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With the pandemic continuing to spread, schools across the globe have been forced to close, with celebratory functions for the class of 2020 called off, which, unfortunately, includes graduation.
Ryan Reynolds recently gave a very special commencement speech though, for his alma mater, Kitsilano Secondary School in Canada, and their 2020 graduating class.
The Deadpool star shared a few jokes about the friends he knew that went on to become teachers at the school, but ultimately gave a rather inspiring speech.
"Now, I'm probably not going to drop any mics here," he said, "but I can pass on this one little chestnut of wisdom. Something that you might want to start if you're not already doing it. Totally up to you, no pressure, but one thing that's worked for me is practising some form of compassion every day whether it's for yourself or someone else, especially for someone else, is good.
"You've heard the expression' divide and conquer', you see it everywhere and dividing people is just a means to distract them, disarm them, whereby giving one an opportunity to conquer, and the world seems to subsist on this idea more and more and more. And it's getting really fucking boring," he said, before urging students to be practice empathy instead.
"Some of you might consider me successful. I don't know some of you may have seen Green Lantern," he joked, "but I'll tell you this: empathy has gotten me so much more, so much farther, in not only my life but in my career. Mirroring, empathising, validating someone else's experience or point of view is just about the most radical act of ambition that you can ever demonstrate."
He added: "To my surprise, this has made me money, friends, priceless memories; it's allowed me to fully accept and provide love. It's helped me recognise the mistakes I've made and learn from them. Above all, it made me happy."
In true Ryan Reynold's style, surprised by the moving nature of his own speech, he quipped: "I know as soon as you saw me you were expecting dick jokes. I'm going to save those though, for your university commencement speech... where you'll need them."
SEE HIS FULL SPEECH HERE:
Ryan also surprised the entire graduating class with a large pizza each – on him.
According to People, owner of Nat's Pizza – one of his favourite pizzerias back in high school – said the actor called to place the order last week.
"He had this brilliant idea about wanting to give to the school that he went to, and all the people that meant something to him. He wanted to do something nice because all the kids got shut down for their grad," Nat Bastone told Canadian publication, the Calgary Sun.
The 43-year-old reportedly bought 385 pizzas in the form of gift cards.
