Ryan Reynolds Reflects on His Complex Bond with Late Father and Finding Healing Through His Kids

“Grief catches you off guard in the strangest moments,” Ryan Reynolds shared, opening up about the loss of his father.

Key Points

• Ryan Reynolds discusses navigating grief after his father’s passing.

• He describes grief as something that “hits you at weird times.”

• His father, James Reynolds, passed away in 2015 at 74 after battling Parkinson’s disease.

During a Q&A for the upcoming documentary John Candy: I Like Me, which Reynolds, 48, produced, the actor spoke candidly about the unpredictable nature of grief. He recalled how it struck him years after his father’s death while filming an episode with Jimmy Fallon. “I’m mid-story, and it hits me like a freight train,” he said, pausing to process before covering with a quick joke.

“Most wouldn’t notice, but grief sneaks up in the oddest moments,” he added, noting that words of comfort often feel hollow because grief is so personal.

![Image: Ryan Reynolds at the John Candy: I Like Me premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, September 4, 2025.]
Image credits: Isaiah Trickey/FilmMagic

James Reynolds died in 2015 at 74, after nearly two decades with Parkinson’s. Post-loss, Ryan learned about lesser-known symptoms like hallucinations and delusions, leading him to support More to Parkinson’s, a campaign aiding patients and caregivers.

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“I think most men have a complicated relationship with their dads,” Reynolds told PEOPLE in August 2024. “But healing for me comes through my kids.” He shares James, 10, Inez, 8, Betty, 5, and Olin, 2, with Blake Lively.

Despite their strained bond, Reynolds sent his father a letter five months before his death—a gesture he’s deeply grateful for. “It listed every amazing thing he did, every time he showed up, like playing catch after baseball practice,” he recalled. “He wasn’t great at expressing emotions, but that’s okay—he was born in the ‘40s.”

“I know that letter meant everything to him,” Reynolds added. “It covered my earliest memories to near the end. I wasn’t there when he passed, and I wish I had been, but I’m thankful for that closure.”

![Image: Ryan Reynolds with parents Tammy and James.]
Image credits: E. Neitzel/WireImage

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Reynolds told PEOPLE that fatherhood has been key to his healing. “I carry forward my dad’s integrity—he never lied,” he said. “But I get to fill the gaps that hurt me. When my kids act out or call me the worst, I don’t retreat like my dad did. I get on their level, tell them I’m here, and somehow, I’m fixing something with him too.”