Actors spend months auditioning for roles: that’s a lot of waiting rooms and rejection emails! But for Blake Lively, landing a part in her husband Ryan Reynolds’ new movie, IF, seems to have been a much smoother experience.
Reynolds and his good friend John Krasinski, both A-list actors, have worked alongside each other in IF, a fantasy comedy about the power of imagination. This isn’t the first time the two have collaborated; Reynolds famously had a cameo in Krasinski’s horror film A Quiet Place.
This time around, however, the Deadpool actor seems particularly happy about the project, and it’s likely due in part to Blake Lively’s involvement. Moreover, the Free Guy star is happy that Krasinski didn’t put his wife through a wearing audition process.
Ryan Reynolds Thanks John Krasinski for Skipping a Draining Audition for His Wife
In a recent interview, Ryan Reynolds jokingly expressed his gratitude to IF‘s director, John Krasinski, for not subjecting Blake Lively to a “grueling audition process.” The 47-year-old told Entertainment Tonight:
“I’m glad John didn’t put her through a grueling audition process, and he was very generous about that. My kids are very excited, they are gonna see mom in this and they are gonna see dad in this.”
The benefit for the Reynolds-Lively household is clear: their children finally get to see both mom and dad on screen in a family-friendly film. The Hollywood star has spoken openly about his desire to make movies his kids can actually watch, which is quite different from his usual R-rated action roles. IF fits the bill perfectly, and with both parents starring, it’s a guaranteed family movie night for the Reynolds clan.
Lively and Reynolds are clearly big fans of family life. They often express their joy about being parents. However, when it comes to sharing details about their children (James, Inez, Betty, as well as their fourth baby, whose name and gender have not been announced to the public), they tend to keep things private.
The Star-Studded Cast of IF Besides Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively
The family movie IF tells the story of a girl named Bea who discovers she can see imaginary friends. She goes on a journey to reunite these imaginary friends with their grown-up creators. Cailey Fleming plays Bea, while Ryan Reynolds plays her neighbor Cal, who also has the ability to see imaginary friends and helps Bea on her mission. John Krasinski appears as Bea’s dad, and Fiona Shaw plays her grandmother.
The movie features a live-action cast including Alan Kim, Liza Colón-Zayas, and Bobby Moynihan. It also boasts an impressive lineup of guest stars voicing the imaginary friends, such as Steve Carrell as the big furry monster Blue, Phoebe Waller-Bridge as the human-ladybird Blossom, George Clooney as the spaceman, Louis Gossett Jr. as a bear named Lewis, Emily Blunt as the Unicorn , Matt Damon as a flower named Sunny, Maya Rudolf as the alligator Ally, Jon Stewart as the Robot, Sam Rockwell as the Superhero Dog, and Awkwafina as a character named Bubble.
In the movie, Keegan Michael-Key gives voice to Slime, while Bradley Cooper brings a glass of ice water to life. Blake Lively voices Octocat, and Amy Schumer takes on the role of a giant gummy bear. Additionally, Vince Vaughn, Matthew Rhys, Richard Jenkins, Christopher Meloni, and Sebastian Maniscalco all contribute their voices to the characters in Krasinski’s film.
IF is set to hit theatres on 17th May.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Ryan Reynolds grateful to John Krasinski over Blake Lively’s casting in IF?
Ryan Reynolds said he was grateful that director John Krasinski did not put Blake Lively through a grueling audition process for the fantasy film IF, calling Krasinski very generous about it. Reynolds plays Bea’s neighbor Cal, while Krasinski also directed, co-starred, and wrote the film.
What is IF about and who stars in it?
IF follows a girl named Bea, played by Cailey Fleming, who can see imaginary friends and sets out to reunite them with the adults who originally created them. The film features Fiona Shaw as Bea’s grandmother and includes an extensive voice cast bringing the imaginary friends to life.
What character does Blake Lively voice in IF?
Blake Lively voices a character named Octopuss, an anthropomorphic cat who wears an octopus costume. The voice cast also includes Steve Carell, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, George Clooney, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Maya Rudolph, Jon Stewart, Sam Rockwell, and Awkwafina, among others. IF was released in theaters on May 17, 2024.
