Ryan Reynolds on Wednesday night chatted with Stephen Colbert for a segment in which they mostly discussed the coronavirus pandemic.
Hosting The Late Show from his home, Colbert spoke to the Deadpool star about the massive donations he and his wife, actress Blake Lively, have recently made and asked what he is doing to stay entertained while self-quarantining like most of the U.S. and Reynolds' native Canada.
There were plenty of jokes, of course, as Reynolds is known for his razor-sharp wit, but there was a much more important message the actor wanted to get across, especially to his younger fans, who may not be taking the virus as seriously as medical professionals have stressed.
"I talked to someone the other day, and it was shocking to me because they sort of said, 'It's like pneumonia ... and pneumonia is not that big a deal.' And I can kind of speak to that." Reynolds then talked about his late father, a "very strong guy; a boxer and an ex-cop," an all-around tough guy. "And I tell you what killed him: pneumonia. Pneumonia got him."
He continued, "So, coronavirus is a serious thing. And I keep seeing, particularly younger people, talk about it like it's not really their problem. And, my god, it's their problem."
Reynolds and Lively have donated more than a million dollars to food banks in both the U.S. and Canada and to three hospitals in New York, which has been ravaged by the pandemic. The owner of Aviation American Gin, Reynolds donated a portion of proceeds to bartenders’ associations in the U.S. and Canada. His phone company, the budget wireless carrier Mint Mobile, is also giving customers free data.
The actor told Colbert that those in a position to help, such as Hollywood stars, should help. "Scary times, but we're going to get through this somehow," he said.
Watch the full interview below.
