Rick Moranis Makes His Return in an Ad for a Smartphone Data Plan Provider Owned by Ryan Reynolds

By Garrett Martin  |  September 9, 2020 | 11:41am
Comedy News Rick Moranis
Rick Moranis Makes His Return in an Ad for a Smartphone Data Plan Provider Owned by Ryan Reynolds

Although he “unretired” earlier this year, Rick Moranis sightings are still a rare thing. Obviously the pandemic has something to do with that, but other than two upcoming projects we know about—a Honey, I Shrunk the Kids sequel whose production was presumably impacted by the shutdown, and an SCTV reunion that Martin Scorsese directed for Netflix over two years ago that still doesn’t have a release date (WHERE THE HELL IS IT, NETFLIX?!?)—the comedy legend has been very cautious about his return to acting. (Which is entirely his right, and we’re not complaining here—simply pointing out facts.) He popped up as himself in an episode of Disney+’s Prop Culture, but otherwise has kept a profile only slightly less invisible than the one he maintained during the ‘00s and ‘10s.

So it’s a surprise that his first visible role in however many years is in an ad for the smartphone data plan company that Ryan Reynolds owns.

Yeah, I didn’t know what Mint Mobile was, either. It’s a company that sells data plans. Just data plans. Not the phones, but the plans. Apparently it’s cheaper than paying for plans through the major providers, but since Mint’s plans don’t come with phones, you’ll need to already own a phone, or get one from somewhere else. Earlier this year Ryan Reynolds bought an ownership stake in the company, and I guess since he’s a human who grew up in the ‘80s he understandably loves Rick Moranis and decided that would be a coup for Mint’s next ad. Probably helps that they’re both Canadian.

Rick Moranis’s story is one of the most respectable in the entertainment industry. A big name in comedy throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, with a series of major movies on his resume, Moranis effectively retired in the mid ‘90s to raise his children, whose mother tragically died of cancer earlier in the decade. Moranis himself didn’t call it a retirement, but between 1997 and 2020 his only roles were a few voiceover gigs, a Bob and Doug McKenzie reunion special with Dave Thomas in 2007, and another Bob and Doug reunion at a charity live special in 2017. He also released a couple of albums of humorous songs during this hiatus. He infamously turned down an appearance in the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot, publicly downplaying the concept of doing “just one day of shooting on something I did 30 years ago.” Given that statement, it’s safe to assume that his role in Shrunk, the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids sequel he was announced to star in earlier this year, will be more substantial than just a cameo.

It’s good to see you, Rick. Hope to see more of you soon.

You can catch the ad in the embedded tweet above, or on YouTube below.

 
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