You probably know him as the guy who wears a red spandex suit and cracks jokes while slicing through bad guys. Or maybe you know him as the "affable Canadian" who pranks his wife, Blake Lively, on Instagram. But if you’re asking what did Ryan Reynolds do to become one of the wealthiest and most influential people in Hollywood, the answer has almost nothing to do with his acting chops.
Sure, Deadpool & Wolverine absolutely crushed the box office in 2024, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Honestly, the real story is about how a guy who got expelled from high school for stealing a teacher’s car (true story) turned into a marketing genius that even Fortune 500 CEOs are now studying.
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It’s kinda wild when you look at the numbers. While most A-listers are happy with a $20 million paycheck, Reynolds is out here flipping companies for billions.
The "Fastvertising" Strategy That Changed Everything
So, what did Ryan Reynolds do that was so different? He stopped waiting for brands to hire him and started buying the brands himself. He co-founded a production company and marketing agency called Maximum Effort in 2018. The name comes from a catchphrase in Deadpool, and the philosophy is basically: move fast, be funny, and don't be afraid to look a little stupid.
He pioneered something he calls "fastvertising." Basically, if something is trending on the internet today, Maximum Effort has a commercial about it by tomorrow.
Remember the "Peloton girl" ad? Back in 2019, Peloton released a Christmas commercial that everyone hated because it felt a bit "husband-shaming." Within 72 hours, Reynolds had hired the same actress, put her in an ad for his gin brand, and had her toasted to "new beginnings." It was brilliant. It was cheap. And it got more views than the original.
The Big Wins (By the Numbers)
- Aviation American Gin: Reynolds bought a stake in 2018. By 2020, he helped sell it to Diageo for a staggering $610 million.
- Mint Mobile: This is the big one. He bought 25% of this budget wireless carrier when nobody knew what it was. In 2023, T-Mobile bought it for $1.35 billion. Do the math—that’s a massive payday for a guy who just did some funny YouTube ads.
- Wealthsimple & Nuvei: He’s also been quietly putting money into fintech. He was an early backer of Wealthsimple, a Canadian investment app now valued in the billions.
Wrexham AFC: More Than Just a Soccer Team
If you’ve watched Welcome to Wrexham on Disney+ or FX, you’ve seen the emotional side of his business deals. In 2020, Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought a struggling Welsh football club for about $2.5 million.
People thought it was a joke. It wasn't.
By January 2026, Wrexham AFC has achieved the unthinkable: back-to-back-to-back promotions. They are currently sitting in the Championship (the league just below the Premier League) and holding their own in 9th place.
What Reynolds did here was take a sports team and turn it into a global content engine. He didn't just buy a team; he bought a story. By documenting the struggle of the town and the players, he created a global fanbase that buys jerseys in Los Angeles and Tokyo for a team in a tiny town in North Wales.
What’s He Doing Right Now? (2025-2026)
He isn't slowing down just because he’s turning 50 in 2026. In fact, he’s doubling down.
Just this month, in January 2026, he was a keynote speaker at "Retail’s Big Show" (NRF 2026) in New York. He wasn't there to talk about movies; he was there to teach retail giants like H&M and L’Oreal how to build communities instead of just "customers."
On the film front, he’s got a massive slate. We’re looking at Animal Friends coming in May 2026, which is a wild live-action/animated R-rated comedy with Jason Momoa and Aubrey Plaza. He’s also working on Red Notice sequels for Netflix and a project called Boy Band that he wrote himself.
Recent Career Milestones
- Freedom of the City: In September 2025, his hometown of Vancouver gave him its highest honor for his philanthropy. He and Blake have given millions to food banks, the Red Cross, and Indigenous youth programs.
- TV Dominance: Maximum Effort just signed a massive first-look deal with Disney’s 20th Television. This means he’ll be producing everything from unscripted shows to prestige dramas for Hulu and Disney+.
- Alpine F1: He’s even in Formula 1 now. He was part of an investor group that took a 24% stake in the Alpine Racing team.
Why This Matters for You
You might think, "Cool, a rich actor got richer." But there’s a takeaway here that’s actually useful.
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Reynolds succeeded because he realized that attention is the new currency. He doesn't sell gin or phone plans; he sells entertainment that happens to have a product attached to it. He treats his audience with intelligence. He knows you know you're being marketed to, so he makes the marketing fun enough that you don't mind.
He also proves that you don't have to stay in your lane. He went from a "sitcom guy" to an "action guy" to a "business mogul" by being willing to fail and by surrounding himself with smart people like George Dewey (his Maximum Effort co-founder) and Phil Parkinson (the Wrexham manager).
Actionable Insights from the Reynolds Playbook
If you want to apply a bit of that "Maximum Effort" energy to your own life or business, here is how you do it:
- Acknowledge the Elephant: If you’re selling something, don’t pretend you aren't. Be honest about it. Authenticity wins every time.
- Speed Over Perfection: The "fastvertising" model works because it’s timely. Don't spend six months planning something that will be irrelevant in two weeks.
- Invest in Stories: Whether it’s a soccer team or a side hustle, people connect with the "why" and the struggle more than the finished product.
- Diversify Early: Don't rely on one income stream. Reynolds used his acting salary to buy businesses, which eventually made him more money than the acting ever did.
What Ryan Reynolds did wasn't just "get lucky" with a superhero franchise. He rewrote the rules for how celebrities—and really, anyone with a platform—can build a legacy that lasts long after the cameras stop rolling.