Whatever Happened to Meg Ryan?

It was just a few years ago that Meg Ryan was commanding about $15 million per picture. Then she kind of disappeared. Now, she attempts to make a comeback and takes bit parts in low budget failures like In the 2007 movie Land of Women, or 2008's straight-to-video My Mom's New Boyfriend?

So, what happened? How does one of the biggest box-office stars of the 90's drop off the radar like this? Was it age discrimination? Was it a poor choice of roles? Was it the death of the kind of huge romantic comedies she starred in? My gosh, this woman grossed over $1 Billion from 1993 to 1998.

Ryan did take a three year hiatus after the bomb in 2004 of Against the Ropes, but she came back in some bigger failures and now she is part of an ensemble cast for the movie, The Women, where she joined Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Jada Pinkett Smith, Debra Messing, Bette Midler, and Candice Bergen in a remake of the 1939 classic. Was Ryan included in this ensemble because of lingering doubt that she can still carry a movie as the lead, or is this what's left of her career going forward?

What Happened? Let's Explore!

Age discrimination - Look at the picture of Meg Ryan today at 46. There is a photo of her today down below. Is she still as sexy as she was in the 90's? Some say that the facial surgery she had made her look different and that she now looks older and not as sweet as she once did. Do women face age discrimination more than men. Tom Hanks looks older than he did but he still commands big bucks for some very good movies. Ryan does not..

Poor choice of roles - Ryan's last big winner was the 1998 film You've Got Mail (Deluxe Edition)and then she started taking on different kinds of roles. Is this what did her in? Following up You've Got Mail in 1998 with the sci-fi romantic comedy Kate and Leopold in 2001, she completely changed gears with Proof of Life. She appeared nude on In the Cut (R-Rated Edition) and simulated oral sex with Mark Ruffalo, and the aforementioned Against the Ropes in which she played a female boxing promoter was just terrible.

Actors do take risks as they get bigger but these were not all horrible films. Maybe they just did not strike a chord with the viewing public. Maybe they went up against other films that hit big and people just did not want to spend their money on these.

The death of the respectable romantic comedy - There have not been many of the romantic comedies like the ones Meg Ryan did with Tom Hanks, such as Sleepless in Seattle (10th Anniversary Edition) and You've Got Mail, but the lack of these kinds of movies would not normally keep a huge star from going on, so it really can't be this one that has unhinged her career.

Poor personal choices - Some people think that Meg Ryan's alleged affair with Russell Crowe while she was still married to Dennis Quaid led people to see her in a new light and one that they did not like. Many people right here in the comments section claim that they quit liking her when news of her affair were made public. The only problem with this argument is that the affair was not one sided. Russell Crowe was a part of it too, and like Tom Hanks, he still makes big movies and commands big money. Of course, some say that the double standard applies here as well as it does with age discrimination.

So, what do I think? I really can't say. I think she picked some bad films and the 3 year hiatus took her out of sight and when a celebrity leaves the limelight, it can be hard for them to return.

If you still love Meg Ryan as much as I do, you might want to check out the Amazon portal below to see some of her best and maybe some of her worst films. Enjoy!

Meg Ryan is in an upcoming movie called Lives of the Saints. It is described as a movie sort of like Crash in that it shows how people's lives intertwine. 50 Cent, Kat Dennings, John Lithgow is also in the movie. The story line says that it is about a disparate group of Los Angelenos, wrestling with troubled pasts, cross paths on a rocky road to grace and redemption. It was supposed to be released in 2012 but it is still unreleased as of 2013.

Dec. 311, 2012 - Meg Ryan has lived in SoHo, which is a neighborhood in lower Manhattan, New York since her split with husband Dennis Quaid. It seems that she has found a new place on Fifth Avenue that is around 3300 square feet and has an asking price of $7.2 million. Her Bel Air mansion was listed for over $11 million back in September and that is when she rented her SoHo apartment for $25,000 each month.

Ryan was married to Dennis Quaid for 10 years but allegedly had an affair with Russell Crowe and soon after broke with Quaid. Many people claim that her affair and her plastic surgery, that many say was not successful, are the two reasons she has fallen out of the spotlight. You can see a recent photograph of Meg Ryan and see if you agree with those that say she has lost her girl next door looks that helped her become the darling of the movies during the 1990's.

Jack Quaid, the son of Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan, is a Sophomore in the Experimental Theatre Wing at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. Now, he is going to make his film debut as Marvel in the upcoming movie, Hunger Games. His character is supposed to be a bad guy and he worries that people will dislike him when they see him on the streets. Of course, if he is that good, then he will probably make it in show business. Quaid is the only son of Ryan and Quaid. Anyone who has ever seen the work of his famous parents knows that he has a great chance of making it too. Good luck Jack.

What Happened to Kelly LeBrock?
When Kelly LeBrock appeared on screen as man's ultimate fantasy in 'The Woman in Red' and 'Weird Science' her beauty transfixed everyone that cast their eyes...

What Happened to Melanie Griffith
Melanie Griffith was one of the hottest stars of the 1980's and 1990's. American men couldn't get enough of her. It seemed like she would be a star forever, ...

What Happened to Mr. T
Mr. T was one of the most memorable characters to ever grace our television and movie screens. He was one of the hottest stars of the 1980's and 1990's. His ...

What Happened to Steve Perry
What Happened to Steve Perry? Have you listened to Journey lately and wondered what happened to their lead singer, Steve Perry? Don't feel left out. Thousand...