Meg Ryan feels "liberated" since reaching her 60s and has stopped trying to please people.

The 62-year-old actress says with age comes maturity and wisdom and she now feels confident to speak her mind and share her opinions on love, life and relationships.

In an interview with Italian publication IO Donna, she said: "I appreciate my years, I say that seriously.

"I appreciate my age. For me, now, it is more important to say clearly what you think rather than pleasing others and trying to make everyone happy.

"I feel almost liberated because I have said certain things and made observations about love and relationships. And for trying to be honest . I can finally look back and be in the present at the same time."

The 'When Harry Met Sally...' star was previously married to actor Dennis Quaid from February 1991 to July 2001 and they have a son, 32-year-old Jack. In 2000, she dated Russell Crowe while working on their film 'Proof of Life'.

From 2010 to 2014 Meg was in a relationship with American singer/songwriter John Mellencamp, they then reunited in 2017 and were engaged in November 2018 but they called things off for the final time in October 2019.

In January 2006, the 'Sleepless In Seattle' star adopted a 14-month-old girl from China whom she named Daisy True and in 2009 she walked away from Hollywood only taking on sporadic roles and projects.

Meg - who co-wrote and made her directorial debut on 2023 romantic comedy 'What Happens Later', also starring opposite David Duchovny - insists stepping away from the "bubble of fame" enhanced her life and made her a "more interesting human being".

Explaining her motivation for taking a break from acting, she said: "I needed other experiences, to meet people outside the film industry. For this reason I moved to New York, I raised my daughter Daisy, and then on I started travelling, especially to distant countries.

"When you are up to your neck in the 'bubble of fame' you cannot suddenly free yourself from it, you always remain somehow lost in the labyrinth of notoriety. But you know what? I'd had enough, I'm happy to have made that choice and moved away from that world: I became a better and more interesting human being."