Ryan Reynolds Bio: From Van Wilder to The Green Lantern

Ryan Reynolds Profile: From Van Wilder to The Green Lantern From frat party planning to vampire slaying, this Sexiest Man Alive has made his mark as a leading man. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re taking a look at the life and career of Ryan Reynolds. Ryan Rodney Reynolds was born in Vancouver, British Columbia on Oct 23rd, 1976. Reynolds became interested in acting at an early age, despite failing one of his first drama classes. He was inspired to form a local improv troupe, and not long after he got his first break. Reynolds won the role of Billy Simpson on the Nickelodeon high-school soap opera, “Fifteen.” After the series ended, Reynolds took parts in a few forgettable made-for-TV movies. This lull in his career prompted the actor to return to school, but not for long. Just a few months later he dropped everything and moved to Los Angeles to really focus on acting. In L.A., much of Reynolds’ time was spent in mandatory acting classes that would help him join the famous Groundlings improv troupe. Those classes proved to be helpful when Reynolds finally landed his breakout role as med student Michael “Berg” Bergen on the sitcom, “Two Guys, A Girl and A Pizza Place” in 1998. That part opened the door to a number of film roles for Reynolds. These included a 1999 performance alongside Michelle Williams and Kirsten Dunst in the political comedy “Dick,” a 2002 appearance as a party animal and permanent student in “National Lampoon’s Van Wilder,” and the portrayal of horn-dog Mike Hansen in “Buying the Cow” with Jerry O’Connell and Ron Livingston. Two years later he made a cameo as a male nurse in “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle.” Reynolds did not want to be type-cast as the funny guy, and so for his next role he packed on 25-pounds of muscle and transformed his on-screen persona. He then starred as the vampire-slaying sidekick Hannibal King in “Blade: Trinity.” He followed that up with another serious film: in 2005 he played the possessed George Lutz in a remake of the classic film “The Amityville Horror.” By this point, Reynolds had solidified his place as a true on-screen force, and had demonstrated his versatility as an actor. Following this, he starred in a number of romantic comedies, thrillers and independent films. However it was his 2009 turn as the antihero Wade Wilson/Deadpool in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” that showcased his talent as an action star. That same year, he appeared as the cute and loyal assistant to Sandra Bullock in “The Proposal.” He followed that up the next year with the challenging role of Paul Conroy in “Buried.” In 2011, Reynolds showed off his talents as an action hero once more when he played Hal Jordan, otherwise known as “The Green Lantern.” He also switched lives with Jason Bateman in “The Change-Up.” Off-screen, this Hollywood hunk has had a couple of high-profile romances. His relationship with Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette helped raise his public profile early in his career. After their engagement ended, Reynolds began dating actress Scarlett Johansson, and the two married shortly after. They divorced just two years later. Reynolds was named one of People Magazine’s Sexiest Men Alive three years in a row, and Hollywood can expect much more from this talented actor. Whether he’s starring as a possessed murderer or a crime-fighting superhero, you can be sure he’ll train hard enough to get the part right, and to look great with his shirt off.