NEED TO KNOW
Ryan Reynolds revealed what his son Olin, 2, said to Bill Murray to get him to participate in John Candy: I Like Me, as he spoke at the world premiere of the documentary at TIFF on Thursday, Sept. 4
Reynolds produced the documentary about the life and career of actor John Candy, who died at 43 in 1994
The Canadian star joked he “did terrible things to get Bill Murray” to take part in the release at the event
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively‘s 2-year-old son, Olin, is persuasive!
On Thursday, Sept. 4, Reynolds, 48, attended the world premiere of the documentary John Candy: I Like Me at the Toronto International Film Festival.
While speaking on a panel at the opening of the movie, which details the life and career of actor John Candy, who died at 43 in 1994, Reynolds revealed that his 2-year-old son, Olin, played a key part in convincing Bill Murray, 74, to have a role in the documentary.
The Canadian star — who produced the movie — joked that he “did terrible things to get Bill Murray,” adding of the comedian and actor, “He doesn’t use a fax machine anymore, because you don’t,” he said, gesturing toward the audience.
Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty
John Candy at the ‘ShoWest ’91 Convention’
“So he had to find another means, there was a cellular telephone device, which he got, which you could call, and I called it,” Reynolds added, admitting he got the voicemail of a Greek shipping company.
“I didn’t believe it, so I left a message, and another, and another, and another, and finally I get a call back,” admitting he “failed” a “test” when Murray asked about the “godfather” of the “spit take.”
Reynolds said he ended up being “ghosted,” so he then sent Murray a video message, which is when he knew he was “really desperate,” the actor joked.
Paramount/Getty Images
Steve Martin and John Candy in ‘Planes, Trains & Automobiles’
Reynolds explained that he was “running out of time” in the video message, telling the audience, “existentially of course, because death will find me at some point.”
“This is when my 2-year-old son just enters from [like] a horror movie, it’s 11:30 at night, this kid should be out cold,” the Deadpool star explained.
“He says something indecipherable, f—— 2-year-olds, and I said ‘I’m sending a video to Bill, tell Bill to do the interview,’ and he looks right at the camera and he goes ‘Do the interview, Bill’ and I said, ‘Say no to a kid like that, then we’ll know what kind of a monster you are,’ and then I just hung up,” he continued.
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Ryan Reynolds at the ‘John Candy: I Like Me’ world premiere
Reynolds — who also shares daughters James, 10, Inez, 8, and Betty, 5, with wife Lively — admitted, “And then he called back and said ‘What can I do for JC?’ and he showed up big time.”
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Reynolds’ new documentary on Candy is directed by Tom Hanks‘ son Colin Hanks. “When you hear the name John Candy, your face lights up. He wasn’t just a great actor; he was an even better person,” Colin, 47, and Reynolds said in a statement about the movie’s premiere at TIFF back in June.
“People loved his everyman qualities, but they didn’t know how relatable John really was. He went through the same struggles we all do, except now we talk about them. We are incredibly honoured to have gotten to know the man better through this process and to bring the real John Candy to audiences, starting with his hometown of Toronto.”
Prime Video/Youtube
Bill Murray in ‘John Candy: I Like Me’
Reynolds shared in a Q&A obtained by PEOPLE about why now is the right time to do a documentary about Candy, 30 years after his passing, “There are so many reasons, but I think the primary one is that John informed so much of my own work and perspective.”
“I would characterize myself as something of a super fan. I know how it made me feel when he passed in ‘94. I think that was the first time it hit me really hard when a celebrity, someone who was larger than life, passed away,” he continued.
In addition to the movie’s premiere, Reynolds is participating in a talk at the film festival “to discuss his work as a producer on the film, the influence of John Candy on his own career, and his work in front of and behind the camera at his company Maximum Effort” on Friday, Sept. 5.
The Toronto International Film Festival runs between Sept. 4 and Sept. 14.
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