Ryan Reynolds Draws Backlash Over 1980s Takedown at 1 New York Premiere
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 3
Ryan Reynolds Draws Backlash Over 1980s Takedown at 1 New York Premiere
2 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 3
Summary
At the New York premiere of "Mayday," Ryan Reynolds called the 1980s a "brutal" and "f—ing mess," saying nostalgia often "paves over" a period’s trauma.
That framing triggered criticism because "Mayday" is itself a Cold War-era, nostalgia-driven film; critic Christian Toto called the remarks "stunning" and at odds with the movie’s affectionate 1980s tone.
Conservative commentators and local political figures, including Spencer Pratt and Dan Bongino, pushed back by citing Reagan-era growth, the fall of communism and the decade’s pop culture appeal.
The backlash also fed into a wider complaint about Hollywood’s disconnect from audiences, as the U.S. entertainment industry has lost 49,000 jobs since 2022 and Los Angeles production remains sharply down from 2019.