Meg Ryan's Men

Jan. 6, 2011— -- Meg Ryan, who perfected the role of the single girl on the big screen, appears to be single no more.

Ryan, the "Sleepless in Seattle" star, has been largely solo since she divorced Dennis Quaid in 2001. She reportedly had one very brief fling, with Russell Crowe, which ended after a few months. Now she appears to have found a new partner: singer John Mellencamp.

"She's in love," Popeater columnist Rob Shuter told ABCNews.com. "She's not hiding this romance. You'd think she'd try to keep it on the down low. Not Meg. If she falls in love or has a crush, she is not one of these celebrities who hides it for a long time."

Indeed, less than a week after Mellencamp, 59, announced his separation from his wife Elaine after 18 years of marriage, he and the 49-year-old Ryan were spotted shopping in New York City's Soho neighborhood and having coffee on Martha's Vineyard.

A source close to Ryan told People that the actress and the rocker actually began dating about seven weeks ago, and that Mellencamp and his wife had been separated for a while before that.

Their budding romance may be raising eyebrows given the timing of Mellencamp's split from his wife, but Ryan, whose marriage broke up when she began seeing Crowe, doesn't shrink from controversy when it comes to love.

"She doesn't care what you or me or anybody thinks," Shuter said. "All she cares about it that she finds happiness. The Russell Crowe thing was astonishing because she was so public about that."

And, as was the case with Crowe, Shuter said Ryan is hotly pursuing Mellencamp. "Her friends are saying she's head over heels, that she was quite aggressive," he said. "This is definitely Meg's catch."

The rock star and the actress may seem like an unlikely pair, but Shuter said Mellencamp is definitely Ryan's type.

Meg Ryan Likes Famous Guys

"She's always had a thing for famous guys," he said. "We all think of her as America's sweetheart. But she likes these guys who are little rugged, not clean-shaven and they certainly don't moisturize."

Ryan and Mellencamp were recently seen having coffee at Espresso Love, one of Ryan's favorite spots on the Vineyard and, just days ago, buying groceries at New York City's Gourmet Garage.

"She usually comes in by herself or with her daughter," a source from the store told People. "I thought that was her husband because they seemed comfortable and familiar with each other, just like an old married couple."

Mellencamp, who has been married three times and has five children, is "great" with Ryan's daughter, Daisy True, 6, whom she adopted from China, Shuter said. He has also met Ryan's 18-year-old son, Jack Henry, whom she had with Quaid.

For Ryan, this appears to be her first serious relationship in some time -- which is why, Shuter said, the gossip sites are buzzing.

"Meg fell off our radar," he said. "I wouldn't be surprised if she's secretly loving all this attention."

Does this mean the relationship will last?

"Given her history, I'd say no," he said. "But I think she's going to enjoy him and us talking about them for as long as possible."

Here's a look back at Meg's men.

Dennis Quaid

Ryan met Quaid on the set of their 1987 film "Innerspace." They quickly became America's sweetheart couple.

They married on Valentine's Day 1991 and their son, Jack Henry, was born the following year. But all was not well during their 10-year marriage.

In 2008, Ryan told InStyle magazine that Quaid cheated on her.

"Dennis was not faithful to me for a long time, and that was very painful. I found out more about that after I was divorced," she said.

But Ryan said she did not consider herself a victim.

"I was there. I was in that marriage for a really long time," she said. "Some days you think, 'This is so crazy,' and you are all intellectual about it. And other days, it's just really, really painful."

Quaid quickly shot back at Ryan following the InStyle interview. "It was eight years ago, and I find it unbelievable that Meg continues publicly to rehash and rewrite the story of our relationship."

"I, myself, moved on years ago and am fortunate to have a happy, beautiful family."

Quaid, now 56, is married to Texas real estate agent Kimberly Buffington. They have twins, Thomas and Zoe.

Russell Crowe

Ryan and Quaid's split came amid rumours surrounding her relationship with Crowe, which reportedly began on the set of their movie "Proof."

At the time, Ryan was called a homewrecker, but she later told InStyle that Crowe was not the reason her marriage ended.

"Russell didn't break up the marriage. I was a mess," she said. "I hurt him too at the end. I couldn't be in another long relationship. It wasn't the time for that. So I got out."

Ryan broke it off with Crowe, now 46, but tabloids at the time said he dumped her. In fact, one of her friends told People in 2001, Crowe's affection was only growing stronger: "Russell wanted to marry Meg and have kids with her."

Looking back, Ryan said her decision to keep quiet about Quaid's infidelity at the time of her affair with Crowe hurt her public image. But it also freed her from what others thought.

"I didn't have to care about what people thought. I could…be totally under the radar and live my life," she told InStyle.

Matthew Perry

In 2007, Ryan and "Friends" star Matthew Perry, eight years her junior, were said to be having an on-again, off-again romance.

Though their relationship was never confirmed, they were first linked in February of that year. Then, in November, they were said to have reacquainted during a dinner date at Los Angeles' Chateau Marmont that ended with a late night hookup in a hotel suite.

Graham King

In 2009, Ryan was said to be seeing Hollywood heavyweight Graham King, the Oscar-winning producer of "The Departed," "The Aviator" and "Blood Diamond."

According to US Weekly, Ryan and King, who had been friends since meeting on the set of the 2006 movie "Desert Saints," embarked on a serious love affair.

But King's wife Valerie, with whom he had two children, shot down the rumors.

"Graham's not dating Meg Ryan," she told the National Enquirer. "He's with me."

"He lives at our house," she said. "We're together. We're a happy family. We're not getting a divorce."