‘I was one of these little pr*cks’: Ryan Reynolds and his ugly Christmas sweater warms hearts of Canadians in viral SickKids ad

Actor Ryan Reynolds is the embodiment of Christmas cheer, using his humour and marketing prowess for a social cause close to the heart of all Canadians.

The Canadian icon is seen donning an ugly holiday sweater in a new ad aimed at raising funds for the SickKids Foundation, and it is safe to say, his sarcasm remains intact.

"Every parent knows that kids, while a magical gift from heaven, can kind of be pr*cks” Reynolds says at the opening of the ad while strolling through Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children.

Reynolds’ utilizes his classic tone of sarcasm to captivate the viewer while relaying praise for the talented staff and kids naturally being a handful to deal with.

It's safe to say Reynolds has viewers in his grasp for the entire length of the video.

“At SickKids, we are not just focused on delivering the most advanced care with the most talented staff, we also want kids to get back to being themselves,” said Reynolds. "Which, you know, is kind of a lot."

The video has since racked up over 100,000 views in a little over 24 hours.

Video triggers Canadians to share own SickKids experiences

Reynolds’ ad struck a chord with several Canadians, who took to social media to share their own experiences with the Hospital for Sick Children, be it personal accounts or stories from family members and acquaintances.

“I love this so much. I was one of these little pr*cks at @sickkids during the holidays many years ago," posted Sportsnet National TV Anchor and cancer survivor herself, Faizal Khamisa. "Anything you can do help makes such a difference."

Policy expert Tyler Merideth, who formerly worked for the federal Liberal Party shared his own account on social, writing “Sick Kids was where my eyesight was saved. They are the real deal, as Ryan says.”

Reynolds also earned a reaction from Canadian singer Anne Murray, who, despite not featured in the ad, was strongly demanded by one of the kids screaming “I wanted Anne Murray” in dissatisfaction over having to settle for Grammy award-winning musician Michael Bublé instead.

One social media user has nothing but praise for not only the doctors and nurses at the hospital, but calls all levels of employees "heroes."

Not Reynolds first contribution to SickKids

Reynolds has been actively involved with the organization since 2018.

Six years ago, Reynolds used an animation inspired by an ugly Christmas sweater, which he was tricked into wearing a year before by fellow actor-buddies Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal, to drive more and more donations to the foundation.

Since, it’s been a tradition for Reynolds to sport his red and green sweater with a big bow in the middle every year. Last year alone the SickKids holiday campaign raised $580,000.