When he’s not causing laughter as the Merc with a Mouth, Ryan Reynolds describes himself as a softie at heart.
Throughout his career, the actor has openly discussed his experiences with mental health, including his battles with anxiety.
Reynolds has also shared how his upbringing shaped his sense of humor and led him to the world of acting.
In a 2019 interview with WSJ Style, Reynolds talked about the challenges of being the youngest of four sons and how he depended on his ‘wits’ to navigate his relationship with his siblings.
“You get by on your wits, that’s how you do it, you don’t get by on your fists,” the actor recalled.
“I think in any household it’s hard being the fourth kid. That’s the kid that’s sort of watching and learning constantly, as opposed to the trailblazing eldest,” he continued.
Reynolds explained that acting wasn’t his childhood aspiration; rather, it was a coping mechanism.
“I always thought I’d end up in law enforcement like my family so I didn’t imagine that [I’d be an actor].
“Acting was a way to get out of the house. It wasn’t really like a passion when I was a kid. It was something I was already doing at home, you know, to survive,” he added.
“I noticed when I was a kid, making people laugh was a great self-defense mechanism. It really helped me kind of navigate my way through my own home with my older brothers and my dad.
“I could diffuse them by making them laugh,” the actor continued.
Reynolds has previously discussed his lifelong struggle with anxiety, telling CBS Sunday Mornings in a 2022 interview: “I’ve had anxiety my whole life really. And you know, I feel like I have two parts of my personality, that one takes over when that happens.
“When I would go out on, like, Letterman, back in the day, I was nervous. But I remember I’d be standing backstage before the curtain would open, and I would think to myself, ‘I’m gonna die. I’m literally gonna die here,'” the actor shared. “‘The curtain’s gonna open and I’m just gonna be, I’m just gonna be a symphony of vomit, just, like, something horrible’s gonna happen!
“But as soon as that curtain opens — and this happens in my work a lot too — it’s like this little guy takes over. And he’s like, ‘I got this. You’re cool.’ I feel, like, my heart rate drop, and my breathing calm, and I just sort of go out and I’m this different person. And I leave that interview going, ‘God, I’d love to be that guy!'”