>>> WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
>> MY JOB.
YOU'RE THE ONE WHO SAID I WAS
READY AND I FRANKLY DISAGREED
WITH YOU.
HERE WE ARE TRYING TO OVERCOME
OUR DIFFERENCES.
LIKE BEYONCE SAYS, PLEASE,
PLEASE STOP CHEATING ON ME.
>> A SCENE FROM THIS YEAR'S
"DEAD POOL 2" WITH RYAN REYNOLDS
PLAYING THE UNCONVENTIONAL
MARVELL SUPER HERO.
THAT HIT CAME TWO YEARS AFTER
THE ORIGINAL "DEAD POOL"
BLOCKBUSTER.
TOGETHER THE MOVIES HAVE MADE
$1.5 MILLION AT THE BOX OFFICE.
BUT THE SUCCESS OF "DEAD POOL"
WAS FAR FROM A SURE THING.
FOR A LONG TIME, IN FACT, IT WAS
FAR FROM A THING AT ALL.
REYNOLDS PERSONALLY FOUGHT FOR
MORE THAN A DECADE TO GET THE
MOVIE MADE AND BOY DID HIS
PERSISTENCE PAY OFF.
THE VANCOUVER NATIVE PROBABLY
USED A FEW OF THOSE "DEAD POOL"
BUCKS TO INVEST IN HIS PASSION
POOL BUCKS.
HE BOUGHT INTO AVIATION AMERICAN
GIN AFTER TRYING IT AT A BAR.
WE GOT TOGETHER IN NEW YORK OVER
WHAT ELSE, A GIN AND TONIC.
RYAN REYNOLDS ADMITS HIS SKILLS
BEHIND THE BAR ARE A LITTLE
RUSTY.
>> I'M NOT A MIXOLOGIST NOR AM I
REMOTELY A BARTENDER ANYMORE.
>> BUT HE'S STILL GOOD FOR A
STIFF POUR ESPECIALLY WHEN HE'S
POURING HIS OWN GIN.
.
>> I'M GOING TO PUT A LITTLE
AVIATION GIN IN HERE.
>> A LITTLE?
>>.
>> AND WE'LL DO A TON OF SODA.
>> GOING TO BE A LONG DAY.
>> ONLY NOON.
>> THE 41-YEAR-OLD BOUGHT A BIG
STAKE IN THE PORT LAND, OREGON,
BASED AVIATION EARLIER THIS YEAR
AFTER TRYING THE GIN AT A BAR
AND ASKING THE BARTENDER ABOUT
IT.
>> VERY NICE, VERY NICE.
>> SALUT.
>> REYNOLDS ISN'T JUST A FAMOUS
FACE FOR THE BRAND.
HE'S HEAVILY INVOLVED IN
AVI
>> THE LIQUOR BUSINESS IS NOT
UNLIKE THE SHOW BUSINESS.
I'VE GOTTEN FARTHER BY HAVING
REAL RELATIONSHIPS.
I LIKE THE NITTY-GRITTY.
I LIKE NOT BEING A FACADE OWNER
BUT ACTUAL OWNER.
>> REYNOLDS LEAP INTO THE LIQUOR
BUSINESS FOLLOWS A SIMILAR MOVE
BY ANOTHER HOLLYWOOD A LISTER.
LAST YEAR GEORGE CLOONEY SOLD
HIS TEQUILA COMPANY FOR A
BILLION DOLLARS.
>> HE'S A GUY THAT CREATED HIS
FAVORITE TEQUILA.
I'M A GUY WHO FOUND HIS FAVORITE
GIN.
>> DID YOU TALK TO GEORGE ABOUT
THIS AND SAY, HEY, I NOTICE YOU
DID PRETTY WELL ON THIS.
IS IT A GOOD BUSINESS TO BE IN?
>> YES, HE HUNG UP ON ME ALMOST
INSTANTLY.
>> REYNOLDS WILL HAVE TO SELL A
LOT OF GIN TO MATCH "DEAD POOL."
REYNOLDS FOUGHT FOR 11 YEARS TO
BRING THE FOUL MOUTHED LAW
BREAKING "DEAD POOL" FROM COMIC
BOOKS TO THE BIG SCREEN.
>> I MAY BE SUPER BUT I AM NO
HERO.
>> AFTER "DEAD POOL'S" EARLY
APPEARANCE IN X MEN ORIGIN'S
WOLVERINE, REYNOLDS INVESTED IN
ANIMATED FOOTAGE TO PROVE THE
CHARACTER NEEDED ITS OWN FILM.
>> I KNEW THIS GUY IN A WAY I
DON'T THINK ANYONE ELSE COULD DO
IT.
>> WHEN THE TEST FOOTAGE
MYSTERIOUSLY LEAKED ONLINE FANS
WENT WILD AND CONVINCED
HOLLYWOOD EXECUTIVES TO GREEN
LIGHT HIS DREAM.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK IT IS THAT
CAUGHT THAT FIRE?
>> IT CAME ALONG THE RIGHT TIME
IN THE SEE KWEPS OF SUPER HERO
MOVIES, ALMOST A LITTLE BIT OF
TURNING THE KNIFE AND SPOOFING
IT A BIT?
>> YEAH, I THINK THERE'S
SOMETHING REALLY FUN ABOUT A
TRUE RASCAL AND ALSO "DEAD POOL"
IS A SUPER HERO THAT I THINK
AUDIENCES TEND TO REALLY CONNECT
WITH BECAUSE HE'S FOR THE
PEOPLE.
AND WE ALSO DON'T FEEL THE
WORLD'S STAKE.
>> FUNNY THAT I ONLY SEE TWO OF
YOU.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE STUDIO
COULDN'T AFFORD ANOTHER X MAN.
>> I THINK WHY IT WORKS IS NOT
JUST THE ACTION BUT YOUR SENSE
OF HUMOR.
I'M CURIOUS WHERE THAT COMES
FROM.
WAS IT BEING ONE OF FOUR BOYS,
YOUR PARENTS?
>> OH, YEAH, I WASN'T GOING TO
WIN ANY FIGHTS WITH MY FISTS
GROWING UP.
I HAVE THREE OLDER BROTHERS, MY
DAD IS AN EX-COP.
HE WAS A VERY SMART MAN BUT VERY
TOUGH MAN.
WHEN HE WALKED INTO A ROOM THE
OXYGEN COULD LEAVE LIKE THAT.
I USED TO LEARN TO DIFFUSE THAT
WITH JOKES, WAYS TO MAKE THEM
LAUGH.
>> REYNOLDS ROSE TO "DEAD
POOL'S" SUCCESS BEGAN ON
CANADIAN TELEVISION AT THE AGE
OF 12.
>> IN 30 SECONDS THIS IS GOING
TO GET REALLY FUNNY.
>> WHEN A SHORT STINT IN COLLEGE
DIDN'T PAN OUT, REYNOLDS DECIDED
TO PACK UP HIS JEEP AND TRY HIS
LUCK ON THE LOS ANGELES IMPROV
SCENE.
>> WELCOME TO HOLLYWOOD.
IT WAS THE EARLY HOLLYWOOD GIFT.
THEN I WENT FOR A STROLL AND I
FOUND THE JEEP.
>> YOU DID?
>> TWO BLOCKS AWAY WITH NO
DOORS.
ONE OF THE SEATS WAS RIPPED OUT.
>> THEY STRIPPED IT THAT
QUICKLY?
>> HONESTLY IT WAS LIKE LOCUSTS
TOOK A RUN AT IT.
THESE GUYS WERE LIKE GENIUSES.
>> SO YOU'RE DRIVING AROUND WITH
NO DOORS?
>> EL NINO, THAT YEAR OF EL
NINO.
IT WAS LIKE WATER FALLS WOULD
COME THROUGH THE CAR AS I WAS
DRIVING TO AUDITIONS.
I'D HAVE TO CHANGE CLOTHES IN A
DIVE BAG SO I COULD STAY DRY.
>> THINGS GOT BETTER FROM THERE.
REYNOLDS EARNED A STARRING ROLE
ON THE ABC SITCOM "TWO GUYS, A
GIRL AND A PIZZA PLACE."
>> HAPPY HOUSE WARMING.
HERE'S YOUR GIFT.
KIND OF LAST MINUTE.
>> MOVIES LIKE "NATIONAL
LAMPOON'S VAN WILDER," "JUST
FRIENDS," AND "THE PROPOSAL"
FOLLOWED.
>> WILL YOU MARRY ME?
>> NO.
SAY IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT.
>> IN 2011 REYNOLDS AGREED
SOMEWHAT RELUCTANTLY TO PLAY
ANOTHER GREENER SUPER HERO.
>> AND THEN THERE'S KIND OF A
FAMOUS MOMENT WHERE YOU GO TO
THE STUDIO AND SAY, HEY, I'M
GOING TO BE A DIFFERENT SUPER
HERO NAMED GREEN LANTERN IF YOU
DON'T MAKE "DEAD POOL."
>> IF THERE'S ANY WAY YOU COULD
SEE IT IN YOUR HEARTS, YOU THINK
THERE'S A REAL CHANCE AND THEY
SAID, NO, THERE'S NO WAY.
"DEAD POOL" WOULD HAVE TO WAIT
BUT GREEN LANTERN HAD A SILVER
LINING.
REYNOLDS MET ACTRESS BLAKE
LIVELY ON THE SET.
>> EVENING, MA'AM.
>> THEY ARE NOW MARRIED WITH TWO
DAUGHTERS.
A FAVORITE HOLLYWOOD COUPLE THAT
DELIGHTS IN MOCKING EACH OTHER
ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
>> WE'RE PEOPLE THAT DON'T TAKE
OURSELVES TOO SERIOUSLY.
THE ONLY PEOPLE I LOVE TO MAKE
FUN OF US IS.
>> WHAT DID BLAKE SAY WHEN YOU
SAID, HONEY, YOU JUST BOUGHT A
GIN COMPANY?
>> WELL, THE FIRST KEY TO I
THINK A STRONG, SOLID MARRIAGE
IS TO NOT SPEAK IN THE PAST
TENSE.
YOU SAY, I WANT TO BUY A GIN
COMPANY EVEN THOUGH I HAD BOUGHT
IT.
>> IT WAS DONE, THE PAPERS HAD
BEEN SIGNED.
EVEN WHILE RUNNING A GIN
COMPANY, RYAN REYNOLDS FINDS
TIME TO BRAVELY PURSUE THE
MYSTERIOUS LEAKER OF THE FOOTAGE
THAT LAUNCHED HIS BILLION DOLLAR
FRANCHISE.
>> HOW IS THE SEARCH FOR THE
LEAKER GOING?
I KNOW YOU CONTINUE TO WORK HARD
ON THAT.
>> I INVEST ALMOST ALL OF MY
SPARE TIME TO FIND THAT BASTARD
AND BRING HIM TO HIS KNEES, LET
HIM TUCK HIS KIDS INTO NIGHT AND
OWN A GIN COMPANY SOME DAY.
>> I HAVE A SUSPECT IN MIND.
YOU CAN TRY AVIATION AMERICAN
GIN AT YOUR LOCAL BAR OR LIQUOR
COMPANY.
THANKS TO MCAU FOR HOSTING OUR
CONVERSATION.
HE'S SHOOTING "6 UNDERGROUND."
THAT COMES OUT NEXT YEAR.
TO HEAR A GREAT STORY ABOUT
RYAN'S FATHER BEING THE FIRST
LIQUOR ENTREPRENEUR IN THE
FAMILY BY MAKING A LETHAL
CONCOCTION IN A GARBAGE CAN AT
HOME CHECK OUT OUR WEB EXTRAS AT
TODAY.COM/SUNDAY.
YOU'LL HEAR THE ENTIRE