Ryan Reynolds is a prominent Canadian-American actor, producer, and businessman, born on October 23, 1976, in Vancouver, British Columbia.
He began his career in the early 1990s with roles in Canadian television, gaining initial fame through the teen drama Hillside.
Reynolds is perhaps best known for his role as Deadpool in the Marvel franchise. The first Deadpool film was released in 2016, followed by a successful sequel in 2018.
Beyond acting, Reynolds is an astute businessman.
He co-owns the Welsh football club Wrexham A.F.C. and has stakes in companies like Mint Mobile and Aviation Gin, which he sold in a lucrative deal in 2020.
Parents
Ryan was born on October 23, 1976, in Vancouver, British Columbia, to James Chester Reynolds and Tamara Lee Stewart.
He is the youngest of four sons in his family.
His father, James, was a Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman who later transitioned to working as a food wholesaler, while his mother, Tamara, worked in retail sales.
Reynolds grew up in an Irish Catholic household, which shaped much of his early life and values.
Reynolds has spoken openly about his relationship with his father, who passed away in 2015 after battling Parkinson’s disease.
He described his father as a tough and stoic individual who struggled to express emotions, which created a complex dynamic between them.
As a father himself, Reynolds has taken a different approach to parenting his own children—James (born 2014), Inez (born 2016), Betty (born 2019), and Olin (born 2023)—whom he shares with his wife, actress Blake Lively.
He has often noted how parenting today is much softer and more emotionally open compared to the stricter environment he experienced growing up.
Career
Reynolds began his acting journey in the early 1990s with the teen soap opera Hillside and gained recognition through the sitcom Two Guys and a Girl.
His film career took off with roles in popular comedies such as Van Wilder (2002), Just Friends (2005), and The Proposal (2009).
Reynolds also starred in the superhero films Blade: Trinity (2004) and Green Lantern (2011), although the latter received mixed reviews and was a box office disappointment.
Reynolds experienced a significant turning point in his career with the release of Deadpool in 2016, where he portrayed the titular character.
The film was both a critical and commercial success, grossing over $782 million worldwide and earning Reynolds a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy.
He reprised his role in the sequels, Deadpool 2 (2018) and Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), with the latter becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, surpassing $1.3 billion at the box office.
Other notable projects include Detective Pikachu (2019), Free Guy (2021), and The Adam Project (2022).
Throughout his career, Reynolds has received numerous accolades. He was named People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive in 2010 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2017.
His contributions to film have earned him various awards, including Critics’ Choice Movie Awards and People’s Choice Awards.
In addition to acting, Reynolds is also a successful businessman, holding stakes in companies like Mint Mobile and co-owning the Welsh football club Wrexham A.F.C.
