Ryan Reynolds is the latest actor to throw his support behind the Rio Theatre in Vancouver.
Reynolds tweeted out a link on Sunday to a fundraising page to help save the Rio from demolition.
He calls the theatre legendary and jokes he plans to be buried there.
The Rio, located at 1660 E Broadway, has so far raised $135,500 from just over 1,600 backers but that’s still just nine per cent of the $1.5 million the owner wants to raise in the next three weeks.
The campaign to save the theatre, which is known for its varied programming — ranging from Dungeons and Dragons themed improv to cult films to festival-circuit independent cinema, already attracted some high profile supporters.
READ MORE: Rio Theatre launches campaign to light up famous sign
Vancouver Film School alumni and indie film darling Kevin Smith, best known for his films Clerks and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back lent his support, telling Global News the theatre is “an amazing space” and that he would do whatever it takes to keep it open, even if it means “trying to literally hold the doors open with my body, my large body.”
The theatre still has three years left on its lease, but the property is a potentially attractive development opportunity. The entire area was recently rezoned as a part of the city’s Grandview Woodland Community Plan; the property the Rio sits on is now zoned for a 10-storey residential tower.
WATCH: Coverage of the Rio Theatre on Globalnews.ca:
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