Ryan Reynolds is known for his quick wit and sarcasm, but when it comes to grief, the Deadpool & Wolverine star got deeply honest. During a recent Q&A ahead of the release of John Candy: I Like Me — a documentary he produced about the late comedy legend — the 48-year-old actor reflected on how grief can sneak up on you when you least expect it.
“The grief thing is odd. I find it hits you at weird times,” Reynolds shared at the September 24 event. “When my father passed away, we had a complicated relationship.”
He went on to describe one moment that caught him completely off guard. “There’s an episode with Jimmy Fallon that exists where you’ll see me lose my train of thought,” he said, explaining that his father had already been gone for years when it happened. “I’m in the middle of a story. There it is, just hits me like a f—— freight train.”
Reynolds paused during that interview but quickly recovered with humor — a classic move for the actor. “Most people would never notice it, but grief is one of those things that just finds you at the weirdest moments,” he added, noting that while people often offer kind words, they can feel “inconsequential” because grief is such a personal experience.
Reynolds’ father, James Reynolds, died in 2015 at age 74 after battling Parkinson’s disease for nearly two decades. In the years since, Ryan has learned more about the condition, especially the lesser-known symptoms like hallucinations and delusions. That knowledge inspired him to partner with More to Parkinson’s, an educational campaign offering resources to patients and caregivers.
“I think most men and boys have a slightly complicated relationship with their father,” Reynolds told PEOPLE in August 2024. “But I also think that the healing for me or the closure around my dad actually really comes more through my relationship with my own kids.”
Despite their ups and downs, Reynolds made peace with his father before his passing. About five months before James died, he wrote him a heartfelt letter — something he now says he’s “very grateful” for.
“The letter was basically a list of every amazing thing he ever did,” Reynolds said. “Every time he showed up or had a catch with me outside after baseball practice. Every time he just was there. And if the man couldn’t express his emotions in a way that was dynamic, well, many people can’t.”
He added, “The guy was born in the ’40s. It’s okay. So I’m super grateful that I sent that letter. I know for a fact it meant the world to him.”
Now, Reynolds channels those lessons into fatherhood. He and Blake Lively share four children — James (10), Inez (8), Betty (5), and Olin (2) — and he says parenting has helped him mend old emotional wounds.
“The healing for me really comes more through my relationship with my own kids,” he explained. “My dad had incredible integrity. He did not lie.”
Reynolds shared that when his kids act out, he tries to respond differently than his father did. “My dad would retreat into the power of silence, and that is not the way to acknowledge your kid,” he said. “To be able to get down on their level and tell them that I believe them and that I’m here for them… I’m like, ‘Oh, okay. I just weirdly didn’t mean to, but I fixed something with my own dad.’”
