Dubbed " America's Sweetheart " by the media, she became one of Hollywood's most bankable stars of the latter decade. She made her acting debut in in the drama film Rich and Famous.
In , she made her directorial debut with Ithaca , in which she also starred. After an eight year hiatus, Ryan returned to the screen in the romantic comedy What Happens Later , which she also directed. Her father is of Polish descent. Pius X Elementary School in Fairfield.
She has two sisters, Dana d. Her parents divorced in when she was Ryan graduated from Bethel High School in During college, she acted in television commercials and the soap opera As the World Turns to earn extra money.
Her success as an actress led her to leave college a semester before she planned to graduate. After her film debut in director George Cukor 's final film, Rich and Famous , in , Ryan played Betsy Stewart in the daytime drama As the World Turns from to ; her character was featured in a popular romantic story arc.
She also appeared in some television commercials during the early s for Burger King and Aim toothpaste , among others. Several television and smaller film roles followed, including appearances in Charles in Charge , Armed and Dangerous , and Amityville 3-D. Ryan appeared in the film Innerspace in with her future husband Dennis Quaid , and they subsequently costarred in the remake of D.
