Here's The Reason Why Ryan Reynolds Once Quit Acting

August 2024 · 5 minute read

Ryan Reynolds, known for his charismatic performances and quick-witted humor, has established a name for himself as one of Hollywood’s most beloved actors. In a variety of films, he played the lead role, which paved the way for his current success.

However, like many actors, he faced his fair share of struggles and disappointments in his career. There was even a time when he contemplated leaving the world of acting behind. This resulted in him taking a long break from acting to explore other options.

Ryan Reynolds Admits He Quit Acting Because He Hated It

Ryan Reynolds is an accomplished celebrity in the entertainment business, there is no question about that.

Along with being the lead star of the well-known Deadpool franchise, he has also appeared in the films Van Wilder, The Proposal, The Hitman's Bodyguard, Pokémon Detective Pikachu, and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw between the years 2002 to 2019.

People might also recognize him from his appearances on Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place on television. Reynolds clearly loves what he does, but it turns out there was a time when he was on the verge of giving up acting entirely.

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Reynolds may currently be an A-list actor, but his career actually got its start while he was still very young. In fact, when he appeared for a segment on Live with Kelly and Michael, the hosts at the time, Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan, surprised him with a clip from his very first acting role in 1991, when he featured as Billy Simpson on the Nickelodeon series Fifteen.

Although it was obvious that Reynolds enjoyed revisiting his early performances as a kid actor, he also made an unexpected admission. “I quit acting after that. I hated it then. I really did.” Additionally, he said that he only accepted his first acting role "to get out of the house."

Reynolds continued by saying that he is "glad" he decided to take jobs at a restaurant and warehouse for a period of time after giving up his life as a young actor. He said, "I had some real life experiences."

He was also dealing with something else at the time, which may have had an impact on his choice to take a break from acting for a while as well as possibly inspiring him to return to his on-screen profession.

Ryan Reynolds Took Hiatus From Acting Due To Disappointing Movies

Not only Reynolds decided to take a break from acting during his early career because he hated it, but the actor also took a long hiatus from the industry because of a series of disappointing movies. That was the point where he became disillusioned by the film industry.

“It wasn’t like I was having a very illustrious career up in Canada. I was doing all of these movie-of-the-weeks with all of these ex-Dynasty stars. It was depressing. I would have rather gone to university or become a teacher, so I did quit, I stopped acting for about a year,” Reynolds admitted.

Fortunately, his career improved after he moved to Los Angeles with a friend on a whim. “I was there for a short time and got an agent who sent me on an audition for a show called Two Guys and a Girl and I got that,” he said.

After he relocated to LA, Reynolds' career saw a steady ascent. He rose to fame primarily as a result of his roles in comedic films like The In-Laws, Just Friends, The Proposal, and a lot more. He eventually transitioned to playing more serious roles in movies. He has been known for his roles in a plethora of genres of movies.

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Also, following the success of Deadpool, Reynolds continued to enjoy a flourishing career. He reprised his role as the foul-mouthed mercenary in the 2018 sequel, Deadpool 2, which was also well-received critically and commercially. He also has gained several nominations and accolades thanks to the role.

Additionally, he won Best Comedic Performance and Best Fight at the MTV Movie & TV Awards and Best Actor in a Comedy at the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards. In 2017, the actor was honored by the Hollywood of Commerce with his very own star on the infamous Hollywood Walk of Fame.

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Deadpool was a box office hit, earning $783 million in ticket sales worldwide and its sequel Deadpool 2 pulled in about the same amount. Reynolds got a $2 million base salary for Deadpool and reportedly received millions in subsequent bonuses.

Following the film’s release in 2016, Reynolds ranked 15th on Forbes' list of the world’s highest-paid actors in 2017, earning an estimated $21.5 million. A third Deadpool film is set for release in November 2024.

Ryan Reynolds’ involvement in the Deadpool franchise catapulted him into the A-list category and cemented his status as a bankable leading man—and probably ensures he won't hate acting ever again.

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