Meg Ryan Embraced Aging Yet Doctor Claimed She Had 'Too Much' Done to Face — Some Fans Fiercely Defended Her

Meg Ryan is a dedicated single mom to two kids, whom she took a break from acting to focus on. She now has an opportunity to return to the world of acting, but many things have changed, including her appearance.

Meg Ryan's looks have sparked controversy among people, and she bears the heavy burden of measuring up to her role as the queen of romcoms as she prepares for a comeback with a new romantic movie.

Ryan has not been sighted in any movie since she acted in "Against the Ropes" in 2003. Before she disappeared, she was counted among America's most beloved romantic comedy actresses, so her break shocked many.

However, as far as she was concerned, it was necessary because while she laid low, she was able to channel all her energy into raising Jack and Daisy, her two kids with her former husband, Dennis Quaid. Jack is her biological child, one she had with Quaid before their separation, while Daisy was adopted from China.

Jack is now in his thirties and has established himself as an actor, just like his mom. He made his acting debut in "The Hunger Games," where he played a minor role. Since then, he has been featured in many other shows, including HBO's "Vinyl."

Growing up, Jack loved being the center of attention; he would host magic shows for the family where he did terrible magic tricks.

When he played Bottom in his modern school production of "Midsummer Night's Dream," he got his first laugh on stage, and he decided that was what he wanted to do forever.

Jack has also worked with his mom; the pair collaborated in her directional debut, "Ithaca," and according to Jack, the partnership went well.

Ryan is now in her 60s and is as confident as ever. She admitted loving her age and her life right now. She is older now, and her looks have matured since she started flying under the radar. Many have noticed this, but Ryan refuses even to debate the topic.

Being famous made her feel like a student, and living life, she felt like a voyeur.

Ryan believes there are better discussions to be had than how women look as they age. She said she loves the person she has become, stating:

"I love my age. I love my life right now. I love what I know about. I love the person I've become, the one I've evolved into."

The actress-turned-director has called being a hater "stupid."

Ryan has developed a thick skin and has learned to only react to things that matter. According to her, those she spends time with share the same mindset as hers.

Rather than talk about looks and another person's age, Ryan prefers to discuss healthy topics like what she's eating or how her kids are growing up.

Having spent decades in Hollywood, Ryan also says she now sees fame as a "condition" instead of an "affliction." She explained:

"Fame is definitely something I have had an evolving relationship to. I'm the kind of person who doesn't want to be separated out...Fame is so cheap. Actually, it's not cheap; it's privacy that is expensive."

While she thinks Instagram and the rest are fun things, she's also aware that there can be misinformation and misunderstanding on these social apps. About those judging her, she said:

"There's a lot of hatred in the world today—it's so easy to judge. Imagine being a hater. How stupid!"

Her Appearance Sparked Controversy

Given all her past statements, one can surmise that Ryan loves aging. However, in 2016, her looks caused controversy as many debated the possibility of her having had surgery despite how she valiantly denied the rumors.

The controversy, which started when she turned up at that year's Tony Awards, spread to social media and saw her fans clash in a contest of opinions.

On Twitter, one user who did not like her appearance said that it was "hard to look at her," and another echoed the sentiment, calling her a "rag doll that needs repair."

One fan even advised her to get her money back because the surgery was a "huge fail." The incensed user also claimed that she looked "disgusting."

Fortunately, some rose to her defense. One fan stated that she had seen Ryan in real life, and she looked very beautiful, while another asked why it mattered what she did if she was happy with it, then urged those who did not like it not to look.

In the past, Ryan has denied having had any work done on her face; however, a plastic surgeon expert said otherwise. The expert, Mark Youssef from Younique Cosmetic Surgery, claimed the actress most likely had surgery, but as far as he was concerned, it was too much. He said:

"I think she looked better before this work. She may have done too much. I think that's why people are a little shocked because she doesn't look like the Meg Ryan that we all love."

Youssef said she obviously had some filler or fat transfer to her cheeks and added a little too much, leading to her face changing shape to accommodate full apple cheeks. Thus, when she smiles, the fillers move up, and her eyes look a bit smaller.

He also pointed out how much narrower the tip of her nose had become, making it look pinched, a result consistent with rhinoplasty. Other parts Youssef believes Ryan's surgery touched include her lips, her forehead, and her whole face.

Psychologist Steve Ornstein believes this need to keep getting work done on different body parts is an addiction rooted in a mental disorder known as Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), where the victim has no realistic image of themselves.

She Never Wanted to Act

Ryan is famous for playing female love interests in movies; however, she has revealed in the past that acting was not something she had initially been gunning for. According to her, being famous made her feel like a student, and living the life, she felt like a voyeur.

Because of the roles she played in hits like "When Harry Met Sally" and "Sleepless in Seattle," Ryan was tagged "America's Sweetheart," and even though she did not understand the full scope of what it meant, the tag stuck.

Thanks to the burden of her title, all eyes are on the new film she has in production. It is titled "What Happens Later" and is scheduled to be released in 2023.

Ryan will reportedly direct and feature in the romantic comedy alongside David Duchovny, and her fans can't wait to see what the queen of romcoms comes up with.