'I'm not MAGA': Ryan Reynolds criticises identity politics, credits Canadian roots for Hollywood success

Hollywood actor and producer Ryan Reynolds on Friday said he did not support right-wing politics. “I’m not MAGA. I’m not extreme anything,” Reynolds said during a conversation at the Toronto Film Festival .

He further said that people want their beliefs “mirrored back” to them, but criticised identity politics as divisive and too “binary, us vs them,” as quoted by Hollywood Reporter.

Reynolds credited his upbringing in Vancouver and his training in improv comedy for teaching him collaboration and humility on film sets. “It’s important to keep your head screwed on right. And Canada helped me with that. Canada was a third parent. That business is tough. It can destroy you. I have seen the illusion of it and sort of the thin ice,” he said, highlighting how his roots helped him navigate Hollywood without succumbing to extreme pressures.

The actor began his career in Canada with the YTV teen series Fifteen in 1991. He recalled learning discipline on set and memorising lines for multiple episodes without gaining fame. He reflected on Canadian work culture in Los Angeles, saying, “A common denominator among Canadians is there’s a commitment to what’s right. Sometimes that can go too far. I know for a fact that, when I experience injustice, I tend to get really upset about it. I feel shame about it. Why didn’t I do something about it earlier? That mechanism allows Canadians to be more productive. I love to under-promise and over-deliver,” he recalled.