Meg Ryan’s Scandalous Affair with Russell Crowe and its Impact on Her Marriage to Dennis Quaid

Meg Ryan's pristine image as the beloved leading lady of romantic comedies like When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless in Seattle took a major blow when news broke of her affair with Russell Crowe, while she was still married to Dennis Quaid.

The affair unfolded on the set of the 2000 thriller Proof of Life, where Meg and Russell developed an instant chemistry.

Meg and Dennis had tied the knot in 1991 and shared a son named Jack, who is now 28 years old.

From the outside, their marriage seemed perfect, but appearances can be deceiving.

The cracks began to show when Meg became infatuated with her co-star, leading to the official announcement of her separation from Dennis.

The affair created tension among the cast and crew of Proof of Life, to the extent that Meg decided not to participate in the promotional press tour out of fear of facing questions about her personal life.

The film's director, Taylor Hackford, even blamed the relationship for its failure at the box office.

Meg faced public vilification for her actions, but she remained resilient.

Reflecting on the scandal, she recalled a moment when she walked through a lobby and felt the weight of public scrutiny.

However, instead of crumbling under the pressure, she laughed.

She realized that the power of public censure and disapproval holds no sway if one knows themselves.

The relationship between Meg and Russell was short-lived, lasting only a few months.

They got together in early 2000 and had split by Christmas of the same year.

According to sources, Russell wanted to marry Meg and start a family, but things moved too quickly for her.

She felt overwhelmed by his attention and extravagant gifts, such as a puppy and a vintage 1963 Buick Riviera.

In 2008, Meg defended Russell, stating that he had been unfairly implicated in her marital struggles.

She acknowledged her own faults and admitted to hurting him as well.

Meg also revealed that Dennis had been unfaithful during their marriage, shedding light on the reality behind the headlines.

Despite the affair, Meg insisted that it was not the sole reason for the breakdown of her marriage.

She claimed that she left Dennis because their relationship was simply not working, emphasizing that Russell was not a homewrecker.

Meg later opened up about Dennis's struggle with being less famous than her, suggesting that it may have contributed to their marital issues.

While Meg was the one who ended the marriage, Russell has always spoken highly of her, expressing his admiration and mourning the loss of their companionship while maintaining their friendship.

Since the scandal, Meg's love life has been relatively low-key, including a brief engagement to singer John Mellencamp.

Dennis went on to marry Kimberly Buffington in 2004, and after their divorce in 2018, he recently tied the knot with Laura Savoie.

Russell married Danielle Spencer in 2003, and they had two children before divorcing in 2018.