Ryan Reynolds on Fatherhood: “I Get to Fill in the Gaps That Hurt Me”

For Ryan Reynolds, becoming a father of four hasn’t just been a joy—it’s been a quiet revolution. The actor, long known for his wit and charm on screen, has found deeper meaning offscreen in the daily rituals of parenting. But underneath the jokes and heartwarming social media posts lies a more personal journey: one of healing from a complicated relationship with his late father.

Reynolds, now 47, shares four children—James, Inez, Betty, and baby Olin—with wife Blake Lively. But his approach to parenting is rooted in reflection, particularly about his father, James Chester Reynolds, a retired police officer who passed away in 2015 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. In recent interviews, Reynolds opened up about their emotionally distant relationship, shaped by his father’s stoic and often silent demeanor.

“My dad had incredible integrity, but he wasn’t a great communicator,” Reynolds told PEOPLE magazine. “I think most men and boys have a slightly complicated relationship with their father… but the healing for me actually comes more through my relationship with my own kids.”

That healing, he explains, isn’t about rewriting the past—it’s about showing up differently in the present. “I get to fill in those little gaps that maybe hurt me,” Reynolds said, especially in those difficult parenting moments where silence once reigned in his own childhood. Rather than retreat emotionally, Reynolds leans in—talking, listening, connecting.

This generational shift in fatherhood isn’t accidental. For Reynolds, it’s a conscious act of transformation, breaking a cycle of emotional distance and replacing it with openness. He’s not trying to be perfect; he’s trying to be real. “Our parents are meant to have this kind of infallibility,” he said. “But I feel like part of my journey is showing my kids that I don’t have all the answers—and that’s okay.”

Reynolds’ father’s battle with Parkinson’s deeply shaped him—not just emotionally, but also in action. He’s now a vocal advocate for Parkinson’s research and serves on the board of the Michael J. Fox Foundation. In 2024, he partnered with More to Parkinson’s, helping provide resources to families living with the disease. It’s one more way Reynolds is turning personal pain into public purpose.

For fans, Ryan Reynolds may always be the quippy leading man. But for his children, he’s something far more powerful: a present father, reshaping his own legacy one bedtime story, one hard conversation, and one healing moment at a time.