What role did Ryan Grantham play in Diary of a Wimpy Kid? Character explored as actor is sentenced to life in prison for killing his mom

Ryan Grantham has been sentenced to life for killing his mother (Image via Andrew Chin/Getty Images)
Ryan Grantham has been sentenced to life for killing his mother (Image via Andrew Chin/Getty Images)

Actor Ryan Grantham has been sentenced to life in prison on charges of shooting his mother Barbara Waite. Graham pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in March 2020.

The verdict was announced by Vancouver's British Columbia Supreme Court. According to Canada's CBC, Grantham cannot apply for parole for the next 14 years.

Justice Kathleen Ker brought up statements from Barbara's loved ones, including Ryan's sister. Ker stated that his saving grace was that he acknowledged his crime and did not go on a spree.

Ker spoke about Grantham's mental health issues, revealing that he was suffering before the incident and also watching violent footage online. He is currently undergoing psychiatric treatment in prison and has reportedly shown significant improvement. His attorney, Chris Johnson, said that Grantham was not shocked by the punishment. According to Johnson,

"I think he anticipated what the judge gave him as a sentence. I think he's pretty apprehensive about the whole thing. He's a fairly tiny person, and to go to the prison system, I'm sure it's a daunting and scary thought for him."

Taking Grantham's size into consideration, Ker recommended that he should not be sent to a maximum security prison.


Ryan Grantham has starred in Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Ryan Grantham is well-known for his performance in Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Image via tadfundotnet/Twitter)
Ryan Grantham is well-known for his performance in Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Image via tadfundotnet/Twitter)

Ryan Grantham portrayed the role of Rodney James in Diary of a Wimpy Kid. His character participates in a school play based on The Wizard of Oz.

As the casting process begins, James attempts to grab the role of Tin Man but fails to do so. He is then asked to play the role of Shrub since there are already a lot of kids in the play and the school has begun to create new roles.

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Rodney James then discovers how to sneak a video game inside his costume and starts using it to pass the time during rehearsals since he has nothing to do except sitting on the stage. When Archie Kelly then falls over him and chips his tooth, since he could not use his arms to prevent his fall, the school allows all the tree actors to carve out arm holes.

James gets stage fright before the show, causing the production to be delayed by 30 minutes. His mother carries him since he won't budge, and ,though his role was of a bush, he becomes a part of the tree scene during the play.


Ryan Grantham struggled with his mental health before killing his mother

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Ryan Grantham shot his mother in the head while she was playing piano after he practiced the procedure. He was 21 years old at the time. He recorded videos after the crime, confessing to the murder and showing off his mother's corpse. Grantham's sister discovered the body on April 1.

Reportedly, he then planned to kill Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in March 2020 and loaded his car with guns, ammunition, Molotov cocktails, camping supplies, and a map with directions to Trudeau's residence. However, he turned himself in.

Psychiatric reports by crown prosecutor Michaela Donnelly show that Ryan Grantham was suffering from clinical depression before the crime. According to reports, he felt an urge to commit violence and kill himself. He decided to kill his mother so that she could not witness the violence he wanted to commit.

Edited by Abhipsa Choudhury
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