Ryan Reynolds recalls being nervous meeting Hugh Jackman on X-Men Origins: Wolverine set: “Just the fact that you knew my name meant so much to me”

Arriving on set for the first time, Reynolds remembered feeling overwhelmed.

May 30, 2024 - 3:30 PM IST

Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman are gearing up for the release of their highly anticipated movie Deadpool & Wolverine with a new round of promotions. This marks Jackman's return to the iconic Wolverine character after his farewell in 2017's Logan. However, their friendship stretches back to 2008, when Reynolds first landed the role of Deadpool (Wade Wilson) in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. In a recent interview with People magazine, Reynolds recalls how nervous he was to be on the first film’s set and how Jackman’s warmth totally changed it for him.

Ryan Reynolds recalls being nervous meeting Hugh Jackman on X-Men Origins: Wolverine set: “Just the fact that you knew my name meant so much to me”

For Reynolds that initial encounter held immense significance. He was a newcomer to the X-Men world, about to bring his fast-talking Deadpool to life for the first time. Jackman, on the other hand, was already a seasoned actor and the X-Men film was a major project for Reynolds.

Arriving on set for the first time, Reynolds remembered feeling overwhelmed. “I was blown away. And I was nervous as hell,” recalled Reynolds. “I was walking through the trailers, jet-lagged, disoriented, feeling really green and kind of out of my depth, and there was no script to look at. It was just like, what's going to happen?”

Then, a simple gesture turned things around. He added, “And I heard my name, ‘Ryan!’ in between these trailers as I was walking. And it was you. Just the fact that you knew my name meant so much to me. And you came over, you gave me a big hug and you said, ‘Welcome aboard.’ ”

Shawn Levy takes the helm as director for Deadpool & Wolverine, with Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman reprising their beloved roles. The cast also includes familiar faces like Morena Baccarin, Leslie Uggams, and Karan Soni, alongside some exciting new additions like Emma Corrin, Rob Delaney, and Matthew Macfadyen.

Behind the scenes, a powerhouse team has assembled to bring this movie to life. Kevin Feige, Ryan Reynolds, Shawn Levy, and Lauren Shuler Donner serve as producers. Executive producers include Louis D’Esposito, Wendy Jacobson, Mary McLaglen, Josh McLaglen, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, George Dewey, and Simon Kinberg. The screenplay is a collaborative effort by Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Zeb Wells, and Shawn Levy.

Deadpool & Wolverine hits theatres on July 26 in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.