Ryan Reynolds launches The Group Effort Initiative for film diversity

Ryan Reynolds has launched The Group Effort Initiative in a bid to diversify the film industry.

The Deadpool star will pay 10 to 20 trainees who are Black, indigenous, other persons of colour or from different marginalised backgrounds to work on set, using his own earnings from every movie he makes moving forward as part of the work experience programme.

"I've had a front row seat to the immense talent of so many artisans, storytellers and experts," Ryan told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement on Friday. "Being a member of a film crew is a special experience - but that privilege hasn't been extended to everyone. There's a ton of untapped talent out there. This action is the right thing to do, but it's worth noting that inclusivity will also make our industry stronger and more dynamic. We will tell better stories."

Ryan worked with Dr. Stacy Smith of the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative to help design The Group Effort Initiative, which he will employ for movies made under his Maximum Effort Productions company.

The first group of trainees will work on his upcoming untitled time travel film to be directed by Shawn Levy for Netflix. The sci-fi project is expected to begin filming soon in Vancouver, Canada if coronavirus restrictions do not derail the original schedule.