Ryan Reynolds revealed a tense moment with wife Blake Lively during a stop on his John Candy: I Like Me tour, recounting how his effort to book Bill Murray for the Colin Hanks–directed documentary briefly strained their marriage. The 48-year-old actor is traveling across the United States to promote the film, which he produced, with an Oct. 10 streaming release on Amazon Prime Video.
Speaking at State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick on Sept. 25, Reynolds described the uphill path to interviews, noting he left dozens of messages and finally secured Murray's number from a friend of a friend of a friend. He said Murray's voicemail sounded like a Greek shipping company. He recounted the initial outreach: 'Hey Bill, Ryan Reynolds here. I'm making a documentary about John Candy. I'm just hoping I could pick your brain. I'll come to you; I'll do whatever it takes.' The moment quickly became a test of the marriage as Lively, who was not in attendance, urged them to go inside for a gala, and Reynolds blurted out a profanity: 'F**k you!'
Reynolds continued the story, saying he left another 40 messages and eventually sent a video plea from his apartment, where one of his daughters climbed on his head and his son screamed. He said Murray replied two seconds later, asking what he needed from him for JC, and agreed to consider the project after receiving the video message.
The film also features interviews with colleagues such as Martin Short, Steve Martin, Macaulay Culkin, Tom Hanks, Andrea Martin, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara and Conan O'Brien. Reynolds noted that several Deadpool scenes drew inspiration from Candy's filmography, including plans to reference Planes, Trains and Automobiles. He said his wife pushed him to secure one particular Candy-inspired joke for a Deadpool film. Additionally, Reynolds said he loves Candy's The Canadian Mounted book so much that he pays $5,000 out of pocket each time he uses it in his films since Paramount owns the rights to Planes, Trains and Automobiles, where the book is featured.
Beyond on-stage anecdotes, Reynolds did not discuss Lively's legal battle with Baldoni. The It Ends With Us star sued Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios in December 2024 for sexual harassment, claiming emotional distress among other allegations. Baldoni and Wayfarer countersued for defamation and extortion; the $400 million suit was dismissed in June 2025. In May 2025, Lively voluntarily withdrew her claims of emotional distress; the judge later ruled that medical records need not be produced to prove distress, and the case remains unresolved, with a trial set for March 2026. Reynolds has publicly supported Lively amid the federal case.
On stage, Reynolds's remarks underscore the connection between his film projects and the broader entertainment network surrounding John Candy's legacy. John Candy: I Like Me is set to stream on Amazon Prime Video starting Oct. 10, following a circuit of theatre engagements. The film’s roster of interviewees and Reynolds's behind-the-scenes anecdotes illuminate the late actor's enduring influence on a generation of performers, including those who collaborated with Candy and those who now carry on his legacy in contemporary cinema.