The Life Story of Hollywood Icon Ryan Reynolds

Gone was the skinny sitcom guy. In 2004, Reynolds stunned audiences by bulking up to play Hannibal King in Blade: Trinity. The transformation was dramatic—he gained over 20 pounds of muscle and sported a shredded physique that made headlines.

But this wasn’t just about vanity or superhero abs. It was a statement: he wasn’t going to be typecast. The gym became a second job. Diet, discipline, and relentless training turned him into a credible action star overnight. Suddenly, he was no longer “that funny guy from TV”—he was leading-man material, capable of delivering a punchline and a punch.