl from China named Daisy True.
Ryan dated singer-songwriter John Mellencamp from 2010 to 2014. They got back together in 2017, and Ryan announced their engagement in November 2018. However, in October 2019, they broke off the engagement.
Ryan’s son Jack Quaid is an actor, and she has worked with actors like Dennis Quaid, Russell Crowe, and John Mellencamp in her career.
Meg Ryan’s Real Estate
Homes Over the Years
Meg lived in a big mansion in Bel-Air, Los Angeles, for many years. She tried to sell it in 2009 for $14.2 million but finally sold it for $11.1 million. Later, director James Han bought it for $18.5 million.
Chappaquiddick Island Property
In 2006, Meg bought a house on Chappaquiddick Island for $6.5 million. The house was on 5 acres of land. She sold it in 2019 for $11 million.
New York City Loft
In 2013, Meg bought a 4,000-square-foot loft in New York City for $4.625 million. The seller was Hank Azaria, who voices characters in The Simpsons. Meg sold this loft in 2017 for $9.85 million.
In 2017, Meg bought a condo in New York’s Tribeca neighborhood for $10 million.
Montecito Home and Sale
In 2020, Meg bought a home in Montecito, California for $5 million. She renovated it and sold it in 2021 for $13.3 million, making a profit of over $8 million (before renovation costs).
Home in Montecito
In August 2021, Meg bought another home in Montecito for $9.5 million.
