Ryan Reynolds awarded first ever Canadian Governor General’s Award

Ryan Reynolds received his first ever Governor General’s Award on Friday.

The actor and Canadian native was conferred the honor at a gala event at Rideau Hall, accompanied by his wife, Blake Lively.

“I had no idea they had this given out to, like, Hollywood people. I had no idea that they had these awards for cinema,” Reynolds said on stage. “I did a play in Toronto for, I think, three months, and people still think they can recognize that if they flash a badge.”

The award, established in 1968, recognizes “outstanding contributions to the life of Canada through the creative or educational work.”

Reynolds, who earned international recognition for his performances in the 2009 film “The Proposal” and in 2014’s “Safe House,” has been outspoken on the need for gun control in the United States. In July, he called a majority of gun stocks legal because they are used defensively, a revelation that was met with derision on Twitter.

On Saturday, Reynolds tweeted his reaction to receiving the award.

“I believe in equality for all Canadians. I believe that gun laws should be written by each & every Canadian. Then they should be implemented!” he wrote.

— Editing by Claire Atkinson

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