+
upworthy

ryan reynolds

Canva

"It takes only a few hours and it's also kinda, sorta fun."

Summer is here. The season of backyard barbecues, long evenings by the bonfire, and a nagging worry that every parent can relate to — the dangers that come with a swimming pool.

The chances a child will die from drowning are relatively low, according to the CDC. But still — it's great to be prepared to step in and help with CPR, should it ever be necessary.


Actor Ryan Reynolds definitely thinks so.

Reynolds recently went to a CPR training class focused on toddlers and infants.

Reynolds and his wife, fellow A-lister Blake Lively (who also attended the class), are parents to two young daughters: 2-year-old James and 9-month old Ines.

The actor posted a photo from his CPR class to Instagram on June 27, noting how being certified once helped him save a family member's life.

"Years ago, I took a CPR course thru the Red Cross," Reynolds wrote. "And holy shit, I ended up saving my nephew's life because I knew what to do! True story!"

"Yesterday I took a refresher course — focusing on infant and toddler CPR," the actor continued. "It takes only a few hours and it's also kinda, sorta fun."

Lively also encouraged her followers to get trained if they haven't already.

"Google 'infant CPR class near me' and you'll see lots of listings," she wrote.

The Livelys are right: Learning CPR is quick, easy, and certainly worth the trouble.

Nothing can give you the same in-depth instruction as a course taught by a professional (you can easily find an American Red Cross CPR training in your area). But there are still plenty of helpful guides online with free resources you can access to help you get started.

As Lively noted, just knowing you have the know-how to help in a critical moment will let you enjoy those backyard poolside barbecues this summer, feeling a little more carefree.

"For those of you who haven't done it, you will love it," she wrote on Instagram. "It's so helpful by giving you knowledge, tools, and some peace of mind."

Here's an overview on CPR instructions so you can better understand what a training course entails:

This article originally appeared on 06.27.17


We never want them to become friends.

Ah, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman. No celebrity feud has been this entertaining since the days of Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. Unlike Davis and Crawford, however, the war between Jackman and Reynolds is nothing but friendly fire.

Who could forget their People’s Sexiest Man Alive shenanigans? Or their fake political ads against one another in 2018? I mean, these are some grade A, next-level types of pranks here.

So is it any surprise really, that on opening night of “The Music Man,” where Hugh Jackman would star as the titular character, that Ryan Reynolds wouldn’t behave himself? I think not. And we’d all be disappointed if he did, anyway.

The Broadway revival had already been delayed after both Jackman and his co-star, fellow showtune icon Sutton Foster, tested positive for COVID-19 on Dec 28. Just days into the show’s run, "The Music Man" had been forced into a fermata, for you music geeks out there.

Cut to Feb 10, as Jackman prepares to take the stage as con man Harold Hill. Jackman reveals in a hilarious tongue-in-cheek Instagram post that among the blessings of “gorgeous flowers, champagne and heartfelt wishes,” he also received Ryan’s gift … if you can call it that.

In Jackman's dressing room are two black-and-white portraits of Reynolds, one a sketch of him looking dapper while leering with arms crossed and the other a photo while he leaps in the air, sort of the same move Jackman does in the show. Perhaps one to intimidate, and the other mock? Who knows why mad men do what they do.

Attached is a note, with a passive aggressive pep talk from Reynolds.

“Hugh, good luck with your little show. I’ll be watching.”

Despite the jabs, however, Reynolds gave nothing but glowing reviews, calling the show “actually perfect.” But what he had to say about Jackman in particular was even more noteworthy.

“I don’t generally like to speak about @thehughjackman. Particularly in a positive light,” Reynolds wrote. “But his performance in @musicmanbway is one of the most electric things I’ve ever seen him do. The chemistry between [him] and @suttonlenore is off the charts.”

ryan reynolds hugh jackman

The only review of "The Music Man" that you really need.

Instagram

I mean, if even Jackman’s infamous nemesis enjoyed it, this show has to be really something, right?

During an interview in 2020, Jackman told The Daily Beast, "It's gone back so long now … God, this is a classic sign where your feud has gone too long, where you don't even know why or how it started," regarding the playfully tumultuous relationship he shared with Reynolds.

But ask anyone, and I think they’ll tell you that we never want this delightful trolling to end.

via Peloton in Instagram

SPOILER ALERT: Though many fans theorized that Samantha would be the character to bite the dust in the highly anticipated "Sex and the City" reboot, it was in fact Mr. Big who met his demise. The plot twist not only had mixed reactions from viewers, it caused Peloton stock prices to plummet.

Big’s death might have caused Peloton stocks to go six feet under, but their latest commercial is giving the internet life, and is the absolute epitome of “damage control.”



The video starts with Big, seemingly resurrected, next to a crackling fire, drinking wine with his favorite instructor Allegra, who also appeared in the show. Have the two run away together? That seems to be the case.

As Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" plays, Big toasts “to new beginnings.” Allegra tells Big how great he looks. Big asks his trainer-turned-mistress if she wants another ride, adding that “life is too short not to.”


Cue the piece de resistance: We hear the voice of Ryan Reynolds saying:

“And just like that ... the world was reminded that regular cycling stimulates and improves your heart, lungs and circulation, thus reducing your risk for cardiovascular diseases. Cycling strengthens your heart muscles, lowers your pulse and reduces blood fat levels.”

And then in a clever, fast, distinctly Ryan Reynolds kind of way, he whispers, “he’s alive!”

It took no time for the commercial to receive positive—and comical—reactions.

Including a tweet demanding a raise for whoever came up with the idea.

As well as pointing out that no one should take a fictional character’s death as true commentary on the safety of a real-life product.

One person considered poor Carrie after she inevitably finds out Big ran away with his favorite instructor.

Another person wrote ”Peloton was faster with a response than Carrie was with dialing 911,” which is, if you watch the episode, kind of true.

And, of course, some were less than convinced the commercial was as impromptu as advertised. Either way, it was a pretty creative move on Peloton's part.

Somebody had to acknowledge the one thing we can all count on: Ryan Reynolds being hilarious.

It’s not every day that quantum mechanics get involved in Twitter comments, but one person managed to compare Big’s simultaneous aliveness and deadness to Schrödinger’s cat.

The strategy seemed to do the trick, going by the clearly visible upswing in Peloton’s stock prices.

For more context: In what now can be seen as heavy foreshadowing, "And Just Like That"’s first episode starts with Big proudly announcing the thousandth ride of his exercise bike, and more than once mentioning about his favorite Peloton instructor, Allegra.

Cut to Carrie Bradshaw (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) coming home to find her collapsed husband (Big), suffering cardiac arrest post Peloton workout. Not the greatest look for a health product.

Peloton has received its fair share of bad press over the years, but luckily this might have been the biggest blessing in disguise. And it gives “flipping the script” an almost literal meaning.

And just like that … a PR nightmare turns into a genius marketing campaign.

It's not uncommon for famous actors to be able to sing, but since we don't always get to see those talents, it's always a delight when they surprise us with their pipes.

It's also fun when they surprise us with cameo appearances from other celebrities in their videos, and when they combine the two? Well, that's when you get 36 million views in less than 24 hours.

Ryan Reynolds posted a video of him doing the TikTok "Grace Kelly challenge," which involves singing various harmonies for the chorus of Mika's 2007 song, "Grace Kelly." Right away, his harmonizing with himself evokes an "OH, wow, Ryan Reynolds has good pitch" reaction. But when his special guest pops in for the high harmonies, come on. This is just good, wholesome fun right here.


@vancityreynolds

Late to the Grace Kelly trend but way early for our movie musical. I ❤️ duets. (And Mika)

Undoubtedly, some of those 36 million views and counting are from people watching it over and over, because how can you not? Ryan Reynolds singing? Good. Surprise appearance by Will Ferrell? Good. Silly-but-perfect harmonies between two iconic comedians? Gooooood.

Speaking of perfect harmonies, here's an impressive example of what the Grace Kelly challenge brought to TikTok. Not as funny as the Reynolds-Ferrell duet, but absolutely gorgeous performance (courtesy of Jules x La).

And in case you've missed it, this is the original song by Mika that spawned the TikTok challenge.

MIKA - Grace Kelly (Official Video)www.youtube.com

Love seeing celebrities having fun and showing off their talents together. Reynolds and Ferrell are currently filming a holiday musical inspired by Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," which explains the period vests. The film, called "Spirited," is set to air on Apple TV+ this holiday season.

Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell in a Christmas musical? Definitely good. Thanks for making our day a little brighter, gentlemen.