Susan Blanchard Ryan was born on January 12, 1967 in Boston, Massachusetts. She is an American actress. As there was already a "Susan Ryan" registered with the Screen Actors Guild, Ryan used her middle name instead.

Born in Boston and raised in Andover, Massachusetts, Ryan graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Philosophy. After graduating from college, Susan worked at MTV in its special effects department.

Susan started acting in commercials while studying acting and improvisation in New York City. To date Ryan's most notable film role has been her starring role in the 2003 film "Open Water". She has also appeared in the Broken Lizard films: "Super Troopers and Beerfest", and Brian Lynch's "Big Helium Dog", as well as few independent films. She can also be seen in an episode of "Sex and the City" (2000).

Ryan is an admitted avid ice hockey fan and her father, Ron Ryan, was the president of the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers and former Coach and General Manager to the now-defunct Hartford Whalers.