This is Why Ryan Reynolds Was Sitting in the Audience with His Mother on 'The View'

Neither the hosts nor the viewers expected a surprise appearance from Ryan Reynolds on The View. But what was more captivating was the fact that the actor didn't show up alone. He accompanied his mother, Tamara Lee Reynolds, as one of the audience members. The special guests were introduced about halfway through the show's episode, which aired on Monday, June 10, 2024. 

Whoopi Goldberg, the daytime talk show's co-host, called out the Deadpool actor for being the 'star' in the crowd. During the Hot Topics chat, she addressed the audience, "You never know what's going on here at The View. Sometimes you look up and you go, this is really great! And then you look up and go, 'Oh, snap, there's Ryan Reynolds!'" per Entertainment Weekly. The camera then cut to Reynolds, who smiled at the viewers sitting beside his beloved mother in the front row, who seemed equally happy.

Goldberg continued, "This isn't a thing that happens often. It does happen occasionally," before asking a question that everybody seemed curious about: why was he in the audience and an interview guest? The 47-year-old actor explained, "My mom is here visiting her grandkids, and yesterday she said, 'It's my dream to go to The View.'"

He then quipped, "First off, I try to do what she says because you don't know what she's capable of- unspeakable violence. I didn't want to taste the back of her hand, so I said let's go to The View. I made a call, I said, 'I'm Blake [Lively]'s husband. I'd like to come to The View. Does that get us a little further?' Here we are." "I think my mom might have thought she was going to be on The View maybe, I'm not sure," the Candadian-American actor joked as Tammy laughed in response. 

When the all-women panelists of ABC's talk show inquired if Mama Reynolds watches The View, she responded with 'every day,' and while she was still present live on the show, the episode was 'being recorded' at her home. Comedian Jo Koy, who was the guest for the day, appeared to be surprised by Reynolds' presence in the audience and was stunned to see his mother as well. "Oh my God!" he exclaimed as Reynolds waved at him from the front row. "I know her," he referred to Tammy and jokingly said, "Vancouver! She came to my show!" 

Speaking of parents (and parenting), The Wolverine star, who became a father to his fourth child (whose name is yet to be revealed) with his wife Blake Lively, has been open about his struggle with anxiety. Reynolds is also a father to 9-year-old James, 7-year-old Inez, and 4-year-old Betty. However, he noted that his worrying actually helps him to parent his children.

"I think it makes it better because your focus is less on yourself and more on your kids," he told PEOPLE. "Now I love that I have anxiety, I love that I've had anxiety. Because when I see my kids experiencing some of that, which is probably genetic, I know how to address it in a way that is compassionate, that actually allows them to feel seen."