Betty White Claims Ryan Reynolds “Can't Get Over” His Crush on Her

Honestly, can anyone blame him?

Betty White and Ryan Reynolds
(Image credit: Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank)

It’s been more than a decade since Betty White and Ryan Reynolds appeared together in The Proposal—and the iconic actress claims Reynolds has maintained his crush on her this entire time.

“I've heard Ryan can’t get over his thing for me,” White says in this week’s issue of People. “But Robert Redford is The One.”

Within 24 hours of the article being posted online, Ryan Reynolds responded with his typical sense of humor. Early on December 30, the actor shared the story on Twitter and wrote, ”I’m absolutely sick of the media exploiting past relationships just to drive clicks.“

Ryan Reynolds and Betty White clearly have a cute friendship, and the jokes about Ryan’s love for her go way back. In 2019, the actor wished White a happy 97th birthday on Instagram, posting a photo of the two of them gazing at each other during a Tonight Show appearance. The caption read, “I don’t usually wish ex-girlfriends Happy Birthday. But Betty’s special.”

On her end, White seems completely dedicated to Robert Redford. Last year, the actress was gifted a life-size cutout of Redford, which she reportedly kept in her office for quite a while.

“For a long time, we had him in the office entryway,” Kiersten Mikelas, White’s executive personal assistant, told People. “When she came in, she’d say, 'Hi, sweetheart.’”

Tough luck, Ryan.

This week’s People magazine is all about celebrating White’s upcoming 100th birthday in January, and features statements of admiration from both Reynolds and their Proposal co-star, Sandra Bullock.

“I heard that scripts for Golden Girls were only 35 pages, which makes sense because so many of the laughs come from Betty simply looking at her castmates,” Reynolds says in the magazine. He then adds that White is “a typical Capricorn. Sleeps all day. Out all night boozing and snacking on men.”

Sandra Bullock has equal amounts of love and respect for Betty White, who she claims has “ridiculous” comedic timing. 

“Timing isn't easy in comedy, because you have to navigate other people’s timing. Betty pivots like I have never seen, making it look seamless,” she says. “The rest of us just remain silent and pray we’re not cut out of the scene.”

Bullock went on to say that she hopes White spends her milestone birthday the same way she has celebrated every day of her life: “With humor, kindness and a vodka on ice, toasting to the fact that she’s a badass who has left us all in the dust.”

Betty White will turn 100 on January 17, 2022. You can read more about her life and career in this week’s issue of People, which hits newsstands on Friday.

Caitlin Morton
Freelance Writer

Caitlin Morton is a freelance writer based in Kansas City, with more than eight years of experience covering travel, pop culture, and fashion. Her byline has appeared in Condé Nast Traveler, Vogue, Architectural Digest, AFAR, Real Simple, Thrillist, and many more publications.