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Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds is at it again, partnering with MLB player Freddie Freeman for his annual charity video which is for SickKids Hospital in Toronto and also announcing a matched donation of one million dollars maximum. The hilarious video, that was filmed before the Freeman’s World Series victory, shows the MLB champion getting ridiculed in a very funny manner by little patients. The matching gift will be of great help as it will be implemented through the Christmas Eve donation campaign.
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Once again, the hero of the day is Ryan Reynolds, who by means of his comic talents has at the same time contributed his fun-loving side to the overall picture of the philanthropist world. He has even gone so far as to get a direct co-star from a major league, the first baseman of the Los Angeles Dodgers and recently the World Series winner, Freddie Freeman. The two have made a short video in which they spur Reynolds’s annual fundraising for the SickKids Foundation in Toronto, and it has been just like the bizarre and beautiful content that his audience has gotten used to expect.
The video alone is worth its weight in gold. Under the guise that he is informing the general public about the waitlist of big-hearted Canadians who would like to be in the next movies, Reynolds this time announces the winner “the pride of Ontario and L.A.”, that is to say, Freddie Freeman. Then laughter takes the center stage and the children are its focus. Freeman, with a big smile on his face, enters and presents himself as “Hey kids, I am Freddie Freeman”.
The response he receives is not at all the hero’s welcome that he might have anticipated. A child with a serious face replies, “What are the ladies? Trust me man. We know who you are.” Another child remarks, “You are really brave to come here.” The most hilarious part of the incident is a little boy who interrupts Freeman’s attempt to create an emotional moment with a loud, “Go back to your son John and traffic you’re holding you ruined everything.” Freeman, a really good sport, takes it and then ends with a spirited, “Let’s go Blue Jays!”
The situation makes it even more amusing. Reynolds revealed that he had proposed Freeman to join the project in March, which was well before the Dodgers’ journey to the championship. “What are the odds?” is how Reynolds ponders in the video, highlighting the fortunate coincidence of having a newly crowned World Series winner on the frame. A central aspect of the campaign is that all the donations made before the midnight of Christmas Eve will be matched by Reynolds’s “friends” up to a million dollars.
Rub some dirt on it @FreddieFreeman5! And thank you for being such a good sport supporting @sickkids. Everyone who can, please donate before December 24th and all donations will be matched up to $1,000,000. pic.twitter.com/Qq7399QwtP
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) December 5, 2025
The video received a quick very positive response, but there were a few “curveballs” among them. A lot of people were simply delighted with the collaboration. One poster said, “This is the best commercial I’ve ever watched,” a sentiment that several others agreed with saying it was the unique, funny approach that has made charity messages work. Another person’s comment was, “Why does everything Ryan Reynolds touch turn into gold?”
The humor was certainly well received. One commenter pointed to the script and wrote, “‘Do you even lift, bro?!’ Did not expect that from a kid. Kudos to the writer.” Another person said very briefly, “I don’t think laughing out loud properly describes my reaction to this video. Go and donate today!”
The involvement of Freeman, a player with dual Canadian-American citizenship, generated some friendly rivalry between the two countries and also some bragging. “My favorite non-Blue Jay for a reason!” said a Canadian baseball fan. The SickKids Foundation even chimed in on the comments to clarify a point, explaining that the kids in the video are real “SickKids Patient Ambassadors and Blue Jays fans.”
However, not every take was a positive one, which is often the case with online content. One user called the video a “sad mockery,” but this opinion was far from being the dominant one. A weird reply attempted to pull in conspiracy theories that had nothing to do with the video, but this was soon countered by other users. A more common criticism was about the tone with one person asserting that advertisements for charity should be more serious. Another user immediately responded to that argument saying, “I think it’s a hilarious ad. Not every charity ad has to be sappy and tug at the heartstrings.”
The great majority opinion, however, was in favor of the cause and gratitude for the star power that accompanied it. “Thank you, for using YOUR Celebrity to Raise Funds for a Worthy Cause! You are a TRUE Canadian!” That was a typical comment, which also included a playful jab about Wayne Gretzky.
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Ryan Reynolds has made this formula his own—using his platform and comedic style to attract and direct the public’s attention and money towards SickKids Hospital. He brings a popular player like Freddie Freeman who cheerfully endures the whims of brutally honest kids and creates content that is shareable, memorable and cuts through the noise. This project also brings to mind his recent efforts to honor the late, great John Candy.
This story originally appeared on Celebrityinsider
