Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds.EMAL COUNTESS/GETTY IMAGES
Try, try again
He might be one of the world’s most successful actors, but 48-year-old Reynolds has starred in plenty of dogs (see No. 2). Critics absolutely pan you? Shake it off, move on—and joke about it later.
You can’t spend your way to success
Green Lantern is generally regarded as the worst comic-book adaptation ever. But Reynolds learned some valuable lessons from his painful Hal Jordan experience: “Too much money and too much time wrecks creativity,” he has said. “And constraint is the greatest creative tool you can possibly have.” No amount of cash can save a poorly conceived idea.
Never settle
Reynolds started developing Deadpool in 2004. Due largely to studio shenanigans, he was forced to debut the character in the 2009 X-Men Origins: Wolverine but hated the portrayal that was foisted on him. So did fans. He persevered until he won absolute creative freedom, and the first foul-mouthed, critically acclaimed Deadpool film, released in 2016, grossed US$782 million worldwide. Its two sequels grossed even more, and the third installment is the highest-grossing R-rated film ever.
Marketing is everything
Reynolds is no silent partner. He often becomes the quirky, hilarious spokesman for many of his investments, including Mint Mobile. Five years after he accrued a 25% stake, T-Mobile bought it for US$1.4 billion. He bought a majority stake in Aviation Gin in 2016; Diageo acquired the brand four years later for US$610 million, based largely on his genius as creative director. Since he took over Wrexham AFC in 2020—and created a hit docuseries about his and Rob McElhenney’s adventures in Wales—tourism earnings in the town have tripled. Oh, and the team just won a third straight promotion. Next up: reversing the fortunes of Alpine, currently ranked No. 9 in F1.
Give back
The prolific philanthropist most notably uses his star power to raise money for Toronto’s SickKids Hospital. And as SickKids Foundation CEO Jennifer Bernard told us, for Reynolds, it really is all about the kids. “He came for a visit on my second day... No security, regular street clothes. Drove up, went through a side door. And we always send our stars a package on the kids. He knew every kid’s name. He knew their story, he knew their parents... Ryan, honestly, is a national treasure.”
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