Ryan Reynolds shares Betty, 4, Ines, 7, and James, 9, and a 1-year-old whose name has not been publicly revealed, with wife Blake Lively. He is a proud dad who values his family. He also happens to have anxiety.
In an interview with People in May 2024, the Deadpool actor revealed that this might be his parenting super power. His friend and costar Hugh Jackman agreed with him. The pair believe their anxiety helps them be better dads.
Hugh admires his friend’s honesty. "Oh mate, you've been pretty open with your anxiety struggles, which I really applaud you for," Hugh gushed. "Do you find being a dad makes it better or worse?"
"I think it makes it better because your focus is less on yourself and more on your kids. I know you know that too," Ryan responded. Hugh shares two children with ex-wife Deborra-lee Furness, Oscar, 23, and Ava, 18.
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Ryan took it even further. "Now I love that I've had anxiety, because when I see my kids experiencing some of that, which is probably genetic, I know how to address it in a way that is compassionate, that actually allows them to feel seen," he explained. "I know that I can't just fix it. And I can communicate all that stuff to them and with them. I'm always grateful for it."
Anxiety has even helped Ryan in his acting career. "My job benefits greatly," he explained. "People who have anxiety are constantly thinking into the future. You're constantly, 'What if this happens? What if that happens?' You're always telling yourself stories."
This came in handy on his latest Deadpool film. "So when we're shooting Deadpool & Wolverine, I'm not just shooting the movie, I'm also sitting in the audience as a cautious critic going, 'I don't like that. I don't buy that.' So anxiety creates that ecosystem of awareness that I wouldn't otherwise [have]," Ryan went on to say.
Hugh took a little longer to be so open about his emotions with his kids. "I used to be a little bit old-school. I thought, 'Don’t burden them if you are anxious,'" he explained. "Say you’ve got an opening night, or you’re hosting the Oscars — for three weeks before, I go a little distant."
Hugh got some helpful advice that made him rethink this. "And then someone said to me, 'But your kids don’t know that you’ve got the Oscars. Maybe they’re thinking you’re mad with them [or] they’ve done something,'" he recalled.
Hugh decided to try something different. "I had to make an uncomfortable phone call yesterday, and I actually just said to my son, 'I’ve got to make this uncomfortable phone call. I’m a bit nervous about it. If I seem a bit off, that’s why.' And he goes, 'Oh.' And then he said, 'How did the call go, Dad?' I said, 'I feel so much better.'" Ryan was proud of his friend and totally understood.
