John Mellencamp, who split with his wife of 18 years, has recently made himself a new friend — Meg Ryan.
A source tells us the 59-year-old rocker, who this week announced he and his model wife, Elaine Irwin, are splitting up, has struck up a friendship with Ryan, 49.
He and Ryan, who had their biggest years in the ’80s, were photographed arm-in-arm walking in TriBeCa in late October, and she has since been spotted backstage at dates on his tour. A source told us, “Meg has been to a couple of recent shows.”
Mellencamp’s publicist, Bob Merlis, announced on Thursday that he and Irwin had split after 18 years of marriage. He declined to say if they’d filed for divorce, but did say, “They will continue to raise their two children in Indiana but have decided to call it a day as a couple.”
Merlis, who last month denied to Page Six that Mellencamp was splitting from his wife, last night said he had no further comment. Ryan’s rep didn’t return calls or e-mails.
Mellencamp became famous in the late ’70s under the stage name John Cougar. His hits include “Jack and Diane” and “Hurts So Good.” He’s now in the middle of a US tour to promote his new album, “No Better Than This,” which continues until April.
He recently said he was working with producer T Bone Burnett on a musical, “Ghost Brothers of Darkling County,” and Ryan was voicing one of the characters.
He told the Chicago Tribune: “If you could imagine Tennessee Williams meets Stephen King. They’re recording the dialogue now, and we’re putting out a record of the entire show before it comes out. Right now, Elvis Costello, Meg Ryan, Kris Kristofferson and Matthew McConaughey are doing table readings like an old radio play . . . The CD will come out ahead of time, and then Liv Ullmann will be directing the play.”