Ryan Reynolds is one of the most popular actors in Hollywood today, starring in major blockbuster films like Deadpool, Free Guy, and Red Notice.

However, with fame comes scrutiny, and Reynolds has had to deal with the paparazzi throughout his career.

Reynolds has developed clever and creative strategies for managing the paparazzi without compromising his privacy or coming across as rude. By studying his approach, everyday people can learn strategies to handle unwanted attention and intrusions with grace and wit.

Use Humor to Diffuse Tense Situations

One of Reynolds’ signature moves is to use humor when confronted by hordes of photographers. For example, in 2017 when paparazzi swarmed him and his wife Blake Lively on a date in New York, Reynolds waved and smiled goofily at the cameras rather than getting visibly annoyed. His silly antics made light of the situation while also throwing off the vultures hoping to capture his moodiness or anger.

Humor humanizes celebrities and reminds the public that they are real people just trying to live their lives. It also draws attention to the absurdity of the situation. No one likes having cameras in their face during private moments, so by joking around Reynolds makes the paparazzi look like the unreasonable ones, not him.

Everyday folks can borrow this tactic by keeping their cool and making a silly face or funny comment when confronted by rude strangers hoping to get a rise out of them. Kill them with kindness and humor instead of the reaction they want.

Set Some Boundaries

While generally easygoing with the paparazzi, Reynolds does set some reasonable boundaries around major life events. For example, when his first daughter James was born in 2014, he and Blake requested privacy during their first few months as a family. To divert attention, Reynolds shared a funny “birth announcement” photo of himself and Blake posed with their two dogs.

This strategy allowed Reynolds to assert control over public access to his newborn while also throwing the media a bone so they didn’t feel completely shut out. The charming photo was reprinted worldwide, taking pressure off the real baby photos.

Regular people dealing with nosy relatives or gossiping neighbors can use similar diversion tactics. If you don’t want to share details about a major life change right away, buy yourself some time and privacy by posting cute pet photos or throwback pics from your childhood. Give them something innocuous to chatter about instead!

Turn the Camera Around

Celebrities are used to having cameras in their faces, but most paparazzi are shy about having the lens turned on them. Reynolds has playfully flipped this script on several occasions by filming the paparazzi right back, sometimes even attempting mock interviews with them. His good-natured trolling highlights the weirdness of their behavior without being confrontational.

By catching photographers off guard Reynolds also manages to get some good shots revealing their identities, which he has selectively used to shame outlets publishing unflattering photos taken in particularly egregious circumstances. For example, in 2012 he called out the magazine that bought photos of him and Blake apparently arguing in a parking garage, providing the paparazzo’s name and photo to highlight the sketchy nature of the pictures’ origin.

While regular folks can’t fight back against specific media outlets, they can borrow Reynolds’ camera flip technique. The next time you notice a stranger filming or photographing you without your permission, consider walking up with your phone and calmly taking some photos of them. This non-confrontational response throws the social awkwardness back on them. If it continues or escalates you also now have documentation to provide authorities.

Use Humor on Social Media

In addition to handling in-person paparazzi with grace, Reynolds maintains his charm and wit when addressing tabloid media coverage online. He frequently comments on outrageous stories with tongue-in-cheek tweets or Instagram posts mocking the reporting.

For example, when gossip outlets tried stirring up drama about his marriage to Blake Lively in 2014 based on her missing her own premiere event and not wearing her wedding ring in some photos, Reynolds posted a tweet saying “I wish. I could use a little ‘me time’.” His funny response cast doubt on the entire manufactured scandal.

Similarly, Reynolds has poked fun at erroneous baby and pregnancy reports over the years by posting silly comments and photos joking about his “offspring.” Most recently, he responded to rumors of marital trouble with Blake by cheekily tweeting that they were “breeding” more often lately trying for a fourth baby.

These social media clapbacks reclaim the narrative while also entertaining Reynolds’ followers. Regular people can similarly leverage the power and speed of social platforms to respond to false claims before they spiral. Dropping a winking emoji or sarcasm quote tag on a silly rumor making the rounds about you casts immediate doubt without having to refute things point-by-point.

The key is maintaining a sense of humor – getting overly defensive or angry only feeds the drama. Reynolds wins by laughing off even the most salacious claims with clever cracks that play into rather than push back on the latest gossip.

Use Code Names and Disguises

Despite his good humor about the paparazzi, Reynolds understandsably still wants to avoid the spotlight at times, especially when out with his young children. To fly under the radar, he’s become a master of disguises. He’s been spotted wearing various wigs, hats, and fake moustaches when out in public over the years.

Reynolds has also admitted to using the code name “Mr. Table” when booking restaurants or hotels to avoid attention. He encourages his friends and family to use silly fake names too, allowing them some privacy even when seeking reservations at hot venues where staff might alert photographers of VIP guests.

Regular folks dealing with obsessed fans or overzealous press can adopt similar tricks. Wearing baseball caps and sunglasses or giving a fake name may seem small but it adds up to more control over your public exposure and privacy.

Don’t Feed the Trolls

A big part of Reynolds’ charm is that he doesn’t take himself too seriously. He even enjoys silly memes and jokes about himself online. This ability to laugh at himself cuts off potential trolls or critics trying to get under his skin.

Rather than fight back against outrageous claims or embarrassing paparazzi shots, Reynolds will play into them, hamming up his flaws and fueling his fans’ affections. Other stars could learn from his ability not to feed the trolls by denying stories point-by-point, which can unintentionally lend credence to rumors.

By shrugging off wild clickbait articles about himself, Reynolds maintains goodwill and gives less incentive for outlets to keep publishing negative pieces. Gossip mongers want to get a rise out of stars, so Reynolds combats them by taking away their power through playful indifference.

Regular people under fire online can similarly deflate drama about themselves by refusing to engage or issue multi-paragraph denials which just call more attention to fake claims.

Make Privacy a Priority

Despite his humor and willingness to joke around with the paparazzi at times, Reynolds does prioritize carving out privacy for himself and his family amidst the chaos of fame. He seeks quiet time at his home in upstate New York away from the limelight of Hollywood and New York City where photographers hound him.

Reynolds also emphasizes that his children did not choose the celebrity spotlight, so he tries to limit their exposure. He’s called out media outlets for publishing photos of his kids without permission and asked fans and the public to respect young celebrities’ privacy too.

By speaking up Reynolds hopes to influence cultural norms shifting away from the expectation that famous kids are fair game for media coverage and give them some room just to be normal children. His advocacy is slowly moving the needle on these attitudes.

Regular people can also push back against unwanted public exposure of their families, especially children who cannot consent. Whether dealing with overeager grandparents posting unauthorized photos against your wishes or strangers trying to film your kids in public, don’t be afraid to speak up. The more people assert boundaries the more it will signal shifting cultural norms.

Avoid Petty Feuds

One last lesson regular folks can take from Reynolds in dealing with critics: don’t engage in petty public feuds. Reynolds has been tempted a few times to call out fellow celebs over ignorant comments but generally tries to take the high road. For example, when Katherine Heigl criticized their film The Ringer, Reynolds held back rather than amping up the conflict through the media.

Similarly silly minor feuds have emerged over the years with the likes of Nick Cannon and Taylor Swift over various perceived slights. But other than a few subtle digs Reynolds tends to avoid these kinds of back-and-forths.

This restraint allows the public to see Reynolds as grounded and mature rather than getting drawn into drama or punching down at less famous figures trying to provoke him. He focuses on bigger priorities like his career and family. Regular folks under fire from old friends, new rivals or random critics can similarly disengage from the pettiness by taking attention off the conflict so it doesn’t escalate.