Ryan Reynolds shares career advice from Richard Curtis

Ryan Reynolds says advice from filmmaker Richard Curtis has shaped how he approaches his work.

Reynolds, 49, was speaking at The Wall Street Journal’s CMO Summit in New York on November 18, when he recalled Curtis, 69, telling him, “Every character has to have a beginning, a middle and an end.”

The comment “really stuck with me,” Reynolds said. The Deadpool star further shared that he applies this principle not only to acting but also to advertising, for his brands like Aviation Gin and Mint Mobile.

“I sort of brought that even into that space with, ‘How do you do that in 30 seconds or 15 seconds as well?’” he said.

Reynolds added that too much time or money can affect creativity. He also emphasised the power of combining humour and emotion in storytelling.

“Humour and emotion are the two feelings that travel the most,” he said. “But if you get them together, it really creates a sense of togetherness. It creates that feeling that we’re all right now, we’re not divided.”