‘Deadpool' swallows my whole life, says Ryan Reynolds
What made you want to bring 'Deadpool' back for this showdown with 'Wolverine'?
Shawn Levy (writer/director), Hugh and I had a very specific North Star—to deliver unbridled joy and audacity. That is what we did here. Hugh and I have been friends for 17 years. It was a dream come true for us to finally work together. Shawn and I have known each other for a decade. That enthusiasm and joy translates onto the screen.
Tell us about the first time you met Hugh.
It was on the set of X-Men Origins: Wolverine. I was invited to play Wade Wilson. Right from the beginning, he was so kind to me. He showed me what it is like to lead a film set. He was a guy who showed up and worked as hard as anyone, but he also made sure that everyone felt seen so they could do their best. I remember wondering that if I was ever lucky enough to be in the position as that guy, I hope I can be half as dedicated, kind and compassionate a leader. Since then he has become my closest friend. He’s the dad that my children wish they had (laughs). Hugh is everything and so this is a big moment for me.
Hugh jokes about you not being a good father. What is the story behind that?
It’s not a joke. My nine-year-old daughter James said she was going to divorce me if I ever do a Deadpool movie again (laughs). That is why I haven’t done one in six years. I am not complaining because I have the best job on Earth, but some of the sacrifices are that I am not home with my family as much as I want. Deadpool swallows my life whole because it’s such a huge, daunting task to make these movies. So now my daughter is like, ‘You are cut off. No more Deadpool!’”
Is it right that this movie may never have happened had it not been for Hugh calling you to say he wanted to return as 'Wolverine'?
That’s true. He called me and I almost hung up. I thought he was a telemarketer trying to sell me a new long-distance plan or something. You only call these days if someone is dying or there is a serious emergency. So when he called I was kind of worried. Then I realised it was an emergency and that he had a full-blown case of, I need to play Wolverine. I am the lucky beneficiary because this is one of the most iconic characters in film.
Where does the 'Deadpool' story pick up from?
At the beginning of this movie, it’s Wade Wilson retired as Deadpool and trying to live a normal life. But then he has a visit from the Time Variance Authority that sends him on a mission to save his own reality with Wolverine. It’s kind of like a weird road-trip adventure. It’s the best movie I have ever done.
Are you feeling the pressure that comes with the film, which is expected to save Marvel from a rough patch?
Shawn Levy and I wrote the Marvel Jesus gif as more of a way to illustrate Deadpool’s own self-delusion. It certainly wasn’t meant to be a commentary on the film industry, Marvel, comic books or any of that stuff. Yeah, Marvel hit a bit of a rougher patch than normal. They required a little bit of a reset and then suddenly that storyline became ultra-relevant. My wife said to me, ‘Did you somehow orchestrate this? Did you try to make it so that line was relevant?’ I am not that smart, I promise.
The first two 'Deadpool' films are R-rated. How does that fit in now that you are part of the Disney family?
It’s always been about the story and to tell it authentically. There is nothing in Deadpool & Wolverine that is there explicitly to shock. My nine-year-old has seen this movie. So has my 79-year-old mother. And, it killed her (laughs). I have a friend, a diehard Deadpool fan. who loved it.
Is the 'Deadpool' costume like a second skin for you now?
I wouldn’t say that. It’s not uncomfortable, but it’s not like I miss wearing it around the house (laughs). Actually, what I do miss when I’m not in the Deadpool suit is the freedom that it gives you. You become a different person and I feel really free in it. So yeah, it’s a privilege to wear it, but it’s nice to take it off when we’re done.
Your Deadpool brand of humour is loved by the audience. Where does your love of comedy come from?
I have always had it. Growing up as the youngest of four brothers, being funny was my self-defence mechanism from being a target. I actually first left Canada to join a comedy troupe in LA called the Groundlings when I was 19-years-old. Sadly, I didn’t get in but I got an agent and started working from there. But I have always loved comedy and it has been a part of everything I have done in my career.