Ryan is the youngest of four children. His father, Jim, was a Vancouver food wholesaler. His mother, Tammy, was a retail-store saleswoman. Between 1991-93, Ryan appeared in Fifteen (aka "Fifteen"), a Nickleodeon series taped in Florida with many other Canadian actors. After the series ended, he returned to Vancouver where he played in a series of forgettable TV movies. He did small roles in Glenn Close's Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story and CBS's update of In Cold Blood. However, his run of luck had led him to decide to quit acting.

One night, he ran into fellow Vancouver actor and native Chris Martin. Martin found Ryan rather despondent and told him to pack everything: they were going to head to Los Angeles, California. The two stayed in a cheap LA motel. On the first night of their stay, Reynold's jeep was rolled downhill and stripped. For the next four months, Ryan drove it without doors. In 1997, he landed the role of Berg in Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place. Initially, the show was reviled by critics and seemed desperate for any type of ratings success. However, it was renewed for a second season but with a provision for a makeover by former Roseanne writer Kevin Abbott. The show became a minor success and has led to additional film roles for Ryan, most notably in the last-ever MGM film, a remake of The Amityville Horror. Ryan was engaged to Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, another Nickelodeon veteran, between 2004-2006.
Has a fear of flying since he once went skydiving and parachute failed to open at the first attempt. Failed his high school drama class Used to work in a grocery store Attended Kwantlen College for a few months before leaving to pursue his acting career Is the youngest of four brothers. Two of his three elder brothers are policemen. Received a Youth in Film Award nomination for best actor for his work on Nickelodeon's Fifteen (aka "Fifteen"). Accompanied musician Alanis Morissette to the 2003 Canadian Juno Music Awards. To celebrate their one-year engagement anniversary in May 2003, Ryan and his fiancée Alanis Morissette wear matching rings on their fourth fingers of their right hands. In early 2001, he met actress Rachael Leigh Cook and the two immediately hit it off. However, Rachael had to fly to Britain shortly after to film Blow Dry. Ryan ended up surprising her, pulling out of his filming schedule, and following her all the way to London. It was a success and they ended up dating for a year. Became engaged to his girlfriend of two years, Canadian singer Alanis Morissette in June 2004. They announced the engagement was off in June of 2006. Has expressed great interest in portraying the DC Comics character the Flash, should Warner Bros. ever decide to do a film adaptation of the comic book. On an episode of The Outer Limits, he played a ghost trapped in a haunted house. Ironically, in The Amityville Horror, he plays a living man trapped in a haunted house. Was offered the role of "Xander" in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Loves traveling. He was traveling in Indonesia with his fiancée, Alanis Morissette, when the tsunami struck. They were uninjured since they were staying on the opposite end of the island from where the tsunami hit. Was engaged to Alanis Morissette. [2004-2006] Ryan and Alanis Morissette have called off their engagement [June, 2006]. Ryan alleges he is friends with Paul Anka and meets with him once in a while.