Ryan Reynolds honours 27 years of friendship with late Eric Gilliland

Ryan Reynolds penned a heartfelt tribute to Eric Gilliland, notable for producing and writing Roseanne, following his death on Sunday.

The Deadpool & Wolverine star took to Instagram on Tuesday, September 3, to reminisce about their time together and mourn Gilliland’s death due to cancer.

“He was kind. And gentle. And funny as hell. And incapable of holding a conversation that was cruel or tore someone down,” he wrote in the caption. “It’s a tragedy he’s gone and a tragedy more people won’t have the chance to know him.”

Reynolds, 47, who had been friends with the late comedy writer for nearly three decades, recalled their first meeting.

“He was the first bigtime meeting I had at the start of my career. He’d finished working as a writer on ROSEANNE and had a swank bungalow office on the Fox lot in LA. I was nervous to meet him,” he continued elaborating on his anxious condition.

“He was so approachable,” Reynolds described. “It felt like I’d known him forever. And there are hundreds if not thousands of bartenders, cashiers and shopkeepers in dozens of countries who feel the same.”

The Free Guy actor shared he travelled all over the world with Gilliland, who introduced him to Vaudeville and Jack Benny, “He was my university. He helped me grow and find my voice.”

“When I walked out of that meeting at Fox all those years ago, I was hit with the undeniable urge to see him again,” Reynolds wrapped up by revisiting their first meeting, adding that after throwing up outside his office, he popped back and gave the legendary writer his phone number.

The detailed, heart-warming note was accompanied by a carousel featuring the late comedy writer’s solo snaps in the first two slides, a snapshot of him together with Reynolds in the third, and lastly a group photo, including Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy and Reynolds’ wife, Blake Lively.