Meg Ryan’s acting career began in the 80s when she landed a role in the TV series As the World Turns. Her career would, of course, take off once she landed a role in the 1986 movie Top Gun. After the success of the Tom Cruise movie, she would go on to star in several blockbusters, cementing her status as a leading actress in the industry and a household name.

Update November 7, 2023: Meg Ryan is back in theaters with What Happens Later, so in honor of her newest release, this film has been updated with great Meg Ryan films and where you can stream them.

Most notably, Ryan made a name for herself, starring in romantic comedies, and effectively became known as one of the biggest rom-com actresses of all time. Alongside her comedic work, Ryan also starred in more serious roles throughout the 90s and early 2000s. Ryan most recently directed and starred in 2023's What Happens Later, sharing the screen with The X-Files star David Duchovny in the wholesome romantic flick. From Top Gun to When Harry Met Sally, here are some of her best movies.

11 When a Man Loves a Woman (1994)

In the 1994 romantic drama When a Man Loves a Woman, Meg Ryan and Andy García portrayed married couple Alice and Michael Green, whose relationship is tested by Alice's intense drinking problem that results in the devoted mother and wife entering herself into a rehab clinic to tackle her addiction head-on. Upon her return home, the pair finds their bond altered as Michael realizes he had been enabling his wife's alcoholism, causing them to address their marriage and what they want for their respective futures.

What Makes It Great

Ryan was able to show off her dramatic side in the engrossing picture, earning a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for her compelling portrayal of the struggling family matriarch. Alice and Michael's emotional journey provided a poignant look at the effects of alcoholism on not only the addict but also their concerned loved ones, and When a Man Loves a Woman remains an underrated entry in Ryan's stellar acting resume.

Rent/Buy on Prime Video

10 Anastasia (1998)

Loosely based on the life and lore of the famous titular Russian royal, the 1997 animated musical fantasy Anastasia provides an alternative look at what could have happened to the prominent daughter of Tsar Nicholas II after her family was brutally executed by Bolshevik revolutionaries in 1918. The enchanting drama features Meg Ryan as the 18-year-old amnesiac Anya (who is actually the Grand Duchess Anastasia), as she joins forces with two con men (John Cusack & Kelsey Grammer) to discover her past and become reunited with her beloved grandmother the Empress.

What Makes It Great

Anastasia garnered multiple Oscar nominations, and Ryan herself was glowingly singled out for her role, receiving an Annie Award nod for her dynamic vocal portrayal. The actress was the first and only choice for the eponymous character, and despite her reservations over the dark history of the Romanovs, took on the part and delivered humor, heart, and sass to the character of Anya.

Stream on Disney+

9 Restoration (1995)

Restoration was released in 1995 and is a historical drama that focuses on young physician Merivel (Robert Downey, Jr.), who finds a friend in King Charles II (Sam Neil), which leads to a reckless life until he falls in love with the king’s mistress (Polly Walker). He is then banished from the King’s court; however, he finds love again with Meg Ryan’s character, Katherine.

What Makes It Great

The film won Oscars for Art Direction and Costume Design, and it’s a unique role in Ryan’s career that is well worth a watch. She stepped away from her go-to rom-com roles of the '90s to appear in the historical drama, and her impressive chemistry and banter with Downey's Merivel was one of Restoration's shining moments and further displayed Ryan's universal appeal to audiences.

Rent/Buy on Amazon Prime

8 Top Gun (1986)

Top Gun was released in 1986 and is now a classic, becoming one of the most iconic films in history with instantly recognizable pop culture moments. The film focuses on Maverick (Tom Cruise), and Ryan plays Carole Bradshaw, the wife of Maverick’s best friend, Goose (Anthony Edwards). Ryan’s role was small but highly impactful for the then-up-and-coming actress.

What Makes It Great

She made an impression on audiences and professionals alike, which would lead to her being cast in much larger roles thereafter. The beloved '80s classic and its massive success ultimately played a hand in Ryan nabbing arguably her most iconic character and flick: the fan-favorite rom-com When Harry Met Sally... in 1989. Notably, Ryan's Carole was missing from the recently released sequel Top Gun: Maverick. According to Cinema Blend, the director's decision lies in the fact that the film was a Maverick-focused journey.

Stream on Paramount+

7 Courage Under Fire (1996)

Courage Under Fire was released in 1996 and tells the story of Lieutenant Colonel Serling (Denzel Washington), who is haunted by a deadly mistake from his past and is tasked with determining if Captain Karen Emma Walden (Ryan) is deserving of the Medal of Honor. Her character died after following a rescue mission that ended in disaster, and the film focuses on the mystery that surrounds her death.

What Makes It Great

We see her only in flashbacks, and her story is portrayed differently depending on who tells it, which gives Ryan plenty of time to show drastically different interpretations of the same character depending on who is telling the story. One version is cowardice, another is cruel, another is brave, and Ryan excels at every one of them. Ryan received positive reviews for her performance.

Stream on Apple TV+

6 The Doors (1991)

Oliver Stone directed the 1991 biographical drama The Doors, which features a phenomenal Val Kilmer as the legendary rock band's bewitching frontman, Jim Morrison, and Ryan as his devoted longtime girlfriend, Pamela Courson, chronicling the group's fascinating origins and rise to prominence in the 1960s.

What Makes It Great

The sensational flick was a modest box office success, and Kilmer's charismatic portrayal of the celebrated vocalist was appreciated by audiences everywhere, as was Ryan's vibrant outing as Courson; critics fondly declared, "Kilmer and Ryan may have never been better than in the hands of Stone." This is an underrated film in Ryan's career, and she is often overshadowed by Kilmer, but Ryan more than holds her own.

Stream on Prime Video

5 City of Angels (1998)

City of Angels is a fantasy film that sees Ryan star opposite Nicolas Cage. Cage plays an angel, Seth, who falls in love with Maggie (Ryan), and he must decide if he wants to retain his immortal status as an angel or live life as a human to be with the woman he loves.

What Makes It Great

The romantic picture was a big success with moviegoers in 1998, earning nearly $200 million during its theatrical run, and Ryan delivered a charming performance that was just one of her many iconic roles of the 1990s that helped make her a bonafide box office sensation. The talented pair received a nomination for Best On-Screen Duo at the MTV Movie & TV Awards for their tender portrayal of the star-crossed lovers, and Ryan also nabbed a Saturn Award nod for Best Actress.

Rent/Buy on Amazon Prime & Apple TV+

4 You’ve Got Mail (1998)

Ryan teamed up with Tom Hanks once again in 1998 with the release of You’ve Got Mail. The plot centers on Kathleen Kelly (Ryan), who owns a small family bookstore, which is in danger of closing when Joe Fox (Hanks) opens a much larger bookstore nearby. The two become rivals, with each being unaware they are also each other’s internet pen pal. We see their relationship develop online as their real-life one becomes heated.

What Makes It Great

The Nora Ephron rom-com was very well received among audiences and critics alike and marked the third on-screen collaboration between Hollywood sweethearts Ryan and Hanks. Fans of the dynamic duo couldn't get enough of their undeniable chemistry and delightful allure, and they awarded the epic '90s rom-com an enviable A- CinemaScore. Variety noted in their glowing review that the pair "show why they are two of Hollywood's most bankable and, in many ways, most traditional stars."

Stream on Tubi

.

3 Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

Sleepless in Seattle was released in 1993 and demonstrated another successful collaboration between Ryan and Tom Hanks. Hanks stars as Sam, who is still in the process of grieving over the death of his wife. He then calls into a radio show to discuss his feelings, which prompts several women to reach out to him, including Annie (Ryan), who encourages him to meet her.

What Makes It Great

The entire movie is about his son’s efforts to encourage the pair to meet, making for a moving love story in which both actors delivered excellent performances. Inspired by the classic romantic flick An Affair to Remember, director/writer Nora Ephron wrote the character of Annie specifically with Ryan in mind, having previously worked with her in When Harry Met Sally..., and she cast Hanks in the lead role believing he could deliver a Cary Grant-esque performance. Her efforts paid off, and Sleepless in Seattle further established Ephron (and Ryan) as a major rom-com trailblazer.

Stream on Tubi

2 Innerspace (1987)

Innerspace was released in 1987, and Ryan starred in this shortly after she found success through Top Gun. The plot focuses on pilot Lt. Tuck Pendleton (Dennis Quaid), who is miniaturized and accidentally implanted into hypochondriac Jack Putter (Martin Short) following an attack by a rival organization. When he realizes what is going on, he calls for the help of Tuck's former girlfriend, Lydia (Ryan), and they all embark on a mission to bring down the enemy.

What Makes It Great

While the flick underperformed at the box office, it nonetheless demonstrated Ryan’s talents well and is an overall underrated film in her illustrious career. Innerspace won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and garnered appreciation for its lively blend of genres, screwball humor, and exciting performances by its talented ensemble cast. The sci-fi comedy also led to a relationship and subsequent marriage between lead stars Ryan and Quaid, and they would also go on to appear in D.O.A. and Flesh and Bone alongside one another in the ensuing years.

Buy/Rent on Apple TV+

1 When Harry Met Sally... (1989)

When Harry Met Sally… is a classic romantic comedy that was directed by Rob Reiner and released in 1989. It focuses on two characters, Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Ryan), who discuss whether men and women can ever be just friends. They then embark on a life-altering journey that sees them discover that friends can make the best partners.

What Makes It Great

The film has one of the most iconic scenes in film history in which Ryan delivers a fake orgasm, and it truly cemented her place as a figure forever to be remembered in cinema history. Widely regarded as one of the greatest rom-coms of all time, When Harry Met Sally... has since been deemed in the years since its release as "the quintessential contemporary feel-good relationship movie that somehow still rings true," and is credited with truly launching Ryan's dynamic Hollywood career. It received numerous accolades, including an Oscar and five Golden Globe nods (with Ryan also earning one), and remains a beloved '80s masterpiece.

Stream on Paramount+