Ryan Reynolds Talks About His Anxiety Battle: ‘I Have Two Parts Of My Personality’

Ryan Reynolds may be known for his charm and wit, but not many know that this is something he does to hide his mental health struggle.

“I’ve had anxiety my whole life really. And you know, I feel like I have two parts of my personality, that one takes over when that happens,” the 45-year-old told CBS’ Sunday Morning on Sunday.

The "Deadpool" actor, who is ever so charismatic during his on-stage appearances, revealed he feels the exact opposite before appearing in front of the audience. He recalled feeling overwhelmingly nervous before an appearance on "Late Night With David Letterman."

“I remember I’d be standing backstage before the curtain would open, and I would think to myself, ‘I’m gonna die. I’m literally gonna die here. The curtain’s gonna open and I’m just gonna be, I’m just gonna be a symphony of vomit,’ just, like, something horrible’s gonna happen!” Reynolds revealed.

However, when the spotlight fell on him, he immediately saw a shift in his personality. “But as soon as that curtain opens – and this happens in my work a lot too – it’s like this little guy takes over. And he’s like, ‘I got this. You’re cool.’ I feel, like, my heart rate drop, and my breathing calm, and I just sort of go out and I’m this different person. And I leave that interview going, ‘God, I’d love to be that guy!'” the "Free Guy" star recalled.

This is not the first time the actor has opened up about his struggles with mental health. In May 2021 also, Reynolds shared his struggle with anxiety during Mental Health Awareness Month.

“To all those like me who overschedule, overthink, overwork, over-worry and over-everything, please know you’re not alone,” Reynolds, who shares daughters James, 7, Inez, 5, and Betty, 2, with wife Blake Lively, wrote on Instagram at the time.