‘I love my country’: A candid conversation with Ryan Reynolds

Sandie Rinaldo sits down with the brains behind the new John Candy documentary, Ryan Reynolds and Colin Hanks.

It’s fitting that the Toronto International Film Festival is marking its 50th milestone with a candid look at the life of a Canadian comedic icon.

The opening film, “John Candy: I Like Me”, is a revealing documentary that delves not just into the legendary actor’s public accolades, but also his private struggles. One thing is clear throughout the film – he is universally beloved and for good reason.

I experienced it first-hand back in 1993 when I interviewed him on the set of the only film he ever directed, “Hostage for a Day”. I was immediately struck by how real, funny, warm and self-effacing he was, and I couldn’t stop laughing.

It’s something Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds heard often as he produced the documentary. I had the chance to sit down with him today, along with director Colin Hanks, whose famous father Tom is also featured in the film.

For both, it was clearly a passion project.

“He brought people together in really interesting ways,” says Reynolds. “He brought my own family together in interesting ways. When we would see a John Candy movie, we’d all be sitting together.”

“What I remember about John and meeting him as a kid was the way he made you feel,” adds Hanks. “That seemed worth celebrating. The more and more people we talked to, the more and more I realized that John made everyone feel that way.”

That comes as no surprise to John Candy’s children, Chris Candy and Jennifer Candy-Sullivan, who were also involved in the film. Having lost their father while they were still very young, it also meant learning more about his vulnerabilities and personal demons, including the pressures of Hollywood fame.

“He was human,” says Chris Candy. “He had the full capacity of having the good parts of life and then the challenging parts of life. I felt closer to him as I watched it because it was relatable.”

“Dealing with the business and how rough people can be on people,” adds Candy-Sullivan. “But just coming out with kindness.”

Kindness – a trait that’s highlighted throughout the documentary and that Ryan Reynolds believes Canada can take some credit for.

“I would attribute so much of my career to it, and I think John did as well,” he says. “John learned laughing at yourself, that’s the target. You don’t punch down, you don’t kick or hurt other people.”

Asked about how he thinks John Candy might have felt about the current tensions between Canada and the United States, Reynolds reflects on their shared ties to both countries.

“John was very good at bringing people together. John would have looked at it from a solution-oriented place,” he says. “Yeah, there are some tensions. Do I think the United States is gonna annex Canada? No, I don’t believe that. It’s unreasonable.”

“I love my country, I consider Canada my third parent,” Reynolds adds. “I consider my values to have come from growing up in this great nation. I’m grateful that I got to grow up in this incredible country.”

“In the true north, strong and free!” pipes in Colin Hanks. “In the true north, strong and free,” Reynolds nods.

A pride shared by the Canadian comedic giant whose legacy they’re now shining a new light on.

John Candy may have famously said, “I like me”. But there’s no question he was loved by many.

With files from CTV News’ Kristen Yu