Ryan Reynolds’ ugly Christmas sweater does the talking in SickKids campaign
Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds is letting his ugly sweater do the talking during this year’s holiday campaign for The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.
For the fourth year in a row, the Vancouver-born star is using an “aesthetically challenged” sweater to raise money for the SickKids Foundation.
But this year the actor says little in his campaign video, which has been posted and shared widely on social media.
The video begins with Reynolds wearing the now iconic red and green sweater with a large, gold bow and nametag.
Before he can say much, the viewer hears the voice of Canadian actor Seth Rogan saying “hello” and the image pans down to the bow, which now has an animated mouth.
“Yes I can talk. Use your imagination,” the bow says.
“As a sweater and a fellow Canadian that comes out but once a year I’ve grown a little tired of Ryan’s like self-deprecating, deadpan jokes…Instead, revel in the wonder of a talking sweater as you make a donation to SickKids.”
Each time Reynolds tries to say something, the bow interjects, including when Toronto Maple Leafs player Auston Matthews makes a quick appearance to say hello.
“Please cut to the titles before he makes an obscure pop culture reference,” it says.
The sweater has made appearances in all of Reynold’s holiday SickKids campaigns since he was tricked into wearing it to a party by fellow actors Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal back in 2018.
Photos posted to social media at the time shows Reynolds wearing a green and red sweater with a large, gold bow right in the centre while Jackman and Gyllenhaal—who were wearing normal attire—laugh.
More than $300,000 was raised in just a few weeks in 2021 following the release of an animated video that simulated this holiday prank. The video told the story of a similarly-styled sweater in a store that gets passed over by every customer, except for one man who is looking for an outfit for a party that specified “fun” attire.
The following year, about 5,000 front-line workers received replica t-shirts and a number of patients were surprised with festive sweater-themed blankets. SickKids said in January that more than $640,000 was raised.
Multiple athletes, politicians and entertainers have taken part in the campaign through the year, including Jackman, Matthews, Andrew De Grasse, and Toronto Mayor John Tory.
According to SickKids, in the three years of this campaign combined, more than $1.7 million has been raised.
Those wishing to make a donation can visit the campaign’s website. Samsung Canada has said it will match donations made before midnight on Christmas Eve up to $100,000.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.