Ryan Reynolds has said he is grateful to have been able to become a father to daughter James in his late 30s.

The 38-year-old Canadian actor is 11 years older than his wife, Gossip Girl star Blake Lively, and they welcomed their first child in December 2014.

Ryan – who was previously married to Scarlett Johansson for two years – told the Daily Mirror he was relieved to have been able to have children.

A pregnant Blake Lively attending a charity gala with husband Ryan Reynolds in October 2014
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds welcomed their daughter in December (AP)

He joked: “In my late 30s, I’m just happy my boys can swim. I’m in a great place. I have a family and a little girl, and I honestly couldn’t be happier right now. There’s just no place I’d rather be, it’s the ultimate trump card.

“It’s the most exciting time you can imagine. You try to get used to the idea of waking up several times in the night to feed your baby or change diapers or rock your child back to sleep.

“Sometimes you’re in such a state you don’t even remember getting up and walking in the house at 3am. Normally you’d go crazy ­interrupting your sleep that way but when it’s your baby, it’s the best thing in the world.

“It seems almost unbelievable that she’s already a half-year old. That’s why I want to make the most of this time in her life.”

Ryan and Blake, 27, met on the set of superhero movie Green Lantern in 2010, but despite both being in the business, Ryan – who got his first break in teen soap Hillside – is not keen for James to follow them into showbusiness.

He said: “I say this not trying to be funny but I’ve always had, like, an aversion to child actors.

Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively at the Met gala
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively are both actors (Charles Sykes/AP)

“I was 13 and just trying to get out of the house. I didn’t have stage parents. I’m always wary of that, just because I worry so much. I just think putting a kid in ­showbusiness is a really scary proposition because, who is it for?

“I know for a fact adults can’t handle it so I don’t know how a kid is expected to handle any level of fame. Let alone the levels of scrutiny that come with it. It’s just too much for a kid.”