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Ryan Reynolds attends the 2023 Bring Change To Mind Gala at City Winery on October 09, 2023 in New York City© Dimitrios Kambouris

Ryan Reynolds' incredible act of generosity revealed

The Deadpool star went above and beyond the call of duty

Jenni McKnight
US Lifestyle Editor
July 17, 2024
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Ryan Reynolds is a household name and perhaps one of his biggest movie roles to date is his starring role as the super-antihero Deadpool

The 47-year-old spent 10 years trying to get the film into production and even relinquished his salary to ensure it hit the big screens. 

Not only that but with the little money he had left, Ryan made sure his co-writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick received a paycheck. 

"No part of me was thinking when Deadpool was finally greenlit that this would be a success," Ryan told the New York Times

"I even let go of getting paid to do the movie just to put it back on the screen," he added. 

"They wouldn't allow my co-writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick on set, so I took the little salary I had left and paid them to be on set with me so we could form a de facto writers room." 

Ryan Reynolds pictured at home watching the trailer for "Deadpool & Wolverine"© Instagram
Ryan stars as super-antihero Deadpool

While it was tough for Ryan to see his vision come to light, he admitted that the experiences he learned were invaluable. 

"I think one of the great enemies of creativity is too much time and money, and that movie had neither time nor money," he explained.

 "It really fostered focusing on character over spectacle, which is a little harder to execute in a comic-book movie. I was just so invested in every micro-detail of it, and I hadn't felt like that in a long, long time." 

Ryan added: "I remembered wanting to feel that more—not just on Deadpool but on anything." 

Tammy Reynolds (L) and Ryan Reynolds at the 36th Annual American Cinematheque Awards held at The Beverly Hilton on November 17, 2022 © Getty Images
Ryan watched the third Deadpool movie with his mom and daughter

Ryan didn't stop his confessions there. During the interview, he also revealed that he has allowed his nine-year-old daughter, James, to watch the latest installment of the R-rated movie, Deadpool & Wolverine. 

"Well, I'm not saying that other people should do this, but my nine-year-old watched the movie with me and my mom, who’s in her late 70s," he admitted. 

"It was just one of the best moments of this whole experience for me. Both of them were laughing their guts out, were feeling the emotion where I most desperately hoped people would be." 

The Deadpool & Wolverine poster© Instagram
Ryan and Hugh star in Deadpool & Wolverine

The Vancouver-born film star explained his reasons for allowing his eldest to watch a movie that many would deem inappropriate for a child of her age. 

"When I saw rated-R movies when I was a kid, they left a huge impression on me because I didn't feel like people were pulling punches," he said.

"It's been a huge inspiration to so many of the things that I look to make now."

Hugh Jackma on the poster for Deadpool & Wolverine © Instagram
Deadpool hits theaters July 25

 Alongside James, Ryan shares three other children with his wife of 12 years, Blake Lively: Inez, seven, Betty, four, and their youngest, one, whose name has never been made public. 

Meanwhile, Ryan stars in the third Deadpool movie alongside Hugh Jackman, who has reprised his role of Wolverine – much to Ryan's delight. 

HOLLYWOOD, CA - DECEMBER 15:  Actors Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively with daughters James Reynolds and Ines Reynolds attend the ceremony honoring Ryan Reynolds with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on December 15, 2016 in Hollywood, California.  (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic) Actors Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively with daughters James Reynolds and Ines Reynolds attend the ceremony honoring Ryan Reynolds with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on December 15, 2016 in Hollywood, California.© Getty Images
Ryan and Blake share four kids

“I’ve waited forever to do a movie with this guy," Ryan gushed. 

"And I think he's waited a long time to do something like this with me.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 02: Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds attend the 'Pokemon Detective Pikachu' U.S. Premiere at Times Square on May 02, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Stewart/FilmMagic)© Getty Images
Blake and Ryan have been married for 12 years

"So there are scenes where it's pretty hard to distinguish between Wade Wilson talking to Logan and Ryan talking to Hugh. 

"I love that, I get goose bumps even just talking about it."

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