Ryan Reynolds Turned Down Major "Buffy" Role in the '90s

According to a recent report, Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds was offered a significant role on the beloved cult series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" in the mid-1990s. At the time, Reynolds was an up-and-coming young actor, having just finished a stint on the Canadian teen soap opera "Hillside." However, the actor ultimately decided to decline the "Buffy" offer, citing his desire to avoid playing a high school character.

Instead, Reynolds took the lead role in the ABC sitcom "Two Guys, A Girl, and a Pizza Place," which ran for four seasons from 1998 to 2001. This proved to be a breakout role for the actor, paving the way for his eventual rise to Hollywood stardom. In the years that followed, Reynolds would go on to become a Marvel superhero, revitalize a struggling soccer team, and sell Mint Mobile subscriptions to audiences worldwide.

While Reynolds has expressed his admiration for "Buffy" and its creator Joss Whedon, the actor's decision to avoid reliving his high school years ultimately shaped the trajectory of his career. As he reflected in a 2008 interview, the "f*****g awful" experience of being "tormented by bullies" during his time at Vancouver's Kitsilano Secondary School was a key factor in his decision to turn down the "Buffy" role.