Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds's amazing journey and huge wealth

Wales Online

29-04-2025

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Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds is the toast of Wrexham once again after the club secured an unprecedented third consecutive promotion to the Championship. Reynolds and fellow Hollywood owner Rob McElhenney are now just one more promotion from achieving their Premier League dream.
It has been a costly mission for them to pursue, with both men ploughing millions into the team over the past few years since the stunning 2021 takeover, reports WalesOnline.
It seems fair to say that Reynolds has fallen in love with Wales. He sees it as one the finest achievements of a life that has seen him become a Hollywood A-lister and successful businessman worth hundreds of millions of pounds. Sign up now for the latest news on the North Wales Live Whatsapp community
So here's a rundown of his remarkable life from his journey to Hollywood stardom, past relationships and his eye-watering net worth
From humble beginnings to Hollywood icon
Ryan Reynolds was born in October 1976 in Vancouver, British Columbia, as the youngest of four brothers in an Irish Catholic family. At just 13, he caught the acting bug and began landing roles in various television shows, including the Canadian series The Odyssey and Nickelodeon's Hillside.
He got minor roles in multiple series but Reynolds' breakthrough moment arrived with the 2002 National Lampoon film Van Wilder, marking the beginning of his ascent to fame. Despite a few early film roles that didn't quite hit the mark, he found his stride in Hollywood through successful romcoms such as Just Friends, Definitely, Maybe and The Proposal.
However, his lead role in the DC superhero film Green Lantern was widely criticised, with the movie becoming one of the biggest box-office flops in cinema history. However, he made a triumphant return with the blockbuster hit Deadpool, which raked in an astonishing $782.6million on a budget of just $58million, making it one of the highest-grossing R-rated films ever.
The sequel was equally well-received, and further franchises have followed.
Net worth
Reports suggest the 46-year-old actor currently boasts a net worth of more than $400 million, supplementing his Hollywood career with savvy entrepreneurial and investment moves.
Aswell as his box office successes, Reynolds has been busy in the boardroom over the past five years or so, acquiring up to a 20 per cent stake in Portland-based Aviation Gin and transforming it into a recognised brand on both sides of the Atlantic. Drinks giant Diageo snapped up the company in 2020 in a deal worth just over $600million.
Two years ago, he pocketed even more cash when he sold his substantial stake in telecoms firm Mint Mobile to T-Mobile. The deal, valued at $1.35billion, earned him a cool $300million plus.
Reynolds is believed to have pocketed a cool £79m from acting alone in 2024, with much of his success coming from the Marvel smash hit Deadpool & Wolverine, while family film IF and documentary Welcome to Wrexham are also believed to be big contributors.
Reynolds and McElhenney have ploughed more than £20m into Wrexham but have seen a massive increase in the club's turnover. They are also set to enjoy an extra £8m in television revenue thanks to promotion.
High-profile relationships and Hollywood divorce
Reynolds has had a string of high-profile romances, including engagements and marriages to some of the most famous women in the world.
In 2004, he became engaged to fellow Canadian Alanis Morissette, whom he met at Drew Barrymore's birthday party two years prior. Although they parted ways in 2007, with Morissette citing the pressures of fame as a contributing factor, they have remained close friends.
After his split from Morissette, Reynolds began dating actress Scarlett Johansson, and the couple tied the knot in a private ceremony in Vancouver the following year. Their A-list status and hectic schedules, however, led to a short-lived marriage, and they parted ways in 2010.
Johansson, who was 23 at the time of their marriage, echoed Reynolds' sentiment that the relationship faltered due to lack of quality time together, telling Time Out: "We work and then go home - I'd just stare at the wall for a few hours before I got to sleep."
Reynolds has also been linked to actresses Sandra Bullock, Melissa Joan Hart, and Charlize Theron.
Finding Love with Blake Lively
But Reynolds' fortunes changed when he met Gossip Girl star Blake Lively on the set of Green Lantern, and they began dating. The couple tied the knot in 2012 and have since become one of Hollywood's most beloved power couples, with four children together.
Reynolds and Lively exchanged vows in a private ceremony in South Carolina, but have since expressed regret over their choice of venue, Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant, which has a history of slavery. The couple faced criticism for romanticizing the site and issued a heartfelt apology, stating they were "deeply and unreservedly" sorry for their decision.
The couple later had a second, secret wedding ceremony at their home, although the exact date remains unknown. The pair are known for their humorous exchanges with Wrexham fans, with Lively once advising a fan at the Racecourse Ground to ditch her boyfriend, while Reynolds humorously warned player Ollie Palmer to "put a shirt on" when his wife was around.
The couple were both at Saturday's match against Charlton when promotion was secured.