Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist MARVEL STARS: Ryan Reynolds on ‘Deadpool’ Success and His Father’s Legacy
Dec 13, 2025
Join Ryan Reynolds, the award-winning actor behind the Deadpool franchise, as he reflects on the film's global success and his immersive experience in filmmaking. He discusses the importance of joyful storytelling and shares laughs about audience reactions. Delving deeper, Ryan opens up about his father's battle with Parkinson's, the legacy of resilience it left him, and his advocacy for awareness. Balancing work and family life, he reveals a supportive yet competitive dynamic with Blake Lively and how fatherhood reshaped his perspective.
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Creative Work Feels Never-Complete
- Ryan Reynolds says finishing a film is rare; creators often 'abandon' movies when time runs out.
- He misses the process and explains filmmaking is relentless, with constant rewriting and refining.
Processing Success With Perspective
- Reynolds didn't expect Deadpool and Wolverine to reach this cultural peak and avoided tracking-driven expectations.
- He says he's at an age where he can process and enjoy massive success calmly.
Make Joy First, Not Franchise Teasers
- Reynolds framed the film as 'a fastball of joy' aiming to be a complete experience rather than a commercial.
- He values collective theater experiences as 'collective effervescence' that bring people together.