Best friends Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman indeed reunited on Friday, Jan. 24, but, unfortunately for fans of comic book films, their unexpected get-together wasn’t in any way prompted by a Marvel Cinematic Universe project. Rather, Jackman appeared on stage for the opening night of his brand-new From New York With Love concert series at Radio City Music Hall, and Reynolds surprised those in attendance when Jackman revealed his buddy’s presence in the audience. Reynolds said of his longtime friend to the crowd, courtesy of People:

“This was the first major movie star I ever worked with, 16 or 17 years ago on X-Men Origins: Wolverine. And I was young still. I was impressionable. I was expecting going to this movie set with this guy right here, and I didn’t know, I really didn’t know what was gonna happen. But what I saw was just about the best thing anyone could possibly experience if you’re working your way up in the industry.”

X-Men Origins: Wolverine turned out to be a colossal disappointment for Marvel and comic book fans alike. The film did receive a “B+” CinemaScore during its theatrical run back in 2009. However, the Jackman-led superhero flick splatted all over Rotten Tomatoes, and to this day, it still registers only 58% on the Popcornmeter, formerly the RT audience score. Nevertheless, Reynolds and Jackman’s friendship flourished, and the duo would eventually undo the bizarre creative choices made in X-Men Origins with 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine.
Ryan Reynolds Praises His Friend the “Movie Star” at Radio City Music Hall

X-Men Origins: Wolverine might not have resonated with the majority of Marvel fans, but it did pave the way for its costars, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, to become close friends. As a result, the Hollywood A-listers were able to do right by the Merc with a Mouth (Reynolds) and Logan (Jackman) some 15 years later in the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, Deadpool & Wolverine. It’s quite an achievement, but the billion-dollar blockbuster never would have come to fruition had Reynolds not seen the warmth and generosity exhibited on the set by his X-Men Origins colleague. Reynolds also said to those attending the Radio City Music Hall performance:

“I saw a movie star, a capital M movie star. I saw this gentleman right here walk around that set, and just like here, he knew every single person’s name, even though he was making them up half the time. He showed a kind of courtesy and gentleness and curiosity, and he put value into every single crew member that we were working with.”

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Jackman, who performed songs from many of his live theater and film appearances (Les Misérables, The Greatest Showman, The Music Man) during the live concert, was visibly moved by his friend’s touching words. The actor responded to Reynolds in front of the huge crowd by saying:

I love you, Ryan Reynolds.

Deadpool & Wolverine and its meager predecessor, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, are both streaming on Disney+. Those interested in Hugh Jackman’s must-see From New York With Love concert series can visit Radio City Music Hall’s official website for showtimes and ticket prices. However, while the special engagement runs until October 2025, Jackman won’t return to the famed stage for the next show until Friday, April 18, at 8 p.m. EST.