Entertainment

How Ryan Reynolds makes and spends his millions

Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Reynolds. Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
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Reynolds said he was paid $150 per episode on his first acting gig, the 1991 TV series "Fifteen."

ryan reynolds in a tie dye shirt
Ryan Reynolds in "Fifteen." Nickelodeon

Back in his kid-acting days, Reynolds was feeling pretty good about the coin he was making.

In a 2018 interview on "Live With Kelly and Michael," Reynolds said that for his first-ever acting gig, which was on the 1991 Nickelodeon series "Fifteen," he was paid $150 an episode (he starred in 18 episodes).

"For me, I thought I was like a gajillionaire," Reynolds said. "For 150 bucks a day, it was like a dream come true."

The dream would only get better.

Reynolds' first big payday for a movie was 2011's "The Green Lantern." He earned around $15 million.

green lantern
Ryan Reynolds in "The Green Lantern." Warner Bros.

After years of building up his filmography, he finally got his big check in this panned superhero movie.

Though Reynolds now loves to joke about how bad the movie was, he did walk away with around $15 million.

On the first "Deadpool," he was paid $2 million, but he ended up making millions more due to a backend deal.

deadpool
Ryan Reynolds in "Deadpool." 20th Century Fox

In 2016, he finally got to play Deadpool the right way (after his first try in 2009's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" was a disaster) and it led to huge stardom and hefty pay.

Though he only got a base pay of $2 million, according to The Hollywood Reporter, he likely pocketed tens of millions due to his backend deal.

The movie made over $780 million worldwide.

It's not clear what he made for "Deadpool 2," but it was definitely more than a base of $2 million.

For the 2019 Netflix movie "6 Underground," he took in $27 million.

6 underground netflix ryan reynolds
Ryan Reynolds in "6 Underground." Netflix

By this point, Reynolds had two "Deadpool" movies under his belt, so his stardom was off the charts.

That was evident when Variety reported he took in a huge $27 million payday to star in this Michael Bay movie for Netflix.

Starring opposite Dwayne Johnson and Gal Gadot in 2021's "Red Notice," he banked $20 million.

Red Notice Netflix
Ryan Reynolds, Gal Gadot, and Dwayne Johnson in "Red Notice." Gal Gadot/Instagram

For this Netflix movie, he went down $7 million to nab a $20 million check, according to Forbes.

I mean, Gal Gadot and Dwayne Johnson had to get their money, too.

And opposite Will Ferrell in 2022's "Spirited," he nabbed another $20 million.

spirited apple
(L-R) Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell in "Spirited." Apple

According to Variety, Reynolds took in another $20 million for this holiday musical.

He also has some lucrative side hustles, like his gin brand, Aviation American Gin, which he sold in a deal potentially north of $600 million.

Ryan Reynolds aviation gin
Ryan Reynolds is the co-owner of Aviation American Gin. Aviation Gin

In 2020, Aviation American Gin, which Reynolds is the co-owner of, was bought by alcohol-beverage giant Diageo in a deal that could be worth $610 million over time, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The deal includes an upfront payment of $335 million.

Then, depending on how the brand does over the next decade, an additional $275 million payment is also in play.

He also has his deal with Mint Mobile, which T-Mobile bought in 2023 for $1.35 billion.

Ryan Reynolds standing in front of a green screen that says Mint Mobile
Ryan Reynolds has a minority stake in Mint Mobile. Mint Mobile

The actor has a 25% stake in the company, so he'll get a taste of the $1.35 billion deal with T-Mobile.

Reynolds will stay on to continue doing his fun endorsements for the wireless brand.

He's got major endorsements.

ryan reynolds
Ryan Reynolds. Getty

Over the years, he's worked with the likes of Armani, Hugo Boss, Hyundai, and Nissan.

It's unknown what his compensation is, but we're certain it's some worthy checks being handed to him.

He's spent his money on a soccer team.

Ryan Reynolds pitchside ahead of the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Wrexham and Sheffield United at Racecourse Ground on January 29, 2023 in Wrexham, Wales.
Ryan Reynolds at Racecourse Ground on January 29, 2023, in Wrexham, Wales. Michael Steele/Getty Images

Reynolds and fellow actor Rob McElhenney bought Wrexham Association Football Club in 2020 for $2.5 million.

He's also invested in a Formula 1 race team.

Car driving through wet race track
Alpine Formula 1 race team. Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto/Getty

In June, Variety reported that Reynolds was among a group of investors to pay $218 million for a 24% stake in the Alpine Formula 1 race team.

He has a sprawling $6 million estate with his wife Blake Lively.

Ryan Reynolds in a khaki suit Blake Lively in a pink dress
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively. Raymond Hall/GC Images/Getty

The estate in upstate New York is not far from where Martha Stewart lives, according to Cosmopolitan.

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Jason Guerrasio
Jason Guerrasio
Jason Guerrasio is an award-winning entertainment correspondent at Business Insider and has covered various aspects of the film industry for over two decades. On the site, his reporting can range from what's going on behind the scenes at some of the biggest companies in Hollywood, colorful interviews with some of the most well-known names in entertainment, and exploring the darker side of the industry.In 2020, Jason received the New York Press Club award and Los Angeles Press Club award for his story on the rise and fall of MoviePass. It has since been made into the Emmy-nominated HBO documentary "MoviePass, MovieCrash."Previous to BI, Jason was the managing editor at Filmmaker Magazine, one of the leading publications in the independent film industry. He's also written for numerous publications over the years, including Vanity Fair, Esquire, Rolling Stone, Vulture, Variety, and indieWire.Popular ArticlesMary Carole McDonnell built a true-crime empire. Then the FBI came for her. Growing up Marvel: The tormented life of Stan Lee's child, JC LeeA bullet. A legend. A lie. Bufford Pusser killed his wife, authorities say. What happens to his legacy now?