At Televerse 26, I caught up with Colin Hanks, Jennifer Candy-Sullivan and Sean Stuart to talk about John Candy: I Like Me, the documentary celebrating the life, career and enduring legacy of one of comedy’s most beloved performers.
And as someone who has always loved John Candy — particularly Planes, Trains and Automobiles — getting to talk about the documentary was a real treat.
But what became clear through all three conversations is that John Candy: I Like Me isn’t simply about remembering the movies. It’s about remembering the man.
From a Viral Tribute to a Feature Documentary
Jennifer Candy-Sullivan explained that the documentary’s origins were surprisingly modest.
Ryan Reynolds and Maximum Effort initially approached the Candy family about creating a short tribute to John for social media. That tribute went viral, prompting an even bigger realization: there was clearly an appetite for more.
That reaction ultimately led the family, Reynolds and filmmaker Colin Hanks toward a feature documentary.
For Hanks, the opportunity came directly from Reynolds.
Reynolds called him and essentially said that there should be a John Candy documentary and that Hanks should direct it. I guess things can eventually fall into your lap.
Looking Beyond the Celebrity
For producer Sean Stuart, one of the biggest revelations during production was discovering just how much there was to explore beyond the John Candy audiences already knew.
The goal wasn’t simply to revisit the iconic performances. It was to look at Candy’s life, his family, his struggles and the pressures that came with being a beloved celebrity.
Stuart told me that the filmmakers wanted to go “beyond the celebrity, beyond the on-screen persona” to understand who Candy really was.
And what they found was even deeper than they anticipated.
The Relatability of John Candy
That idea of seeing the person behind the performer is at the heart of what drew Colin Hanks to the project.
Hanks explained that he knew Candy was beloved and talented, but he needed something more than simply telling audiences that John Candy was a nice guy who made great movies.
As he dug deeper into Candy’s upbringing and the challenges he faced throughout his life, Hanks discovered something that made Candy feel even more familiar.
Today, we openly discuss mental health, anxiety and therapy. When Candy was at the height of his career, those conversations weren’t happening in quite the same way.
For Hanks, that made Candy’s story unexpectedly relatable.
The man audiences saw on screen wasn’t simply a larger-than-life comedian. He was a human being dealing with many of the same things the rest of us deal with.
And that realization changed the way Hanks looked at Candy’s work.
Why We Still Miss John
Jennifer Candy-Sullivan believes the continued response to the documentary is a testament to how much people still love her father.
After premiering at TIFF nearly a year ago, John Candy: I Like Me has continued to find audiences and generate momentum.
For Candy-Sullivan, that’s remarkable in itself.
But it’s also understandable.
She described her father’s comedy as a “breath of fresh air” and reflected on how differently comedies are made today.
Still Celebrating John Candy
That’s what made celebrating John Candy: I Like Me at Televerse 26 so special.
The documentary had already been celebrated at the Astra TV Awards, and now, nearly a year after its TIFF premiere, the conversation continues.
For Colin Hanks, that’s an honor.
For Jennifer Candy-Sullivan, it’s a testament to the people who made the film — and to the fact that audiences still love her dad.
As Hanks put it when reflecting on the documentary’s continued life nearly a year after its premiere: “It’s a lot better than the alternative.”
Watch the full interviews with Colin Hanks, Jennifer Candy-Sullivan, and Sean Stuart by clicking the player above. You can also download and stream the interviews on Spotify and all major podcast platforms.
