RYAN: How Blake Saved Me

Blake Lively helps husband Ryan Reynolds cope with a crippling, lifelong mental health condition

Ryan Reynolds has a reputation as a leading man who can make fans both swoon and snort with laughter. But when the cameras aren’t rolling, the seemingly bold, confident actor feels crippling panic, nausea and dread. “I have anxiety. I’ve always had anxiety,” the Deadpool 2 star recently told The New York Times, speaking about his mental health condition publicly for only the second time. “Both in the lighthearted ‘I’m anxious about this’ kind of thing, and I’ve been to the depths of the darker end of the spectrum, which is not fun.”

Thankfully, he’s found someone who has helped pull him out of the depths: his wife, Blake Lively. Ryan praises the actress, whom he met on the set of 2011’s Green Lantern and married in 2012, for saving him from himself. While he was preparing for the first highly anticipated Deadpool film to hit theaters in early 2016, “The expectations were eating me alive,” Ryan says. “Blake helped me through that. I’m lucky to have her around just to keep me sane.” And he’s continued to rely on her to help him cope. “There are times when he stresses out about almost anything and ev- erything,” explains a source. “Blake is a calming influence, and he’s always leaned on her to help him overcome his ongoing anxiety issues. He trusts her with his life.”

UNWAVERING SUPPORT Blake takes care of him like no one else can. “Ryan’s dated a string of A-list actresses,” adds the source (see box), “but none of them got him like Blake does.” She especially understands how overwhelming the hectic Hollywood lifestyle can be. Though the actress, 30, grew up among a tight-knit family of actors in LA, she and Ryan, 41, live with daughters James, 3, and Inez, 19 months, 90 minutes outside NYC in affluent but relaxed Bedford, N.Y. “They prefer to remain low-key. Busy places make Ryan even more anxious,” explains the source. “He prefers being in an environment where he can be himself.”

Still, Blake worries about him. “When it’s at his worst, he’ll suffer from panic attacks and sleepless nights,” explains the source, adding that the former Gossip Girl star has helped Ryan — who’s sought relief through meditation — learn breathing techniques and yoga moves to help calm his nerves. “She knows exactly what to say and what not to say,” says the source. “And she constantly reminds Ryan that he has a family who loves him — and nothing is more important than that.” ◼