Social commentator Perez Hilton weighed in on the controversy surrounding Ryan Reynolds, who faced criticism for allegedly being rude to a child reporter at the Toronto International Film Festival. In his website article dated September 5, 2025, Hilton broke down the incident and shared his take on the viral exchange."Ryan Reynolds is under fire for his ‘rude’ behavior toward a child reporter at the Toronto International Film Festival!… Yikes!" Hilton wrote.Perez Hilton detailed the moment that unfolded on the red carpet at the premiere of John Candy: I Like Me during the festival’s 50th edition. Reynolds was approached by a young journalist named Liam, who was covering the event as a child reporter.While Hilton acknowledged that Reynolds’ response itself could have been interpreted as a "kind" gesture, "how he acted" with the child reporter, in the "eyes of many viewers, wasn’t so nice!" He then referred to the now-viral clip showing Reynolds crouching down to face Liam, greeting him with a "Hi" and asking what his question was. When the boy politely introduced himself and said, "Nice to meet you," Reynolds quickly replied:"Nice to meet you, too. Let’s skip to the question."Hilton also pointed out that in the viral video, Reynolds then grinned and laughed after remarking. Summarizing online reactions, the podcaster explained that some netizens found the exchange humorous, while others felt Reynolds’ behavior came across as dismissive of the child’s effort to be polite."They accused Ryan of brushing off the young interviewer’s introduction and making jokes that seemed dismissive rather than playful!" Hilton added.Hilton further reported that, according to the September 5, 2025, Page Six report, a source told the outlet that the Deadpool star had responded to the backlash, clarifying that he was pressed for time on the red carpet. The source emphasized that Reynolds was "in no way being rude" with his remark.Ryan Reynolds reflects on John Candy’s and his own mental health struggles at TIFF 2025Ryan Reynolds at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival (Image via Getty Images)The Toronto International Film Festival began on Thursday, September 4, 2025, with the world premiere of John Candy: I Like Me, a documentary produced by Ryan Reynolds and directed by Colin Hank. The film paid tribute to Canadian comedy legend John Candy, the beloved SCTV and Hollywood star whose life was cut short in 1994 at the age of 43.According to an exclusive People report, the next day, September 5, 2025, Reynolds spoke candidly about Candy’s struggles with anxiety while visiting the People/EW and Shutterstock studio at TIFF. Sitting beside Hanks, he recalled how Candy’s humor often masked deeper battles. Reynolds explained that Candy’s comedic brilliance was more than entertainment; it was also a shield against his inner struggles."Sometimes you can identify it really quickly, like, ‘Oh, there’s a guy whose skills are, to a certain degree, cultivated through a coping mechanism.’ That he’s funny — it’s all of these things that protect him," he said.Ryan Reynolds also reflected on Candy’s nature as a people-pleaser, a trait he admitted he shared as well. He highlighted the silent weight many people like him carried, prioritizing others while neglecting their own well-being. Connecting Candy’s experience to a universal truth, he noted the difficulty of asking for help while striving to keep everyone else happy."I know I have some of those traits, and people-pleasing and mental health, they don’t coexist very well together at all, because you never want to burden anybody else with anything," Reynolds added.The Green Lantern alum further explained the importance of opening up about mental health. He explained that the only way to "kind of push back" at mental health issues was to "talk about it.""To sort of take the stage or take the space and own it and hold it and go, 'Hey, I’m having a tough time and I need help,'" Ryan Reynolds explained.Reynolds also acknowledged how difficult this step could be for people-pleasers but insisted that speaking out remained the most powerful step toward healing. He also noted that fatherhood had taught him practical lessons about setting healthy boundaries. Raising four children, he explained, gave him the chance to both teach and practice essential skills around communication and self-care. He described "talking about boundaries" with his kids and "equipping them with the skills to go out and maintain those" as not only important for them but also a form of practice for himself.Although Ryan Reynolds’ latest venture, John Candy: I Like Me, premiered at TIFF on September 4, 2025, it is set for a global release on Amazon Prime Video on October 10, 2025.