Ryan Reynolds

Ryan Rodney Reynolds (born October 23, 1976) is a Canadian and American actor, entrepreneur and film producer. Known for starring in comedic and superhero films, he was the world's second-highest-paid actor in 2020 and 2024. Reynolds has received numerous accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Awards, as well as nominations for two Grammy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. His films as a leading actor have grossed $6.6Template:Nbspbillion worldwide.

Born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, Reynolds began acting at the age of thirteen, taking on small roles in various television series. He had his first lead role in the teen soap opera Hillside (1991–1993) then played the lead role in the sitcom Two Guys and a Girl (1998–2001). Reynolds later starred in a range of films, including the commercially successful romantic comedies National Lampoon's Van Wilder (2002), Waiting... (2005), and The Proposal (2009), the critically unsuccessful superhero films Blade: Trinity (2004), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), and Green Lantern (2011), and the biographical drama Woman in Gold (2015).

Reynolds achieved his greatest commercial success with the Deadpool franchise, starring as the titular character in Deadpool (2016), Deadpool 2 (2018), and Deadpool & Wolverine (2024). His performance in the first received a Golden Globe nomination, while the lattermost emerged as his highest-grossing release. He has since appeared in the sci-fi horror Life (2017), and action films like 6 Underground (2019), Free Guy (2021), and The Adam Project (2022). Reynolds has also lent his voice to animated films, including The Croods franchise (2013–2020), Turbo (2013), and the animated character Pikachu in Detective Pikachu (2019).

In 2017, Time included Reynolds in its list of the 100 most influential people in the world. He was named PeopleTemplate:'s Sexiest Man Alive in 2010, and was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2017. A businessman, he holds an ownership stake in Mint Mobile and is a co-owner of Welsh soccer club Wrexham; the latter is documented in the Emmy Award-winning television series Welcome to Wrexham (2022–present). Divorced from actress Scarlett Johansson, Reynolds has been married to Blake Lively since 2012; he has four children with the latter.

Early life and education

A secondary school behind trees

Reynolds attended Kitsilano Secondary School (pictured in 2008).

Ryan Rodney Reynolds<ref name="c564">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="f333">Template:Cite web</ref> was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, on October 23, 1976.<ref name="w817">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="r626">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="l634">Template:Cite magazine</ref> His father, James Chester Reynolds, served as a Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman before retiring and transitioning to work as a foods wholesaler.<ref name="b715">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="q456">Template:Cite web</ref> His mother, Tamara Lee (née Stewart), worked in retail sales.<ref name="y986">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="k593">Template:Cite web</ref> Reynolds has three older brothers and has described himself not as a younger brother to them, but a "moving target" due to his brothers often getting physical, and him being unable to retaliate.<ref name="r918">Template:Cite web</ref> He has also shared that his brothers "protected him" from their father, with whom he had a complex and somewhat estranged relationship.<ref name="r918"/><ref name="b715"/> Reynolds's paternal grandfather, Chester, was a farmer who represented Stettler in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1940 to 1944.<ref name="s854">Template:Cite web</ref> Reynolds is of Irish descent<ref name="d496">Template:Cite web</ref> and was raised Catholic in Vancouver's Kitsilano neighbourhood as well as in Vanier, Ontario (now part of Ottawa).<ref name="r626"/><ref name="b365">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="v829">Template:Cite web</ref>

Reynolds has been involved in acting since the age of thirteen.<ref name="TCEAWMR"/> As a teenager, he attended acting classes—which he failed—and briefly held a day job as a busboy at a restaurant, while also working night shifts at a local grocery store in Vancouver.<ref name="l501">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="r799">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="p311">Template:Cite web</ref> He described his co-workers in the latter as "the funniest people on Earth" and called them "some of my biggest impressionsTemplate:Nbsp[...] as a performer".<ref name="r799"/><ref name="c921">Template:Cite web</ref> Reynolds attended Prince of Wales Secondary School for grades nine and ten before getting expelled for stealing a teacher's car.<ref name="j690">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="d576">Template:Cite web</ref> He attended grades eleven and twelve at Kitsilano Secondary School alongside actor Joshua Jackson, graduating in 1994.<ref name="y708">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Reynolds initially took on minor roles in various television series but became discouraged and left acting at nineteen to enroll at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. A few months later, he encountered fellow actor Chris William Martin, who encouraged him to give acting another chance and relocate with him to Los Angeles.<ref name="Yahoo">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="TCEAWMR">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>

Career

1991–2003: Career beginnings

Reynolds began his career in 1991 in the Canadian teen soap opera Hillside (1991–1993), which was distributed in the United States by Nickelodeon under the title Fifteen. He portrayed Billy Simpson—a character who turned to bullying to cope with family issues and romantic rejections.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn He made his feature film debut in the coming-of-age drama Ordinary Magic (1993) by playing Jeffrey, an orphan raised in India, who is inspired by Mahatma Gandhi to go on a hunger strike in a small town in Canada.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="r708">Template:Cite news</ref> Directed by Giles Walker, the film generally received both mixed and disappointing reviews; VarietyTemplate:'s Paul Lenti thought that the script's "overall facile characterizations and predictable plot development detract from real tension".<ref name="r708"/> Between 1993 and 1994, Reynolds took on the dual roles of Macro and Lee in the children's half-hour television series The Odyssey.<ref name=debut>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1995, Reynolds made his first The Outer Limits appearance in "If These Walls Could Talk".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1996, Reynolds made cameo appearances in television shows The X-Files and The John Larroquette Show, playing in the episodes "Syzygy" and "Napping to Success", respectively.<ref name="k097">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> That year, he co-starred with Melissa Joan Hart on the television film Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996)—based on the comic book series of the same name—in which he played the titular character's love interest, Seth.<ref name="q780">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="a396">Template:Cite web</ref> Reynolds portrayed Bobby Rupp, the boyfriend of murdered teenager Nancy Clutter, in the two-part miniseries In Cold Blood (1996), an adaptation of Truman Capote's 1966 nonfiction novel of the same name.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="o195">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="h398">Template:Cite web</ref> He returned to feature films with the dark comedy The Alarmist (1997), portraying Howard, the teenage son of Gale (Kate Capshaw). After both are harmed at their home, Tommy (David Arquette) begins to suspect Heinrich's (Stanley Tucci) involvement.<ref name="j257">Template:Cite web</ref> The film received mainly negative reviews from critics.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Reynolds appeared twice more in The Outer Limits, playing the character Paul Nodel in episodes from 1997 and 1998.<ref name="m072">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="b984">Template:Cite web</ref>

His breakthrough role was as medical student Michael "Berg" Bergen in Two Guys and a Girl (1998–2001; initially titled Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place).<ref name="c537">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="b517">Template:Cite web</ref> Although the show was neither as critically or commercially successful as contemporary shows, Reynolds's performance received praise, with Variety—in a retrospective review—noting that his "talent and charisma [were] apparent" and that his "star quality was already in place".<ref name="f800">Template:Cite web</ref> He later took on the minor roles of Henry Lipschitz and Chip in the comedies Coming Soon (1999) and Dick (1999), respectively.<ref name="q167">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="r946">Template:Cite web</ref> In the horror comedy Boltneck (2000), Reynolds starred as Karl, a bullied teenager who is killed and later revived by a "science nerd" named Frank Stein,<ref name="n850">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="f425">Template:Cite web</ref> while he portrayed Quigley in the drama thriller Finder's Fee (2001).<ref name="c061">Template:Cite web</ref> He played the titular character in the romantic comedy National Lampoon's Van Wilder (2002), which was critically panned but achieved box office success.<ref name="x225">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="w394">Template:Cite web</ref> Reynolds portrayed Mark Tobias in the commercially unsuccessful action comedy film The In-Laws (2003). In the film, he is about to marry Melissa (Lindsay Sloane), before her father finds out that Mark's father is a CIA operative.<ref name="h105">Template:Cite web</ref> He starred alongside Kristin Booth in William Phillips's heist film Foolproof (2003).<ref name="e011">Template:Cite web</ref>

2004–2009: Romantic comedies

Reynolds had a cameo appearance as the nurse in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004), which Entertainment Weekly described as a "single, though memorable scene".<ref name="c051">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Later that year, he made his voice acting debut in the animated television series Zeroman (2004), lending his voice to former secret agent Ty Cheese.<ref name="c188">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=FamilyGuy>Template:Cite web</ref> Reynolds played the role of Hannibal King in David S. Goyer's Blade: Trinity (2004), a vampire hunter who joins Blade (Wesley Snipes) and Abigail Whistler (Jessica Biel) to battle Dracula and the vampire clan.<ref name="d111">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="z339">Template:Cite web</ref> To prepare for the role, Reynolds focused on gaining muscle mass, training six days a week and adhering to a 3,200-calorie diet. He gained Template:Convert of muscle in three months.<ref name="v630">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="b228">Template:Cite web</ref> Despite being a success at the box office, grossing $132Template:Nbspmillion on a $65Template:Nbspmillion budget, the film was negatively received by critics.<ref name="c274">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="i023">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="y500">Template:Cite web</ref>

Reynolds staring towards the camera with a slight smirk on his face

Reynolds in 2007

Reynolds starred as George Lutz in the supernatural horror film The Amityville Horror (2005)—an adaptation of the 1977 novel and remake of the 1979 film of the same name.Template:Sfn<ref name="p734">Template:Cite web</ref> He portrayed a man who moves into a supposedly haunted house with his wife, Kathy (Melissa George), and her children.<ref name="w894">Template:Cite web</ref> ColliderTemplate:'s Shawn Van Horn liked his performance, stating that he was "funny and charming, but toned down, as if he's not performing for a camera".<ref name="f684">Template:Cite web</ref> Reynolds then starred as a charismatic waiter named Monty in Rob McKittrick's comedy Waiting... (2005).<ref name="t776">Template:Cite web</ref> In the romantic comedy Just Friends (2005), he played Chris Brander, an overweight high schooler trying to escape the "friend zone" with his best friend (Amy Smart), during a Christmas visit to his hometown.<ref name="p239">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="o572">Template:Cite magazine</ref> To portray this character, he wore a fat suit and makeup.<ref name="t312">Template:Cite web</ref> He later played FBI agent Richard Messner in the crime action film Smokin' Aces (2006) alongside Ray Liotta.<ref name="u554">Template:Cite web</ref> In the science fiction film The Nines (2007), Reynolds played three distinct characters—Gary, Gavin, and Gabriel—in three separate storylines, exploring themes of reality, identity, and the nature of existence.<ref name="y667">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="r732">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2008, Reynolds played Frank Allen in Chaos Theory, directed by Marcos Siega.<ref name="u252">Template:Cite web</ref> He portrayed a highly disciplined efficiency expert whose marital crisis prompts a shift towards an unpredictable and spontaneous lifestyle.<ref name="n113">Template:Cite web</ref> Critics acknowledged Reynolds's performance even though the film itself received poor reception, with The Seattle Times commenting that he "has the sort of blandly dazzlingTemplate:Nbsp[...] It's a fine performance; too bad it's lost in a muddled movie."<ref name="v946">Template:Cite web</ref> His next role was in the romantic comedy Definitely, Maybe (2008), in which he played Will Hayes, a man in the middle of divorce proceedings who is questioned by his daughter about how he and her mother first met.<ref name="w238">Template:Cite web</ref> In Fireflies in the Garden (2008), he portrayed a successful novelist who comes back to his Midwestern family, only to discover that his mother has died in a car accident.<ref name="z636">Template:Cite web</ref>

Reynolds starred in Greg Mottola's romantic comedy Adventureland (2009), in which he played Mike Connell, a technician and part-time musician, with whom Em (Kristen Stewart) is having an affair.<ref name="l736">Template:Cite web</ref> The film was praised by many critics;<ref name="m951">Template:Cite web</ref> Collider retrospectively called his performance one of the most underrated of his career.<ref name="e389">Template:Cite web</ref> He later played the role of Wade Wilson / Deadpool / Weapon XI in the superhero film X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009).<ref name="l268">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="c560">Template:Cite magazine</ref> As early as 2005, Reynolds had expressed interest in and involvement with a potential Deadpool film adaptation, again collaborating with Goyer.<ref name=Deadpool>Template:Cite web</ref> The film received mixed but generally negative reviews from critics; Reynolds himself described developing it as a "frustrating experience", arguing that "it's the wrong versionTemplate:Nbsp[...] Deadpool isn't correct in it".<ref name="c240">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="a264">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="b863">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Reynolds starred as Andrew Paxton in Anne Fletcher's commercially successful romantic comedy The Proposal (2009).<ref name="y452">Template:Cite web</ref> Critics praised the on-screen chemistry between Reynolds and co-star Sandra Bullock.<ref name="proposal">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="z754">Template:Cite web</ref> He played Captain Excellent in the negatively-received comedy drama film Paper Man (2009).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2010–2015: Genre experimentation and career fluctuations

In 2010, he made a guest appearance on the children's television show Sesame Street.<ref name="y517">Template:Cite web</ref> Reynolds's only film role that year was in the Spanish and American survival thriller film Buried (2010), directed by Rodrigo Cortés.<ref name="u315">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="z209">Template:Cite web</ref> He played the role of Paul Conroy, an American truck driver in Iraq who finds himself buried alive in a coffin and must find a way to escape.<ref name="w207">Template:Cite web</ref> Buried garnered significant commendation from critics, with a segment of Rotten Tomatoes' consensus noting it as a "nerve-wracking display of [...] Reynolds' talent".<ref name="w207"/> He played the titular character in Martin Campbell's superhero film Green Lantern (2011).<ref name="n490">Template:Cite web</ref> The film was a critical and commercial failure, underperforming at the box office and receiving negative reviews.<ref name="f641">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="x288">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="g622">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="y893">Template:Cite web</ref> Reynolds played Mitch Planko in David Dobkin's romantic comedy The Change-Up (2011).<ref name="l566">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="t283">Template:Cite web</ref> The film received negative reviews,<ref name="g033">Template:Cite web</ref> but both Reynolds and co-star Jason Bateman received praise by Rolling StoneTemplate:'s for their performances.<ref name="y893"/><ref name="w665">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Reynolds executive-produced and narrated the documentary film The Whale (2011).<ref name="k776">Template:Cite web</ref>

Reynolds at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival

In 2012, Reynolds starred alongside Denzel Washington in the action thriller Safe House, directed by Daniel Espinosa.<ref name="a500">Template:Cite web</ref> Set in Cape Town, South Africa, Reynolds played Matt Weston, a CIA agent. His safe house is breached by mercenaries after Tobin Frost (Washington) is captured, forcing them to escape and find another house.Template:Sfn While the film received mixed reviews,<ref name="i570">Template:Cite web</ref> some critics praised Reynolds's performance, with The Hollywood Reporter describing it as "surprisingly well acted"<ref name="d098">Template:Cite web</ref> and IGN highlighting it as a "terrific performance that is sure to be a highlight in hisTemplate:Nbsp[...] career".<ref name="b717">Template:Cite web</ref> He made a cameo appearance as Jared in the comedy Ted (2012).<ref name="g083">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2013, Reynolds had starring voice roles in two DreamWorks Animation feature films. The first was in The Croods, in which he voiced Guy, an inventive teenage caveboy who lives with his pet sloth, Belt.<ref name="k998">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="u155">Template:Cite web</ref> The second was in Turbo, where he portrayed the titular protagonist, a garden snail who gains superspeed during a street race and dreams of becoming a champion in the Indianapolis 500 and 24 Hours of Le Mans.<ref name="Variety">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="g241">Template:Cite web</ref>

Reynolds played Nick Walker in R.I.P.D. (2013), a detective murdered by his partner.<ref name="u002">Template:Cite web</ref> The film was a box-office bomb and was panned by critics; Rotten Tomatoes' consensus agreed that it was "too dim-witted and formulaic to satisfy".<ref name="q472">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="w696">Template:Cite web</ref> He took on several roles in the horror comedy film The Voices (2014), starring as Jerry Hickfang, a factory worker with schizophrenia who hears voices from his pet dog and cat, both of whom he also voiced.<ref name="a227">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="e118">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2020, Reynolds described the film as "one of my favorite movies I've ever doneTemplate:Nbsp[...] never really got its day in court, but man, it's weird and fun and beautiful".<ref name="h777">Template:Cite web</ref> In the psychological thriller The Captive (2014), he portrayed Matthew, a father who is determined to locate his nine-year-old daughter who has been missing for eight years, after police discover a clue on the Internet.<ref name="y119">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="g607">Template:Cite web</ref> The Captive generally received negative reception,<ref name="b765">Template:Cite web</ref> with Vanity Fair describing it as "[director] Atom Egoyan'sTemplate:Nbsp[...] weird disappointment that's painfully reminiscent of his earlier, better work".<ref name="y119"/> Despite the debut response, Reynolds says the gala screening "was so amazing" and praises Egoyan as a premiere filmmaker of Canada.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Reynolds starred as Curtis in Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's comedy-drama Mississippi Grind (2015).<ref name="x522">Template:Cite web</ref> Gerry (Ben Mendelsohn), a gambling addict, believes that Curtis brings good fortune and takes him on a road trip to participate in a high-stakes poker game in New Orleans.<ref name="x090">Template:Cite web</ref> The film received mixed reviews,<ref name="x090"/> though some critics liked Reynolds's performance, with Helen O'Hara of British GQ calling it his "best performance in years"<ref name="j495">Template:Cite web</ref> and VarietyTemplate:'s Justin Chang stating that he and Mendelsohn gave "terrific performancesTemplate:Nbsp[...] in this bittersweet, beautifully textured road movie".<ref name="g288">Template:Cite web</ref> In Simon Curtis's biographical drama Woman in Gold (2015), Reynolds portrayed E. Randol Schoenberg, a young lawyer who assists Maria Altmann (Helen Mirren) in her legal fight to recover her family's stolen Gustav Klimt painting, Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I (1907).<ref name="w993">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="z194">Template:Cite web</ref> He later starred in the science fiction film Self/less (2015), which was critically panned and underperformed at the box office.<ref name="y399">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="a004">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="o981">Template:Cite web</ref>

2016–present: Stardom with Deadpool and established actor

Reynolds promoting Deadpool at the 2015 San Diego Comic-Con

Reynolds found significant critical and commercial success with the superhero film Deadpool (2016),<ref name="c709">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="g581">Template:Cite web</ref> which had been in development since as early as 2000.<ref name="q493">Template:Cite web</ref> Following his portrayal of Wade Wilson / Weapon XI in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), Reynolds became heavily involved in the development of a film based on Deadpool.<ref name="q750">Template:Cite web</ref> The film introduced a reboot of the character, dismissing the events of X-Men Origins: Wolverine and establishing a new backstory that aligns more closely with the original Marvel Comics.<ref name="t915">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="j008">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Reynolds chose not to get paid for Deadpool to ensure the film's release and used the small amount he did receive to have co-writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick on set with him.<ref name="n926"/><ref name="y043">Template:Cite web</ref> Deadpool was a commercial success, grossing $782 million, making it the ninth-highest-grossing film of 2016.<ref name="f142">Template:Cite web</ref> Several critics praised Reynolds's performance in Deadpool,<ref name="q031">Template:Cite web</ref> with Michael O'Sullivan from The Washington Post praising Reynolds for making Deadpool a likeable character as well as the film's action scenes.<ref name="w699">Template:Cite news</ref> IGNTemplate:'s Daniel Krupa was impressed by his "charismatic, exuberant, and larger-than-life [performance], which isn't easy considering how much of the film he spends either in a full-body costume or beneath heavy prosthetics".<ref name="j270">Template:Cite web</ref>

Reynolds had a supporting role in Ariel Vromen's action thriller Criminal (2016).<ref name="i345">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="o220">Template:Cite web</ref> He played Bill Pope, who is tortured and killed early in the film while travelling to a secret meeting with a hacker capable of launching missiles at will.<ref name="o220"/><ref name="h153">Template:Cite web</ref> The film received negative reviews from critics.<ref name="o486">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="w090">Template:Cite web</ref> The following year, Reynolds reunited with Espinosa, playing the engineer Rory Adams in the science fiction Life (2017).<ref name="c491">Template:Cite web</ref> It received mixed reviews from critics but performed well at the box office.<ref name="l353">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="u772">Template:Cite web</ref> Reynolds next starred in Patrick Hughes's action comedy film The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017).<ref name="b833">Template:Cite web</ref> He played the role of Michael Bryce, an executive protection agent and former CIA officer hired to protect assassin Darius Kincaid (Samuel L. Jackson).<ref name="z487">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="i463">Template:Cite web</ref> Some critics praised the chemistry between Reynolds and Jackson,<ref name="t639">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="e578">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="o243">Template:Cite web</ref> though Rotten Tomatoes' consensus agreed that some felt the film had a clichéd plot and execution.<ref name="z487"/> Filming for a sequel to Deadpool started in June 2017 and led to the release of Deadpool 2 in 2018.<ref name="s920">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="o317">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="m338">Template:Cite web</ref> The film became a commercial success, grossing $715 million and becoming the ninth-highest-grossing film of 2018.<ref name="a236">Template:Cite web</ref>

Reynolds at the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con International

Reynolds voiced the titular character in Rob Letterman's fantasy film Detective Pikachu (2019), an adaptation of the video game of the same name.<ref name="l419">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="w886">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="v052">Template:Cite web</ref> He played a detective and intelligent talking Pikachu that only Tim (Justice Smith) can understand.<ref name="w471">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="b899">Template:Cite web</ref> The film received positive reviews from critics; Steve Rose from The Guardian praised Reynolds for "grab[bing] the film by the scruff of the neck".<ref name="i222">Template:Cite web</ref> He next starred in Michael Bay's action film 6 Underground (2019) as the leader of a group of six people from different parts of the world who unite to fight an evil dictator after being presumed dead.<ref name="y752">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="d813">Template:Cite web</ref> He reprised his role as the voice of Guy in The Croods: A New Age (2020).<ref name="n022">Template:Cite web</ref> Reynolds also reprised the role of Michael Bryce in the action film Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard (2020), a sequel to The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017).<ref name="g108">Template:Cite magazine</ref> His next role was starring in Shawn Levy's contemporary fantasy Free Guy (2021), portraying a non-playable character who later realizes he is living in a video game and tries to prevent the creators from shutting it down.<ref name="w589">Template:Cite web</ref> He starred as a renowned art thief in the action comedy film Red Notice (2021) alongside Dwayne Johnson and Gal Gadot.<ref name="k886">Template:Cite web</ref>

Reynolds next starred in Levy's science fiction action comedy The Adam Project (2022), portraying Adam Reed—a time pilot from 2050 who risks his life to uncover the truth regarding his wife's disappearance.<ref name="b987">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="i321">Template:Cite magazine</ref> The film received generally mixed reception;<ref name="e944">Template:Cite web</ref> Ryan Leston from IGNTemplate:'s liked Reynolds's performance,<ref name="c301">Template:Cite web</ref> while NPR's Glen Weldon called him "funny in the way he usually is" but was as "handsome and buff and charismatic as ever".<ref name="h120">Template:Cite web</ref> In October 2021, Reynolds announced he was taking "a little sabbatical" from his work after the production of Spirited (2022), a Christmas musical comedy.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In August 2024, Reynolds and his wife, Blake Lively, became the first married Hollywood couple since Bruce Willis and Demi Moore in 1990 to have separate films leading the box office on the same weekend. Their respective films, Deadpool & Wolverine and It Ends with Us—in which they played the leading roles—claimed the number one and two spots during the August 9–11 weekend.<ref name="t025">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="x814">Template:Cite web</ref> Deadpool & Wolverine—also directed by Levy—achieved both commercial and critical success, grossing $1.338 billion worldwide.<ref name="n926">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="m984">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="e779">Template:Cite web</ref> It became the second-highest-grossing film of 2024 and 20th highest-grossing film of all time at its release.<ref name="g539">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="HighestGrossingPeak">Template:Cite web</ref>

Business career

Rob McElhenney behind a microphone

Reynolds owns soccer club Wrexham with fellow actor Rob McElhenney (pictured in 2010).

In January 2018, Reynolds expanded into business ventures by launching the production company Maximum Effort and signing a three-year first-look deal with Fox.<ref name="r598">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="g236"/> In January 2018, it was announced that a live-action adaptation of the board game Clue, written by Deadpool screenwriters Reese and Wernick, was in development.<ref name="g236">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="e848">Template:Cite web</ref> On June 23, 2021, Maximum Effort's marketing division was spun off into a separate company and acquired by MNTN Software.<ref name="r371">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="p164">Template:Cite web</ref> Reynolds has used Maximum Effort to create advertisements for his film projects and brands like Peloton and R. M. Williams.<ref name="b875">Template:Cite web</ref>

In February 2018, Reynolds acquired a stake in Aviation American Gin, taking a role of overseeing the brand's creative direction.<ref name="i151">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="u434">Template:Cite web</ref> He later purchased an ownership stake in Mint Mobile in November 2019, holding between 20% and 25%.<ref name="l745">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="g212">Template:Cite web</ref> David Glickman—founder of Mint—and Reynolds both served on the board of directors for the Michael J. Fox Foundation, and Glickman was impressed by Reynolds's marketing efforts for Deadpool.<ref name=glickman>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2020, Reynolds joined the board of Match Group<ref name="p285">Template:Cite web</ref> and later sold Aviation American Gin to Diageo in a deal valued at up to $610 million.<ref name="w610">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="h477">Template:Cite web</ref>

In September 2020, the Wrexham Supporters Trust announced that a business partnership comprising Reynolds and fellow actor Rob McElhenney was in talks to purchase the Welsh soccer club Wrexham.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Their takeover was confirmed in November 2020, receiving approval from the Financial Conduct Authority in February 2021.<ref name="z656">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="j297">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="r874">Template:Cite web</ref> The two embraced Welsh culture, promoting its language in their media projects and receiving the Diolch Y Ddraig award from Welsh broadcaster S4C.<ref name="c938">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="u726">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="t345">Template:Cite web</ref> Reynolds asked that Welsh subtitles be included with his Netflix movie Red Notice (2021), which was also advertised within Wrexham.<ref name="q569">Template:Cite web</ref> The process of Reynolds and McElhenney's investment in Wrexham was covered in the television documentary series Welcome to Wrexham (2022–present).<ref name="l545">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="n946">Template:Cite web</ref>

Reynolds has also invested in several companies, including Wealthsimple, 1Password and FuboTV.<ref name="f919">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="k748">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="j027">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2022, he briefly pursued ownership of the National Hockey League's Ottawa Senators but withdrew his bid in the middle of 2023.<ref name="l100">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="h984">Template:Cite web</ref> He later became part of an investor group that acquired a 24% stake in the Alpine F1 Team.<ref name="j082">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="n347">Template:Cite web</ref> In March 2023, T-Mobile announced its acquisition of Mint Mobile in a deal worth up to $1.35 billion.<ref name="f217">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="o095">Template:Cite web</ref> In April 2023, Canadian payments technology company Nuvei announced that Reynolds had invested in the company.<ref name="w144">Template:Cite web</ref>

Philanthropy and activism

In May 2020, Reynolds joined a group of celebrities in reading an installment of Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach (1961) to support the global non-profit organization Partners In Health, co-founded by Dahl's daughter Ophelia, in its efforts to combat COVID-19 in vulnerable areas.<ref name="k768">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="s195">Template:Cite web</ref> In July 2020, Reynolds and broadcaster George Stroumboulopoulos each offered $5,000 for the return of a stolen teddy bear belonging to a Vancouver woman.<ref name="z298">Template:Cite web</ref> The Build-A-Bear, which contained a recording of the woman's deceased mother saying "I love you" in Filipino, was recovered within a few days by two individuals.<ref name="b061">Template:Cite web</ref> Reynolds expressed his support for same-sex marriage in an interview and has advocated for increased representation of LGBTQ+ characters in film.<ref name="w212">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="i969">Template:Cite web</ref>

Reynolds is also an environmental activist.<ref name="b624">Template:Cite web</ref> He supports the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which he joined in an effort to help find a cure for his father's Parkinson's disease.<ref name="d401">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2008, Reynolds ran the New York City Marathon for Team Fox.<ref name="l346">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="m853">Template:Cite web</ref> He joined the foundation's board in 2009 and continues to support research for a cure.<ref name="w663">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="z010">Template:Cite web</ref> In March 2022, Reynolds and Lively donated $500,000 to Water First, an organization providing Indigenous communities in Canada with access to clean water and training for young people to become environmental technicians.<ref name="e626">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="k254">Template:Cite web</ref> Reynolds was honoured with the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television's Humanitarian Award at the 11th Canadian Screen Awards in October 2022.<ref name="a568">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="k789">Template:Cite web</ref> The couple later donated $1 million to the non-profit organization Feeding America to aid relief efforts in Florida and other U.S. regions affected by the October 2024 hurricanes Helene and Milton.<ref name="e961">Template:Cite web</ref>

Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Reynolds and Lively pledged to match donations of up to $1 million for Ukrainian refugees fleeing the conflict.<ref name="o332">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="w152">Template:Cite web</ref> In August 2023, Lively and Reynolds joined several other Hollywood couples in donating $1 million to the SAG-AFTRA Foundation's financial assistance program, supporting actors facing financial hardship.<ref name="n706">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="e247">Template:Cite web</ref> In October 2023, the couple donated $1 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross to support children affected by the conflict between Israel and Gaza. They became the first celebrities to publicly contribute financial aid to both sides amid the Israel–Hamas war.<ref name="x130">Template:Cite web</ref>

Acting style and public image

Reynolds looking at the camera with a small smile

Reynolds at the 82nd Academy Awards in 2010

In 2014, The Hollywood ReporterTemplate:'s Richard Newby called Reynolds "one of Hollywood's most popular actors for nearly 20 years".<ref name="q461">Template:Cite web</ref> He is known for his large and diverse range of roles throughout his career, though he usually acts in comedy,<ref name="e819">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="a525">Template:Cite magazine</ref> action<ref name="s754">Template:Cite web</ref> and superhero films;<ref name="z463">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="l722">Template:Cite web</ref> throughout the late 2000s, he generally had roles in low-budget romantic comedy films.<ref name="f155">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="u949">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Ali Shutler from NME described Reynolds as crude and sarcastic, stating that he is "extremely versatile [but] isn't afraid of taking risks".<ref name="n485">Template:Cite web</ref> The Guardian called him a "romcom lead, sitcom star, indie championTemplate:Nbsp[... who] can turn his hand to almost any role."<ref name="j961">Template:Cite web</ref> VarietyTemplate:'s Jenelle Riley commented on his several "bold, risky choices in films that might have slipped under the radar".<ref name="z887">Template:Cite web</ref>

CNBC noted that despite frequently portraying snarky and sarcastic characters on screen, Reynolds has built a reputation as one of the nicest actors in Hollywood.<ref name="o554">Template:Cite web</ref> Reynolds has stated that "self-deprecating humour to me has always been something that helped",<ref name="g728">Template:Cite web</ref> and several critics have highlighted his frequent use of it in his public persona.<ref name="j961"/><ref name="g728"/><ref name="v774">Template:Cite web</ref> He has referred to his storytelling skills as a "quirky element" of his public image, calling it "the bedrock foundation" of his success in various industries.<ref name="o640">Template:Cite web</ref> Chris Thilk of Adweek described Reynolds's public persona as "dry, egotistical, quick-witted, and slightly oblivious", commenting that he has effectively leveraged it to promote numerous projects.<ref name="g914">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2017, Reynolds appeared in the Time 100, a compilation of the 100 most influential people in the world, as selected annually by Time magazine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2020, he appeared in the Celebrity 100 list, a compilation of the 100 most powerful public figures in the world, as selected annually by Forbes. He was listed as the eighteenth-most-powerful person in the world. That same year, the magazine also listed him as the second-highest-paid actor in the world, with earnings of $71.5 million.<ref name="w175">Template:Cite web</ref> He was again listed by Forbes as the second-highest-paid actor in the world in 2024, with earnings of $85 million.<ref name="p416">Template:Cite web</ref> Reynolds's sex appeal has been discussed in the media. Reynolds was featured in PeopleTemplate:'s Sexiest Men Alive lists in 2007 and 2009<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> before being named Sexiest Man Alive in 2010.<ref name="g517">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2024, he was included on Harper's BazaarTemplate:'s list of the 50 Hottest Men of All Time.<ref name="w355">Template:Cite magazine</ref> As of September 2025, Reynolds's films have grossed over $6.6Template:Nbspbillion worldwide according to The Numbers.<ref name="m690">Template:Cite web</ref>

Several critics have noted Reynolds for his simple sense of style. GQ thought that his "go-tos are straightforward, almost to the point where they resist description: nondescript tees, uncomplicated jackets, closely tailored trousers, and cool but not hype-y sneakers".<ref name="i766">Template:Cite web</ref> Christine Flammia from men's magazine Esquire appreciated his "accessible" style and called him the "king of outfit repeating".<ref name="m020">Template:Cite web</ref> Reynolds often "keeps things simple" according to British GQ and usually wears "three-piece suits and black velvet tuxes à la nuit and earthy-hued bomber jackets au jour".<ref name="o711">Template:Cite web</ref>

It Ends with Us controversy

Template:Main The production of It Ends with Us (2024) became embroiled in controversy due to conflicts between Lively and the film's director, Justin Baldoni.<ref name="k586">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="o585">Template:Cite web</ref> According to Lively, Reynolds wrote a significant portion of dialogue for a rooftop scene featuring her in April 2023 without Baldoni's knowledge.<ref name="r954">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="y778">Template:Cite web</ref> Speculation about a rift between Lively and Baldoni grew on social media, particularly on TikTok, where the book of the same name had gained massive popularity within the BookTok community.<ref name="t587">Template:Cite web</ref>

On January 16, 2025, Baldoni filed a $400 million civil lawsuit against Reynolds and Lively, alleging extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy.<ref name="i163">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="m840">Template:Cite web</ref> The lawsuit claims that Lively threatened to make false sexual harassment allegations and withdraw from the production to gain creative control over the film, ultimately excluding Baldoni from the process and barring him from the film's premiere.<ref name="i784">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="c203">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="n775">Template:Cite web</ref> Baldoni further asserted that Lively, Reynolds, and their publicist engaged in a coordinated effort to damage his reputation and shift the film's focus away from raising awareness about domestic violence.<ref name="b337">Template:Cite web</ref> In response, Reynolds filed a motion to be dismissed from Baldoni's lawsuit in March 2025, claiming to have no involvement in the matter outside of supporting Lively. He also rejected the claim that the character Nicepool (as portrayed in Deadpool & Wolverine) was a caricature of Baldoni.<ref name="y102">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="a412">Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Reynolds began dating singer Alanis Morissette in 2002 after meeting her at Drew Barrymore's birthday party, and the couple announced their engagement in 2004.<ref name="b224">Template:Cite web</ref> In February 2007, their representatives confirmed they had mutually decided to call their engagement off.<ref name="l455">Template:Cite web</ref> Morissette later revealed that her seventh studio album Flavors of Entanglement (2008) was inspired by the heartbreak of their break-up, with the song "Torch" specifically written about Reynolds.<ref name="t070">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="x264">Template:Cite web</ref> Shortly after his breakup with Morissette, Reynolds began dating actress Scarlett Johansson in April 2007.<ref name="h341">Template:Cite web</ref> The couple announced their engagement in May 2008<ref name="y409">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="t417">Template:Cite web</ref> and married in September of that year in a private ceremony in Vancouver Island.<ref name="r147">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="s107">Template:Cite web</ref> On December 14, 2010, they announced their separation.<ref name="q473">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="b214">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="h341"/> They filed for divorce in Los Angeles on December 23.<ref name="v193">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="f590">Template:Cite web</ref> Their divorce was finalized in July 2011.<ref name="v788">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="k145">Template:Cite web</ref>

Reynolds speaking into a microphone sitting next Blake Lively, who is smiling

Reynolds with Blake Lively promoting Green Lantern in 2010

Reynolds first met Lively in July 2010 while filming Green Lantern (2011), in which they costarred.<ref name="l065"/><ref name="z126">Template:Cite magazine</ref> They began dating in October 2011 and married on September 9, 2012, at Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.<ref name="l065">Template:Cite web</ref> Following civil rights protests in 2020, Reynolds publicly apologized and expressed deep regret for choosing a venue with ties to slavery. The couple later renewed their vows at home in New York.<ref name="n333">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="w679">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="c356">Template:Cite web</ref> They have four children together—three daughters and a son.<ref name="u377">Template:Cite web</ref> The family lives in Pound Ridge, New York.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Reynolds and Lively are close friends with singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, who named the characters in her 2020 song "Betty" after their daughters.<ref name="f316">Template:Cite magazine</ref> In November 2024, Reynolds confirmed that Swift is the godmother to his three daughters.<ref name="m470">Template:Cite web</ref> He is also close friends with Hugh Jackman, whom he credits for introducing him to Levy—the director of three of his films.<ref name="v885">Template:Cite web</ref>

Reynolds's father, James, died in 2015 following a twenty-year battle with Parkinson's disease.<ref name="d254">Template:Cite web</ref> Reynolds said that he used humour as a way to process his grief, stating that he and his siblings were making their father laugh during his final moments. He also said that portraying Deadpool contributed to his process of grieving, and that becoming a parent has helped reconcile his complex relationship with his deceased father.<ref name="s182">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="l694">Template:Cite web</ref> Reynolds has openly discussed his lifelong struggle with anxiety,<ref name="y224">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="d702">Template:Cite web</ref> revealing in 2018 that he often conducted interviews in character as Deadpool to help manage his fears.<ref name="j695">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2024, he reiterated that his anxiety makes him "quiet" and "shy" outside of acting.<ref name="v885"/> He attained American citizenship around 2018, and voted for the first time in the 2020 presidential election.<ref name="q114">Template:Cite web</ref>

Acting credits and accolades

Template:Main According to review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, Reynolds's most acclaimed films include Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004), Adventureland (2009), Buried (2010), The Whale (2011), Mississippi Grind (2015), Deadpool (2016), Deadpool 2 (2018), The Croods: A New Age (2020), Free Guy (2021) and Deadpool & Wolverine (2024).<ref name="y405">Template:Cite web</ref>

His work has made him the recipient of numerous accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program for executive-producing the series Welcome to Wrexham.<ref name="i562">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="r597">Template:Cite web</ref> He received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for his role in Deadpool (2016).<ref name="f262">Template:Cite magazine</ref> For the soundtrack of Deadpool 2 (2018), he received a Grammy nomination for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media.<ref name="a540">Template:Cite web</ref> He was later nominated again for the soundtrack of Deadpool & Wolverine (2024).<ref name="f116">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="e369">Template:Cite web</ref> His other accolades include three MTV Movie & TV Awards, three People's Choice Awards and a Saturn Award.<ref name="a051">Template:Cite web</ref>

On December 15, 2016, Reynolds received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Mary Simon, governor general of Canada, honoured Reynolds with a Governor General Performing Arts Award on November 26, 2021.<ref name="p331">Template:Cite magazine</ref> In August 2023, Reynolds was announced as a recipient of the Order of British Columbia, British Columbia's highest honour.<ref name="b983">Template:Cite web</ref> He and his fellow honourees were scheduled to receive the award at a ceremony in Victoria in November 2023.<ref name="s288">Template:Cite web</ref> On December 19, 2024, Reynolds was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada, recognizing both his achievements in film and his philanthropic contributions.<ref name="d854">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="x748">Template:Cite web</ref>

Bibliography

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External links

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