Ryan Reynolds surprised Hugh Jackman with a unique opening night gift, indicating that the pair’s friendly ribbing has reached it to the Great White Way. Reynolds and Jackman’s phony rivalry stretches back to 2009, when they co-starred in X-Men Origins: Wolverine as Deadpool and Wolverine, respectively.
Despite the fact that the film was a lackluster X-Men movie, it generated a gorgeous quasi-friendship whose antics have made their way into press interviews, social media, and even the Deadpool franchise.
Reynolds and Jackman have remained aware of one important fact throughout their well-intentioned ribbing: pranks get excellent headlines. Indeed, the actors’ teasing and trolling are usually timed to coincide with impending projects.
Reynolds has pushed Jackman’s flicks Logan and The Front Runner under the cover of faux dislike, and Jackman has returned the favor for Deadpool. Jackman’s most recent effort is directing The Music Man on Broadway, which marks his first return to musicals since 2017’s The Greatest Showman.
What does Ryan Reynolds say About Hugh Jackman?
Reynolds has now taken the dispute between the two to Broadway, giving his companion a pair of portraits–of himself, that is–to commemorate the show’s opening night. Jackman moved to Twitter to post photos of Reynold’s amusing gifts, including one of him clicking his heels together like the Music Man, and another of a stoic artwork. “I have the most incredible friends,” Jackman quips. “Then there’s him,” says the narrator.
But what good is a present among friends if it doesn’t come with a genuine note? Reynolds scribbled on a Post-It, “Hugh, good luck with your little program,” and signed off ominously, “I’ll be watching.” Reynolds was seen on the opening night red carpet with director Shawn Levy, as he promised.
Levy directed Jackman for the first time in 2011’s Real Steel. The couple would go on to work together on Free Guy and the upcoming The Adam Project, as Jackman introduced them. In reality, all three would work together (though briefly) in the film Free Guy, in which Jackman makes a cameo appearance.
Reynolds’ photo prank, like past expressions of their “rivalry,” demonstrates that the ribbing is all in good fun, with the Deadpool star pausing to watch his friend play “Seventy-Six Trombones.”
Furthermore, the rivalry between the two isn’t just for the sake of promotion. In the spirit of charity and COVID relief efforts, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman have been known to reignite the bit. With Jackman and Reynolds’ schedules already packed, there will be plenty of opportunity for future pranks, altruistic or not.
