Ryan Reynolds talks growing up in B.C. on David Letterman's Netflix show
Ryan Reynolds shared some of what it was like growing up in Vancouver in a new interview with David Letterman this week, including the fact that he said he was going out to get gas when what he was really doing was moving to Los Angeles.
Appearing on Netflix's "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction" Reynolds touched on his stint working at a Safeway, what it was like growing up as one of four brothers and how he thought his home country compared to the U.S.
"As a kid I was looking at Americans as this big, shiny pair of pants down south, and Canada was this little hat," he said.
Reynolds moved out of his parents' home when he was 17 and went to live with his brother. He told Letterman his father wanted him to go to university, something he did when he was 18 to try to please his dad.
"I went for – I'm not even making it up – 45 minutes," Reynolds said, adding that was the day he decided to head south.
"I walked in and I looked around and said, 'Nope.' I went back, got in my old Jeep YJ and drove across the border. I said I was getting gas in Blaine, Wash. I drove across the border and all the way down to Los Angeles….I didn’t tell anybody. There were four boys so one could easily vanish."
His first moments in the new city didn’t go quite as he'd imagined, he told Letterman.
"I got outside the Highland Gardens hotel and got my bags out of my jeep went inside, came back out my jeep was gone – already. Like Welcome to Los Angeles. I found it two blocks away. They stole my doors."
Ultimately he got an agent and was cast in a sitcom, which set him off on the path to the success he enjoys today.
But he said he always had a Plan B.
"If this all ignites in a glorious flame of failure, I can still drive my door-less Jeep back to Vancouver," he recalled saying to himself in his early days in Hollywood.
The interview was done in Reynolds' home, where he lives with his wife Blake Lively and their three daughters. Being the only man in an all-female household is almost the exact opposite of how he grew up.
Reflecting on his childhood, he talked about his relationship with his brothers. While there were what he described as "bare-knuckle brawls" on the lawn, the siblings were close and supportive.
"There were times of real darkness. But I think I found those slivers of light, I think my brothers did too. I think we had each other," he said.
One story he shared was about how he got an earring when he was 12. Reynolds described his dad as "very tough, very very tough on us." When he told his siblings about his plan they told him how they thought his father would react.
"My brother said you're going to die. You're going to show up at dinner tonight. And there will be a messy stabbing death because dad will take one of the utensils and stab you," Reynolds told Letterman.
Undeterred, Reynolds got his ear pierced and showed up at the dinner table that night, prepared to face his punishment.
"I kind of look up, and I look around and I see that all three of my brothers had gotten an earring to sort of save me," he recalled.
"It's one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen in my life. I remember looking around and my mom just, looked like she was about to faint. My brothers just were really trying to protect me in the moment.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.