The National Enquirer
July 2000

DENNIS QUAID dumped his two-timing wife Meg Ryan after he confronted her -- and still refused to end her extramarital activities with Russell Crowe.

The ENQUIRER discovered the real story behind the explosion that ended the nine-year marriage.

We learned that Dennis, 46, dropped the bombshell on his wife in a nasty final showdown after discovering she'd been carrying on with Crowe on the set of the new flick she's lensing with the "Gladiator" star. Dennis demanded she drop out of the movie. She refused -- insisting her husband was overreacting. But Quaid had finally had enough. He pulled the plug on the marriage.

Even before filming started, Dennis knew how much his cute blonde wife admired Crowe -- she once told him she suspected Russell to become "the next Mel Gibson."

Not surprisingly, Dennis urged her not to sign on for Russell's new flick, "Proof of Life" -- which started filming in South America in late February.

She did anyway -- and sparks flew.

"When Meg and Russell met up on the set, they instantly hit it off -- everyone noticed the chemistry," revealed a source close to both Meg and Russell.

Meg, 37, began spending time with the 36-year-old hunk and Dennis began hearing rumors.

"But when Dennis suggested visiting the set, Meg told him he shouldn't come," divulged the close source. "She said that her filming schedule was too hectic.

"She put Dennis off for a later time but there was always an excuse. Dennis' patience began wearing thin."

Meg returned home briefly in April for a private screening of Dennis' new film "Frequency"

By this time Dennis' suspicions had boiled over. A friend had shown him an article in an Ecuador paper saying that Meg and Russell had been "seen together in a restaurant quite cozy with each other."

Dennis questioned his wife about Russell, but Meg remained calm.

"Meg said she and Russell were simply friends," disclosed an insider.

"She reminded Dennis that he's surrounded by beautiful women all the time.

"But Dennis sternly told her, 'Quit the film. Make a choice -- me or this project.' "

Meg simply laughed off the ultimatum, disclosed the insider.

"Days later she went to London to finish the film. Rather than ask again or beg her, Dennis phoned Meg and told her, 'I'm finished with our marriage.' Meg calmly agreed that they should part ways and just days later she was laughing and carrying on with Russell once again."

Friends of Dennis understand why he gave Meg the dramatic ultimatum.

"Many things had gotten back to Dennis during the filming. Meg hadn't been an angel," said the close source.

One evening, crew members spotted Meg's bodyguard sitting outside Russell's hotel room -- past midnight. The bodyguard explained Meg was inside having dinner. A crew member laughed and said, "Meg's married but she's not acting like it."

Ironically, in the new flick, Meg plays the wife of a kidnapped business executive. Russell portrays a hostage negotiator who falls in love with her despite her marriage.

To observers on the set, it seemed a clear case of life imitating art.

On June 23, Russell and Meg were seen leaving his London hotel just past 11:30 p.m.

On June 26, Russell, Meg and her 8-year-old son Jack went out to dinner at London's famous Mirabelle restaurant.

The next night Russell and Meg attended a David Bowie performance. News of Meg's split with husband Dennis Quaid shocked at least one close friend.

"They were my ideal couple," Quaid's business manager Shaun Shenassa told The ENQUIRER. "I really couldn't see this coming."

-- SUZANNE ELY and DON GENTILE