While the world may be infatuated with the Meg Ryan of the 80s and the 90s, the actress herself had moved on beyond a point of natural fame and adulation to outright deification. Her on-screen presence became so synonymous with happily-ever-afters and serendipitous love that just her mere existence held a rapport that was unreasonable to expect from one human being. Soon enough, Meg Ryan would altogether become a symbol representing true love and perseverance.
So what happens when an iconic star such as she gets wrapped up in a messily presented sex scandal in the media and all parties paint her as the wrongdoer and no one comes to her rescue? Well, there is only one acceptable answer to that – Princess Leia comes to her rescue.
Also read: 15 Celebrities We Once Fell In Love With But Now Nobody Cares About Anymore
Meg Ryan’s Marriage Erupted after Russell Crowe Affair
The once and future Gladiator was destined to steal the spotlight at the turn of the modern century with Ridley Scott’s historical epic drama and a high-profile affair that ended a decade long marriage of one of America’s most adored women. Russell Crowe, at the time, had only begun to appear in Hollywood after being made famous by his role as the Roman general. By then, however, Meg Ryan was already America’s Sweetheart, much before Sandra Bullock would arrive to steal the moniker from the rom-com queen.
With evergreen films like Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, and When Harry Met Sally, Meg Ryan solidified her presence in the industry as the first and final stop to all problems requiring the remedy of love. By the time the 21st century rolled around, she was already on the last dregs of her crumbling marriage to Dennis Quaid, even though the couple were yet to announce the news of their separation formally. That work was cut out for the newly single Ryan when the 2001 film, Proof of Life, starring Ryan alongside Russell Crowe turned out to be the beginning of the end – for the actress, that is.
As romance blossomed between the co-stars and the paparazzi photographed them walking hand-in-hand, shopping, going on coffee dates, buying antique furnitures, oriental rugs, and looking at houses, the world cried foul at watching their idol, the iconic symbol of love and everything pure fall as any mortal would. The infamous affair swiftly put an end to the actress’ 9-year-long marriage to Dennis Quaid with whom she shared a son, Jack Quaid (better known as Hughie from The Boys).
Carrie Fisher Comes To Meg Ryan’s Defense after Affair
Although it is hard to quantify the level of shame and embarrassment piled onto Meg Ryan after the exposure of her affair, things were – to put it bluntly – brutal for the actress. The media and fans painted her in a negative light for not living up to their imagined expectations – a fact that was later pointed out by one of her close friends as well. Russell Crowe, too, failed to correct the mass opinion when tabloids were splashed with headlines that read “Russell dumped Meg.” But while the world was busy opining about the morality of it all, Carrie Fisher came to Ryan’s aid claiming:
“He’s a tough thing to resist. I was just glad I had a friend that got him. If I can’t have him, I want to hear what he’s like—at some point, when she’s willing to talk.”
Despite wanting to establish some facts about her failed marriage and her affair (re: rebound) with Crowe, the actress also maintained enough professionalism so as to not mar anyone’s image in public. 8 years after her divorce, she did however reveal that Quaid had cheated on her during the course of their marriage – a claim that went largely unverified, ignored by the masses, and hardly sensationalized by the media.
Source: People
