Ryan Reynolds Admits He Suffered From Anxiety Attacks Following ‘Deadpool’ Release

Actor Ryan Reynolds says that he experienced anxiety after filming and the release of his hit superhero movie Deadpool.

RYAN REYNOLDS HAD ANXIETY ATTACKS AFTER DEADPOOL

The blockbuster movie grossed $780 million globally, but Reynolds felt the pressure from the hype. “I felt like I was on some schooner in the middle of a white squall the whole time. It just never stopped,” he told GQ. “When it finally ended, I had a little bit of a nervous breakdown. I literally had the shakes. I went to go see a doctor because I felt like I was suffering from a neurological problem or something. And every doctor I saw said, ‘You have anxiety’.”

Reynolds shared that he had been working on the film for over ten years, and he wanted the film to do so well, but the hype caught up with him. “I say this with the caveat that I completely recognize the ridiculously fortunate position that I am in,” he admitted. “But the attention is hard on your nervous system ­– that might be why I live out in the woods. And I was banging the loudest drum for Deadpool. I wasn’t just trying to open it; I was trying to make a cultural phenomenon.”

Deadpool 2 is currently in the works, with the script being written by the same guys who wrote the first, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. Reports have suggested that the original director, Tim Miller, has pulled out of the project, citing creative differences. Reynolds and the other producers are currently trying to cast the new female lead, who will portray Marvel mutant Domino.

“I think Deadpool 2 will comment on anything that’s happening in movies today, especially in superhero movies,” says producer Simon Kinberg. “The sort of glut or saturation of these movies and the proliferation of sequels is definitely something we’ll play around with.”