Meet Meg Ryan's Kids, Daisy True Ryan And Jack Quaid

Meg Ryan's children, 31-year-old Jack Quaid and 19-year-old Daisy True Ryan, have very different stories despite having the same mother. This doesn't mean that Meg loves them differently, however. "My kids have always been a blast. They're the best hang," the actor told Glamour in an interview.

Jack Quaid has carved his path in the entertainment industry, following in the footsteps of his famous parents (his father is "The Parent Trap" star Dennis Quaid). With his own distinct story and experiences, Jack brings a fresh perspective to the world of acting. Daisy True offers a different narrative, having been adopted by Meg from China in 2006. Of her unique situation, Meg told Redbook (via People) in 2007, "I just can't imagine what it was like before [Daisy True] came. Life is good, it's so good with her in it. She and Jack get along great. All of us fit together beautifully."

Meg celebrates the individuality of her children, showcasing the richness that comes from embracing diverse stories within a family. Here's what makes the journey of both of Meg Ryan's children unique and interesting.

Jack Quaid, born on April 24, 1992, in Los Angeles, is making a name for himself in Hollywood, but his journey is colored by a unique childhood. As the son of renowned actors Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid, Jack's upbringing was far from conventional. As he told the "Allegedly With Theo Von & Matthew Cole Weiss" podcast (via People), "I acknowledge fully the way that I grew up was not normal." However, that was all he knew. "[I]t was normal in the sense that despite what my parents do, they are still a mom and a dad. It's not like they are their characters at the dinner table or anything like that," he said.

Growing up amid the entertainment industry, Jack's exposure to the world of filmmaking began early. Accompanying his parents to on-location shoots, the "Hunger Games" 
actor recalled having little patience while at work with his parents, telling People, "A kid can't handle how slow a set moves, so I would watch a couple of takes and then go to the craft service truck and try to steal all the candy I could!"

Jack's parents were married for a decade before parting ways in 2001, finalizing their divorce when Jack was 9. Of the experience, Jack told "Allegedly" (via People), "It's hard to ignore when you're at a grocery store and you're checking out and you look at [magazines], and there's a photo of them with a little paper rip graphic between them."

Jack Quaid knew he would have big shoes to fill when he decided to pursue acting as his parents did, but that didn't stop him. Jack was well aware of the substantial legacy he carried. Determined to carve his own path, Jack expressed his desire to pursue acting independently, telling his father, Dennis Quaid, "I want to do it by myself," as Dennis told People. Making a conscious choice to forge his own way, Jack forwent his father's offer to set him up with his own agent and instead found his own. Jack made his acting debut in the 2012 film "The Hunger Games," which impressed Dennis so much that he joked to "The Kelly Clarkson Show," "I'm sayin', like, hey, how about a little help over here?" Most recently, Jack ventured into voice acting, voicing the character of Peter Parker in the hugely successful 2023 animated film "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse."

Jack recalled his first experience onstage in a middle school production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream," saying, "I got my first laugh onstage, and I was like, 'Now I want to do this forever.'" Reflecting on his fortunate upbringing, Jack acknowledged the encouragement he received from his parents as he pursued his passion for acting, telling People, "It's lucky that I got to grow up saying, 'Hey, I want to be an actor,' and they understood that ... and supported me going into it."

Jack Quaid knew that he wanted to perform from a very early age, telling Women's Wear Daily, "I always had the performing bug. I would do magic shows for family growing up." Immersed in a household where creativity flowed, Jack's early fascination with the performing arts became apparent. Dennis Quaid reminisced about Jack's childhood, noting that his son had a natural proclivity for expressing himself, telling "The Kelly Clarkson Show," "He had a video camera in his hand when he was like 4 years old, making little videos and stuff." The acting bug, as Dennis described it, caught hold of Jack at an incredibly young age. "Ever since he was a kid, it was kinda obvious that he was gonna do that," Dennis said of his son's burgeoning career.

Meg Ryan, witnessing her son's talent onstage during the middle school production, sensed that Jack had a genuine gift for acting. Talking about the experience, the "You've Got Mail" actress told Glamour, "I was newly divorced from his dad, and he was seated at the other side of the gym," while their son performed the role of Bottom in "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Describing her thoughts at the time, Ryan said, "[I] was like, 'Oh, no. He's good. He's really good.' I leaned forward, and I see Dennis, and he's also leaning forward with his head in his hands. I just knew."

Meg Ryan's venture into directing marked a significant family affair with her son, Jack Quaid, playing a crucial role in her directorial debut, "Ithaca," released in 2015. The film, a coming-of-age story, brought together Meg Ryan, Jack Quaid, and her longtime friend and co-star, Tom Hanks. Working alongside his mother and Hanks, Jack Quaid found himself in a unique position, contributing not just as an actor but also as a supportive presence on set. Meg Ryan expressed her gratitude for having Jack on set, telling People that it was "fantastic to have him around." 

Ryan also spoke fondly of her son's involvement, recounting how lucky she was to be able to work with him. "We were lucky to get him because he came from Martin Scorsese's set of 'Vinyl' ... " she said, "and I said, 'Oh, Jack, our set is so dinky and small compared to Scorsese's, and he goes, 'Oh, mom, mom — it's the same.' So it's good to have a son who will say something like that."

For Jack, the experience of acting in his mother's directorial debut was a blend of the personal and the professional. He praised his mother to WWD, saying "Nobody knows you better than your mom, so it was absolutely perfect." Acknowledging the challenge of working with someone who knows you so well, Quaid said, "Our shorthand is incredible. I tried to somehow keep it professional."

Meg Ryan emphatically rejects the notion that her son, Jack Quaid, has found success in the film industry solely due to nepotism. The acclaimed actor emphasized Jack's talent and work ethic as the driving forces behind his accomplishments, telling People, "He's just in it for all the right reasons. He's somebody who just loves what he does." According to Ryan, Jack is genuinely passionate about his craft, working diligently to carve out a career in the competitive world of entertainment. "I am just so proud of how sensible he is, how ethical he is, how fun he is — and I just knew early on he was somebody I would have to share. He's just fantastic," she told People. 

Quaid, meanwhile, expresses gratitude for how supportive his parents are but emphasizes that Hollywood is very different today. He told People, "The way that this business works is so much different than the way that it worked back then for them. I'm experiencing some things for the first time, like working on a movie set during COVID."

Ryan dismissed the term nepo baby, which is often used pejoratively to describe individuals in Hollywood with famous family connections, in an interview with Glamour. "Jack is really talented," she said. "He's more of a natural than I'll ever be. That nepo stuff is so dismissive of his work ethic, his gifts, and how sensitive he is to the idea of his privilege."

Daisy True Ryan, born in China in 2004 and adopted by renowned actor Meg Ryan in early 2006, is more than just a member of a Hollywood household. Meg's decision to adopt Daisy True was something that the "When Harry Met Sally" actor described as "a deliberate act" to the Los Angeles Times in 2008, stating that she "always thought" she would adopt. The adoption process provided Ryan with many life lessons. As the actor stated, "[It] taught me a lot about any expectations you have in life. Just toss them away. Throw them out."

As Daisy True grew, her vibrant personality and intelligence became evident. Meg, in an interview with Access Hollywood, described the experience of raising her as "a great experience." Daisy True's strong will and vibrancy earned praise from Meg, who said of her daughter, "She's a great brain too, that kid. And she is in charge, very in charge." Daisy True, who is now attending Smith College in Massachusetts, has embarked on her own path. Beyond the celebrity spotlight, Daisy True's journey stands as a testament to the beauty of adoption and the enduring bond between a mother and her child.

Even though Jack Quaid is in the same line of work as his parents, Meg Ryan says that her son is very different from both herself and his father. Her daughter, Daisy True Ryan, is also adamantly her own person, according to Meg, who told People, "[E]ach of them are so different." Meg's children had significantly different upbringings; Jack was also raised by his father, Dennis Quaid, whereas Daisy True's singular parent is her mother. The actor and mother is obviously very proud of her children because she made sure to add that both Jack and Daisy True "are hilarious, they're smart, they are kind, they're interested in other people, they're curious about the world."

Meg has also noted that even though Jack is her biological child and Daisy True is adopted, that doesn't mean that her son is any more like his parents than Daisy True is. "He's his own guy, and that's how kids come, no matter how you get them," she told Redbook (via People). "It's just as much of a lottery with your own biological children as it is with an adopted child half the world away." Meg's love for children is clearly palpable in interviews, such as when she told People, "I feel like both of them make the world a little better, and I just feel so proud of them."

When Meg Ryan first adopted her daughter, she named her Charlotte True. However, as the mother-daughter bond deepened and Ryan got to know her newly adopted child, she realized that the chosen name didn't quite capture the essence of her daughter's vibrant personality. In a candid moment on "The Late Show With David Letterman" (via People), Ryan revealed that it took time to truly understand her daughter's personality. Describing Daisy as a "ridiculously happy person," Ryan sought a name that reflected this joy. Eventually settling on Daisy, she expressed, "[Daisy]'s a really ridiculously happy person, and it was the happiest name I could think of."

Interestingly, before landing on Daisy, Ryan considered the name Rae. However, she had reservations about it, realizing it felt more like a "guy's name." As Ryan noted to Letterman, "[S]he had enough to deal with, you know?" Reflecting on the naming process, Ryan shared a humorous anecdote about a friend suggesting the name "Oprah Winfrey Ryan." The experience made her recognize the importance of finding a name that resonated with her daughter's identity. In the end, Daisy emerged as the perfect fit; as Ryan describes her daughter to The Spokesman-Review, "[S]he is such a flower, just blooming and blooming."

Meg Ryan embarked on the remarkable journey of motherhood when she adopted her daughter Daisy True Ryan in 2006, a decision she made as a single parent after her divorce from Dennis Quaid five years earlier. Raising Daisy True as a single mom, Meg became a pivotal figure in her daughter's life. During a Q&A session for In Goop Health (via E!), Ryan shared the unique dynamics of being the sole parent for her daughter, stating, "I know I'm really her reference, for better and worse, and I'm glad she has other influences." Meg also noted the benefits of being a single parent, saying, "One thing that is nice is you don't get overruled."

Recalling the moment of adoption, Meg vividly described the initial meeting with Daisy True, highlighting the profound connection they felt. The actor told the Los Angeles Times, "She had tons and tons of clothes on her, Teletubby long underwear, another layer, then this electric blue sweater. She was red-faced, screaming and crying." Meg Ryan recalled the magical moment when she held her daughter for the first time, saying, "Daisy stopped crying. I'm not kidding you. She checked me out and then she went to sleep." Meg emphasized that the adoption wasn't about rescuing Daisy but recognizing an innate connection, something she described as magic, telling Glamour, "I'm convinced of magic because of our relationship. We were destined."

Meg Ryan, renowned for her iconic roles in romantic comedies, is passing on her love for the genre to her daughter Daisy True Ryan. As a single mom, Meg embraces the joy of sharing best friend activities with Daisy True, creating cherished memories together. "I'm showing my daughter all kinds of romantic comedies," Ryan told The New York Times, "We did a Frank Capra thing over Christmas: 'It Happened One Night' and 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.' However, this tradition doesn't necessarily apply to the films in which Meg Ryan herself took on starring roles. Sharing an anecdote about her son staying in a hotel across from Katz's Deli, where the iconic "orgasm scene" from "When Harry Met Sally" was filmed, Meg told Interview Magazine that her daughter remarked, "Mom, this is a very unique embarrassment."

Beyond movie nights, Meg and Daisy have shared remarkable experiences, from traveling the world to attending a Schiaparelli show during Paris Fashion Week. The mother-daughter duo's adventures showcase the depth of their connection, revealing a type of relationship reminiscent of "Gilmore Girls." Meg Ryan's journey into motherhood, particularly through adoption, has been a fulfilling experience. Of her daughter, Meg told "Access Hollywood" (via People), "That is a powerful thing — a little 3-year-old girl. ... It stops the room, it stops an argument. It's just the sweetest — the power of that sweetness is something."

Meg Ryan's strict parenting methods have played a significant role in shaping her daughter, Daisy True Ryan. For example, Meg talked to People about how her daughter "didn't have a phone until she was 15." Meg credits decisions like these her daughter's very varied and intellectual interests. "She really is somebody who has a lot of different interests," the actor told People, "she's a great reader and she, at least, has a memory of the phone not being everything." Perhaps it was this very parenting choice that gave Daisy True the broad experiences and discipline that led to her acceptance to Smith College, the prestigious Seven Sisters institution that Daisy True currently attends.

Just because she was strict, however, does not mean that Meg Ryan was not there for her children when they needed her. In fact, the desire to commit herself to raising her children is why Meg stepped away from acting for over a decade. "I have the most tremendous kids, and I really have great friends, and I have a great life," the actor and director told "Access Hollywood," "I've been doing this for a really long time, and I felt like there were some gaps in my experience I wanted to fill in and that's what I have been doing." Clearly, Meg did many things right because her children always speak of their mother with the utmost respect.