Being late can cause a whirlwind of stress and anxiety, and Ryan Reynolds knows this all too well. In fact, he almost missed his guest spot on Live with Kelly and Mark because of heavy traffic. The moment he appeared on the set, visibly relieved after his nerve-wracking drive, he shared a knowing glance with the hosts that spoke volumes about his ordeal. As they embraced, Kelly warmly thanked him for making it, to which Ryan admitted, “I wasn’t so sure I’d make it either,” and Kelly quipped back, “We weren’t sure either.”
Mark took the opportunity to pull back the curtain on the moments leading up to Ryan’s arrival, revealing there was palpable tension just minutes before going live. He explained, “About five minutes before we came on, we got a text from Ryan.” The actor then cheekily offered to read the message aloud. With a humorous tone, Ryan mentioned his journey from upstate and joked about how the show had suddenly moved 80 blocks further, catching him by surprise. Kelly’s shock was clear as she asked, “You just found that out today?” Ryan laughed and replied, “I think I actually said in the text, ‘This is how I find out?’”
Ryan then shared the exact text he sent to Kelly and Mark: “Morning, I gave myself two full hours from upstate but I'm stuck on the Hudson, which might as well be the sequel to Sharknado 10. It’s unwatchable. But here I am, and there's nothing to be done.” Despite the frustrating traffic, he made light of the situation, saying his driver predicted a 9:15 arrival, but some alternate map suggested he could get there faster if he did “the worm” dance for 50 blocks—something he declined, joking that at 48 years old, he’d rather avoid such antics.
Taking a playful dig at Mark’s well-known concern for appearance, Ryan confidently declared, “The good news is I’m ready and don’t care about makeup like Mark does. I’ll stroll on as if I’m starring in a Dove commercial, embracing my natural beauty. Who cares if I don’t look five hours younger thanks to cosmetics?” The audience and hosts laughed along, enjoying his candidness. He wrapped up his message with a heartfelt note to the crew member wearing the headset—likely Beth—acknowledging her stress and assuring everyone, “I hate being late but I’m coming. Love you both.”
Ryan confirmed, “That terrified person in the headset was definitely Beth. But here I am.” Kelly praised him, saying, “You made the wait worthwhile.” Mark empathized with Ryan by sharing, “I hate being late too. That feeling ages you by at least a year.” Ryan added with a smile, “Yeah, it definitely cut into my time with my kids.”
Kelly reassured him gently, “Don’t worry about it,” highlighting how difficult it must have been to make it on time for a live show like theirs. While it’s stressful for anyone to be late to work or class, the stakes feel much higher for live television. Thankfully, Ryan Reynolds’ chaotic journey ended on a positive note, much to the relief and amusement of everyone involved.
But here’s where it gets interesting—does this reveal just the stress behind the scenes, or does it also hint at the immense pressures celebrities face to always be perfect on live TV? What do you think? Share your thoughts below!
