Ryan Reynolds Tells Hugh Jackman How Anxiety Has Made Him A ‘Better’ Dad

In a sit down interview for PEOPLE with his fellow Marvel Cinematic Universe star, Hugh Jackman, Reynolds has given an insight into how he raises his children with wife Blake Lively.

“Oh mate, you’ve been pretty open with your anxiety struggles, which I really applaud you for,” Jackman said. “Do you find being a dad makes it better or worse?”

“I think it makes it better because your focus is less on yourself and more on your kids. I know you know that, too,” Reynolds replied.

“Now I love that I have anxiety, I love that I’ve had anxiety,” Reynolds continued. “Because when I see my kids experiencing some of that, which is probably genetic, I know how to address it in a way that is compassionate, that actually allows them to feel seen.”

The 47-year-old actor opened up about how his experience with anxiety has now helped him address his children’s signs of anxiety.

“I know that I can’t just fix it. And I can communicate all that stuff to them and with them. I’m always grateful for it,” he said before adding that he has learned how to channel his anxiety in a positive way.

“My job benefits greatly,” he said. “People who have anxiety are constantly thinking into the future. You’re constantly, ‘What if this happens? What if that happens?’ You’re always telling yourself stories.”

He then used his upcoming film with Jackman — Deadpool & Wolverine — an an example and how his anxiety helped him see the film from different perspectives.

“So when we’re shooting Deadpool & Wolverine, I’m not just shooting the movie, I’m also sitting in the audience as a cautious critic going, ‘I don’t like that. I don’t buy that.’ So anxiety creates that ecosystem of awareness that I wouldn’t otherwise [have],” he further explained.

The Deadpool star shares four kids with Lively — James, 8, Inez, 7, and Betty, 4. They welcomed their fourth baby in February.

Reynolds and Jackman star in Deadpool & Wolverine, the first R-rated film under the Marvel Studios banner.

It hits theaters on July 26, 2024.