NEWSReynolds' Eclectic Entrepreneurship is Confusing the 'Traditional' Celebrity Formula
July 23 2025, Published 1:59 a.m. ET
Being a movie star in 2025 is, ironically, no longer just about acting in movies. In the golden age of cinema, stardom was defined by silver screen performances, with some of the biggest names becoming icons through their on-screen presence alone.
They weren’t entrepreneurs. They were employees of the movie-making business, carefully curated by the Hollywood system, and always kept at arm’s length from the public. Their job was to act, and the rest was managed for them. But that’s all changed over the last twenty or so years. As more credence is given to the stars themselves, they have managed to turn that adulation to their advantage, turning themselves into brands and, in some cases, business empires.
By and large, though, this is done tactfully, with many people working behind the scenes. The luxury fashion and beauty sector, for instance, has drawn in a lot of celebrities, including Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, and Charlize Theron – all of whom have lent their star power to makeup lines and, in some cases, entire fashion campaigns.
Most of the time, these partnerships are heavily orchestrated by professional teams working behind the scenes, with the celebrities themselves serving as the recognisable faces who embody the brand’s image and can help it reach a wider audience. However, there is one person who stands outside this mold. His name is Ryan Reynolds, and over the last decade, he has steadily been building his own business empire, confusing the ‘traditional’ celebrity formula and redefining what it means to be a star-turned-entrepreneur in the 21st century.
The Story of Ryan Reynolds
So, who is Ryan Reynolds? Well, for those who have been living under a rock, Ryan Reynolds is a Canadian-American actor and film producer, best known for starring in hit films such as Deadpool, The Proposal, Red Notice, Pokémon Detective, Safe House – the list just goes on and on. His career began in the early 1990s as a teenager in Canada, where he starred in the teen soap opera Hillside.
His early roles were largely in television, where he honed his craft as both a dramatic and comedic actor, but throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, Reynolds began getting opportunities on the big screen, with his breakthrough role being the charming and irreverent Van Wilder, in Van Wilder: Party Liaison. This was when he really cemented himself as a charismatic leading man, and it was further amplified by his role in The Proposal, opposite Sandra Bullock, and more action-packed roles in films such as Safe House and 6 Underground.
It wasn’t until Deadpool, however, that Reynolds was really propelled to international superstardom. And that wasn’t just because of his acting chops. On the contrary, the reason Deadpool, and Reynolds for that matter, is so popular is because of the story behind its creation – a story that highlights Reynolds’ entrepreneurial spirit, and his determination to break the mould of what is expected of celebrities, thereby formulating his own, unique path.
The Story of Deadpool
The conception of the popular anti-hero movie, Deadpool, was unlike anything we’ve seen before. Traditionally, a movie is greenlit by studios, with scripts, casting, and marketing all closely controlled by executives. The superhero genre in particular is shrouded in its own unique brand of tradition. While some may say it’s formulaic, others (and many of them) would argue that those tropes are precisely what makes it so special and beloved by fans. Superhero movies have sparked a cultural wave that has washed up on the shores of almost every industry imaginable, from clothing (who here doesn’t have a superhero t-shirt in the back of a drawer?) to online casino (Infinity Hero and Diamond Squad, to name just a few) and even the shelves of supermarkets.
But Deadpool had long been a no-go area. It wasn’t a traditional superhero film, in that the main character was known for being violent, unfiltered, and irreverently breaking the fourth wall – all elements that made studios across the board hesitant to invest.
Reynolds, however, believed in the movie so much that he essentially let the audience decide. In 2012, he created a short proof-of-concept clip to showcase the film’s potential tone and style, and in 2014, that clip was leaked onto the internet. In Reynolds’ own words, ‘within twenty-four hours, we had a green light’, with 20th Century Fox reconsidering their stance on the project after the overwhelmingly positive fan reaction.
From that point on, Reynolds was heavily involved in creating the movie itself, investing his own money into the project and working closely with writers and directors to create a movie that broke the status quo. And it was a huge success. Not only did the movie gross over $782 million worldwide, but it also led to two hugely successful sequels, Deadpool 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine, both of which earned $780 million and $1.3 billion, respectively.
The real story, here, however, was not the box office numbers or critical acclaim – it was Ryan Reynolds stepping into the role of entrepreneur. Nothing like this had ever happened before. Not only had he changed the way movies could get made, but he demonstrated a willingness to take creative and financial risks – something which set the stage for his later ventures, where the line between celebrity and entrepreneur would continue to be blurred.
The Breaking of Molds
After the success of Deadpool, Reynolds had a taste of taking a risk and succeeding. He also grew an awareness that he himself could be instrumental in taking a project to the next level, with his fanbase now more engaged and eager to follow his ventures beyond the sparkle of the silver screen. This realisation led to some interesting partnerships.
The first was Aviation Gin. When Reynolds acquired a stake in this company in 2018, there were many who thought this would be a picturesque celebrity endorsement. His face would be put on the brand, a few ads would roll out, and all the actual business decisions would be left to the experts. But Reynolds clearly had other plans. Rather than just being a face for Aviation Gin, he dove head-first into the branding and marketing, using his acting skills to create campaigns that actually felt genuine and memorable.
They were also low-budget campaigns, meaning creativity took centre stage over the typical flashy production of most celebrity-endorsed products, and this anti-influencer style of marketing was also brought to Mint Mobile – which Reynolds bought a stake in just a year later. Once again, he wanted to be actively involved in promoting the brand, using his signature wit in advertising to essentially shape the company’s voice and entire marketing direction. This was similarly successful, with the company being sold to T-Mobile for approximately $1.3 billion, while Aviation Gin was sold for $610 million.
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
The Story of Wrexham
Perhaps the most interesting and unexpected partnership, however, was with Rob McElhenney. Seemingly out of nowhere, both McElhenney and Reynolds acquired the Welsh football club, Wrexham AFC, with the deal reportedly costing $2.6 million – and, since then, they have played a huge role in getting the club off the ground.
At the time of acquisition, of course, Wrexham was in a bad place. The club had spent years languishing in the lower tiers of Welsh football, struggling with financial difficulties and dwindling attendance. Morale among fans was at an all-time low, and the team’s future felt uncertain, but then, all of a sudden, two Hollywood superstars turned up on their doorstep, and everything changed. Reynolds not only brought fresh capital to the club, but he invested in improving their facilities, boosted player recruitment, and made a huge commitment to community engagement, helping to reignite local passion and ensure the club was being talked about again.
Beyond the pitch, he also tapped into storytelling as a powerful tool, documenting the journey in the series Welcome to Wrexham. This brought unprecedented global attention and new fans to the club, creating a sense of hope that had been missing for years. And the hope wasn’t ill-placed. On the contrary, Wrexham’s performances have dramatically improved, with the club climbing the football league system with three consecutive promotions. They’re also currently competing in the Championship of the EFL, ending a fifteen-year absence which, at one point, looked like it would never be possible.
Were other people involved? Yes, of course there was. But it was Reynolds and McElhenney taking the risk and putting their names on the line that kick-started this turnaround, giving the club a new sense of purpose and direction that galvanised everyone involved. They might even be about to do it again, with Reynolds involved in the owners' group of a Colombian football team as part of his next ambitious chapter. So once again, this says a lot about who Ryan Reynolds is as an entrepreneur – and how he’s different to his counterparts.
The Method of Other Celebrities
But why is he different? Why isn’t this something that every celebrity does? The answer can be found in the delicate balance between risk, involvement, and authenticity. When anyone invests in a company, they’re not necessarily coming on board as a part of the team, they’re giving away some of their capital in exchange for a stake.
For many celebrities, this hands-off approach is the more preferable one, simply because it allows them to leverage their fame while avoiding the day-to-day challenges and risks of entrepreneurship. Cutting out the risk, in this way, can be the best decision from a Hollywood standpoint. The last thing they want is for a business failure – or even worse, a controversy – to tarnish their carefully curated public image. Entrepreneurship demands time, energy, and a tolerance for uncertainty – and these are luxuries that many celebrities feel they can’t afford.
In contrast, Reynolds embraces the messiness of building and growing businesses, fully aware that real influence and success come from taking ownership of these sorts of decisions. There was no guarantee, for instance, that Wrexham would be a good move. As we mentioned before, the club was already struggling, and just because two Hollywood moguls bought it up, that didn’t necessarily mean success would be guaranteed. Indeed, it wouldn’t have been guaranteed if the whole thing had been a publicity stunt.
Reynolds understood that his name alone wouldn’t be enough to turn the club around. It required genuine investment, both financially and emotionally, and a willingness to engage with the community, the players, and be authentically involved in the day-to-day operations of the club. In other words, he knew that credibility couldn’t be faked. If he and McElhenney wanted to win the trust of the fans, the town, and the footballing world, they had to show up consistently and sincerely – and that’s how this investment would be a true success.
Conclusion
We’re not saying that every celebrity should be doing this. As we mentioned before, the traditional celebrity formula is to stay polished, protected, and at arm’s length from anything that might be considered risky. There’s a reason, after all, why so many stars stick to scripted interviews, curated brand deals, and the occasional endorsement campaign. It’s safe, it works, and for many, it’s enough.
But for Ryan Reynolds, clearly it’s never been enough. For any other celebrity, this kind of risk-taking and creative control might go down like a lead balloon, but Reynolds has the charisma, comedic timing, and media savvy to pull it off. It’s his authenticity, too, that sets him apart. The reason his ventures resonate beyond the celebrity bubble is that audiences are willing to follow him from the movie theatres and out into the real world. There’s no image of him. There’s just him. And the fans know this.
As time goes by, he might make a few mistakes. Perhaps the Alpine F1 investment won’t work out the way he planned, or maybe he’ll make some errors in judgment with Wrexham. But that’s just the way of business. Sometimes, things don’t always work out as you planned, but that’s also what makes it real. Reynolds has shown that success doesn’t come from playing it safe or staying behind the curtain – it comes from showing up and being willing to fail publicly. In doing so, he’s built more than just a portfolio of smart investments – he’s built trust. Trust with fans, with consumers, and with collaborators who now see him as so much more than just a Hollywood name.
So even if he did fail in the future – partnering with a company that doesn’t take off, or backing a project that flops – it’s unlikely that it would undo what he’s built. The value of Ryan Reynolds isn’t that he’s tied to wins, it’s that he’s tied to showing up. With his humour, humility, and hands-on involvement, he’s redefined what it means to be a celebrity entrepreneur. And that’s something that people will always buy into.
