Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds pays emotional tribute to Hugh Jackman's Wolverine return: "He is THE X-Man"

Deadpool 3 — (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Ryan Reynolds has shared a moving tribute to his Deadpool and Wolverine co-star and "friend and favorite actor" Hugh Jackman.

"On August 14th, 2022, [Hugh Jackman] stopped his car to call me," Reynolds wrote in a new Instagram post alongside a slideshow of stills and on-set pics – including one with The Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood. "He’d been having a crappy week… he’d had the flu, two flat tires and some random idiot egged his house. But what happened next, happened fast. He told me he wanted to bring The Wolverine back. Months later, he not only brought Wolvie back into the light, he’d (at long last) wear the iconic yellow suit."

He continued, "[Director Shawn Levy] and I didn’t talk about it much, but we were feeling a TON of pressure; worrying about how we walk these characters into the MCU, worrying about all of our secret characters STAYING secret – along with so many moving parts. But when Hugh stepped onto set in THAT SUIT… everyone knew something special was happening. I remember thinking everything was gonna be okay.

"For months of filming and 100 years of editing and post production, I had a front row seat to WOLVERINE. Watching and learning from my friend and favourite actor. Two things can be true: 1) Sometimes I eat too much sugar, and secretly egg his house so I can feel something. And 2) I can be both a fan and friend, simultaneously."

Best X-Men movies: Deadpool and Wolverine tied together during the 2024 movie Deadpool and Wolverine. — (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

The pair teamed up for the latest movie in Marvel Phase 5, which sees the Merc with the Mouth recruit Wolverine to help him save his timeline – and those he loves most – when rogue TVA agent Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen) threatens to wipe it from existence. But it's not the first time the two actors have worked together.

Reynolds went on to recount his first meeting with Jackman on the set of X-Men Origins: Wolverine. "I met him in Sydney around 2007. Back then he was already a movie star and I walked onto set a supporting actor. Showing up midway through production isn’t too dissimilar to starting a new school. I was a nervous mess. Film sets can have a scary imbalance of power and I remember seeing how he treated every member of the crew with genuine respect and appreciation. He made a case that the term “filmmaker” isn’t just for people with their name on the poster.

"I don’t know anyone more thoughtful, and classy than Hugh. He’ll do anything for someone he loves. He’ll do anything for someone he just met. In Deadpool & Wolverine Hugh didn’t just make dreams come true for fans of Wolverine. He made MY dreams come true too. He is THE X-Man."

Deadpool and Wolverine is out now in theaters. For more on the movie, check out our Deadpool and Wolverine review and our breakdown of the Deadpool and Wolverine post-credits scene.

For more on the MCU, take a look ahead to all the upcoming Marvel movies and TV shows still to come, or prepare for a rewatch with our guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

I’m an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering everything film and TV-related. I help bring you all the latest news, features, and reviews, as well as helming our Big Screen Spotlight column. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.