Ryan Reynolds took a candid look back at his Hollywood journey earlier this week.
The veteran actor, known for starring in films such as “Deadpool,” opened up to Emmy-winning producer Maryam Banikarim during The Wall Street Journal’s CMO Council Summit on Tuesday, reflecting on some of the misfires that ultimately shaped his path.
“[Give me] an example of something that didn’t work out for you?” Banikarim asked.
Reynolds jokingly responded, “High school. Definitely that.”
He then shifted to the films of his that didn’t exactly earn critical love or receive glowing reviews.
“I think creatively speaking, it’s hard to say, someone might say ‘Green Lantern,’” he said — a comment that drew laughter from the crowd. He added that the movie is his son’s “favorite movie” of his, a detail that amused the audience even more.
Reynolds went on to explain that, at that point in his career, he had been a “yes man” and a “people pleaser,” and is now committed to having more ownership over the direction of his career.
“They don’t say, ‘This producer’s movie flopped,’ or ‘This director’s [movie flopped].’ That’s me. So if I’m going to be on that headline, I’d like to be the architect of my own demise or success,” Reynolds said, adding that he learned how to bring his “own voice into the room to collaborate.”