Having known each other since co-starring in the superhero film X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman are still good friends. The two actors have often made fans laugh with their humorous “taunts” of each other on the Internet.

Audiences who are familiar with the names and faces of Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman must know that there is a “conflict that is not easy to resolve” between the two stars. The current Deadpool (Reynolds) and the former Wolverine (Jackman) of the Marvel Comics film universe often criticize and mock each other online.

It is no longer rare for stars to have conflicts and exchange words, but in the case of Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, they are still close friends but choose to speak harshly to show their “wonderful friendship”. This is the realm of friendship “like cats and dogs” that is not easy to find in the lavish entertainment industry, and has almost become the exclusive trademark of the two actors.

The “conflict” originated from… Scarlett Johansson

Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman first met on the set of 20th Century Fox’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine. At that time, Hugh Jackman had nearly a decade of success as the mutant Wolverine, while Ryan Reynolds was a newcomer to the superhero movie universe. In the movie, Reynolds played Deadpool, but a very different version of the talkative, headache-inducing guy that audiences later became familiar with. The two superheroes had a fierce battle, with the losing sidekick Deadpool, of course.

Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds at the “dawn of friendship” stage.

In a 2020 interview with The Daily Beast, Hugh Jackman shared that it was during the production of X-Men Origins: Wolverine that their friendship—and “conflict”—began. “It must have been a long time ago… God, the animosity is so deep that no one can remember where it started,” the Australian star shared. “I used to tease him because I was close with Scarlett Johansson, and Scarlett had just married Ryan. So the first day he came on set, I was like, ‘Hey, behave yourself, because I’m watching you.’ That’s how we started pranking each other.”

Since the mid-2010s, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman’s mutual pranks on each other began to appear on the Internet and attract the attention of the audience. One of the first pranks to appear on Twitter was in late 2015, when Ryan Reynolds dressed up as Deadpool and imitated Hugh Jackman in a video asking viewers to vote for the title of Sexiest Man Alive. Jackman was voted Sexiest Man Alive in 2008, Reynolds in 2010. They often tease each other about the topic.

Image of Jackman and Reynolds going out for a walk and drinking coffee in New York City in 2019.

Over the years, Reynolds and Jackman have played pranks on each other dozens of times at media events, on social media, and even in movies. In 2016, Ryan Reynolds wore a mask made from a portrait of Hugh Jackman in a scene from Deadpool (2016). Later that year, to “return the favor”, Hugh Jackman also wore a mask of Reynolds to an interview… When he was a guest on The Ellen Show, Ryan Reynolds jokingly called his relationship with Hugh Jackman “a war”.

In March, Ryan Reynolds “shared” with two young reporters Lyla and Luna why he was so mean to Hugh Jackman in an interview with Yahoo Entertainment. The Deadpool star made the audience laugh when he made up a story that Jackman named his work The Greatest Showman (2017) himself and from then on forced everyone to call him “the great artist”. “Why not just call the movie Hugh Jackman: The Greatest Artist? I find it both pitiful and scary that he named the movie that way. Especially when wherever he goes, he makes everyone, regardless of age, call him The Great Artist. How charming,” Reynolds joked.

Best friends stick together

The group of pranksters has added a third member, actor Jake Gyllenhaal. Reynolds and Gyllenhaal became close after co-starring in the sci-fi film Life (2017). Their friendship grew even stronger when they both participated in a series of events promoting the work. Gyllenhaal also showed that he was “compatible” with Hugh Jackman. Previously, he co-starred with Jackman in the thriller Prisoners (2013).

Famous Christmas photo of three Hollywood actors.

The pinnacle of their friendship was revealed on Ryan Reynolds’ Instagram on Christmas 2018. Jackman, Gyllenhaal, and Reynolds had an intimate holiday dinner. They also played a prank on Reynolds. In a series of photos shared by the Deadpool star himself, Reynolds is seen wearing a cheesy gift-box sweater, looking dumbfounded while the two best friends burst into laughter.

In June 2019, Reynolds and Gyllenhaal sent each other greetings on Friendship Day. As usual, they posted photos together without each other. In July 2019, Jake Gyllenhaal told ET on the red carpet of the Spider-Man: Far From Home premiere that he hadn’t spoken to Reynolds in weeks. When asked what he wanted to say to his friend, the actor replied, “No, I don’t have anything to say to him.”

Hugh Jackman appeared at the premiere of The Adam Project to support Ryan Reynolds.

Over the years, Gyllenhaal has rarely appeared with Reynolds and Jackman, and they rarely mention each other on social media, sparking rumors of a rift in their friendship. Many news sites have speculated that Reynolds and Gyllenhaal have become cold after competing for the same role. However, neither Ryan Reynolds nor Gyllehaal has ever spoken out about this rumor.

As for Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds, their friendship has grown stronger over the years. Not only are they close in real life and diligently doing comedy online, the two stars also help each other promote new works. Hugh Jackman once visited Reynolds when he was filming the Deadpool series and recorded many funny videos. Reynolds has also repeatedly “disparaged” his friend in his films. Recently, Hugh Jackman appeared at the red carpet event for the premiere of The Adam Project (2021) starring Reynolds.

Not only are they movie actors, but both have also tried their hand at business. Hugh Jackman owns Laughing Man Coffee while Ryan Reynolds has a stake in Aviation American Gin. In 2019, they decided to produce a commercial for each other’s products, creating a hilarious yet heartbreaking situation that was well-received by fans. This mutual support further confirms the strong friendship between the two.