Ryan Reynolds

Ryan Rodney Reynolds is a Canadian and American actor, entrepreneur, and film producer born on October 23, 1976. Recognized for his leading roles in comedic and superhero films, his starring releases have grossed $6.6 billion worldwide, making him the world's second-highest-paid actor in 2020 and 2024. He is widely known for portraying the titular character in the Deadpool franchise, as well as for his work across television, film, and business ventures.

Born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Reynolds grew up in a Catholic household alongside three older brothers. His mother, Tamara Lee, worked in retail sales, while his father, James Chester Reynolds, was a Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman who later became a food wholesaler. Reynolds attended Prince of Wales Secondary School and Kitsilano Secondary School, graduating in 1994. He began acting at age thirteen and held jobs as a busboy and grocery store clerk. After briefly enrolling at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting full-time.

Reynolds began his professional career in 1991, starring as Billy Simpson in the Canadian teen soap opera Hillside, broadcast as Fifteen in the United States. He made his feature film debut in Ordinary Magic (1993) and appeared in television projects including The Odyssey, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and In Cold Blood. His breakthrough came as medical student Michael "Berg" Bergen in the sitcom Two Guys and a Girl (1998–2001). He followed this success with leading roles in feature comedies such as National Lampoon's Van Wilder (2002) and Waiting... (2005).

Throughout the mid-to-late 2000s, Reynolds expanded into action, drama, and romantic comedy roles. He played Hannibal King in Blade: Trinity (2004), gaining muscle mass for the part, and starred in The Amityville Horror (2005) and Just Friends (2005). He continued with roles in Definitely, Maybe (2008), Adventureland (2009), and the romantic comedy The Proposal (2009). In 2009, he also made his first appearance as Wade Wilson / Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

During the 2010s, Reynolds pursued diverse genres, starring in the survival thriller Buried (2010), the superhero film Green Lantern (2011), and the action thriller Safe House (2012). He also expanded into voice acting, lending his voice to animated films including The Croods franchise, Turbo (2013), and Detective Pikachu (2019). His later action credits include 6 Underground (2019), Free Guy (2021), and The Adam Project (2022).

Reynolds achieved his greatest commercial success by producing and starring in the Deadpool film series, comprising Deadpool (2016), Deadpool 2 (2018), and Deadpool & Wolverine (2024). The latter emerged as his highest-grossing release, while his performance in the original earned him a Golden Globe nomination. Across his career, he has earned accolades including two Primetime Emmy Awards alongside nominations for two Grammy Awards.

As a businessman, Reynolds holds an ownership stake in Mint Mobile and co-owns the Welsh soccer club Wrexham, which is featured in the Emmy Award-winning docuseries Welcome to Wrexham. In 2017, he was named to the Time 100 list and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Divorced from actress Scarlett Johansson, Reynolds married Blake Lively in 2012, with whom he has four children.