Award-winning actor Ryan Reynolds has shared insights into the complex relationship he had with his late father, James Chester Reynolds, who passed away in 2015 at the age of 74 after suffering from Parkinson’s disease for almost two decades.
“My father was a man who does not share his feelings. He was a boxer, a cop, a hard-ass. I can’t even recall ever really having a proper conversation with my father,” Reynolds shared.
In 1998, Reynolds, then 22, received the news that his father had been diagnosed with the progressive neurodegenerative disease, which affects the central nervous system, causing uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, impaired coordination, and trouble speaking, per the Mayo Clinic.
“At the time I just thought, ‘My dad’s losing his mind,’” Reynolds recalled.
“My father was really slipping down a rabbit hole where he was struggling to differentiate between reality and fiction,” he said. “And subsequently everyone else in his life was losing the bedrock faith and trust that they had on his point of view.”
Reynolds has since become a father of his own, welcoming four children with his wife of nearly 12 years, actress Blake Lively. The couple share three daughters—James, 9; Inez, 7; Betty, 4—and a son named Olin, born in February 2023.
Reflecting on his father’s passing, Reynolds expressed deep regret over the fact that he was not able to have a close relationship with his dad while he was alive.
Advocacy Work
After witnessing his father’s battle with Parkinson’s, Reynolds felt compelled to become an advocate for those facing the same disease.“I’ve always had such admiration for Michael, for not just the reasons people sort of usually attribute to him, but like also the fact that, like he took all of that energy and turned it into something that has helped so many people feel less alone, myself included, and even my dad, felt less alone,” Reynolds told USA Today.
Speaking with the publication, the “Deadpool” star lauded his mother, Tammy, for being there for his father in his time of need.“Caregivers are sort of the unsung heroes, people that really go into the coal mine and do the really, really hard stuff,” Reynolds said. “And my mom was certainly one of those people.”
Reynolds and his mother recently teamed up with the organization More to Parkinson’s to help raise awareness for the nonmotor symptoms of the disease.
In addition to experiencing hallucinations, which involves perceiving things that aren’t there, and delusions—believing things that aren’t true—people who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s may also suffer from anxiety and loss of mental sharpness as well as constipation and impaired bladder control.
“My mom tried to shield my family and carry the burden alone each day. I wish I'd known there was more to Parkinson’s than motor symptoms, which is why I’m encouraging people and families affected by Parkinson’s to talk early and often about hallucinations and delusions,” he said.
On Wednesday, Reynolds took to Instagram to express his appreciation for More to Parkinson’s and The Michael J. Fox Foundation for making great strides on behalf of those suffering from the disease.
“But if there’s one thing I hope everyone knows, it’s how important it is to not face it all alone. My dad’s gone now, but I’m lucky to continue working toward solutions with people who are, thankfully, much smarter than me.”
