A History of Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman’s Playful Feud — As the Wolverine Actor Turns 56 Today!

The ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ costars and friends have kept up their funny faux feud over the years

Hugh Jackman Ryan Reynolds. Photo: Han Myung-Gu/WireImage

Hugh Jackman turns 56 today, and what better way to celebrate than to take a walk down memory lane and examine the history of his “feud” with pal Ryan Reynolds?

Way before they teamed up to make Deadpool & Wolverine, Jackman revealed the beginnings of their often-hysterical dynamic in a 2020 interview with The Daily Beast.

“It’s gone back so long now … God, this is a classic sign where your feud has gone too long, where you don’t even know why or how it started,” he said.

More recently, when they saw one another on the set of Deadpool & Wolverine, “You came over and you went, ‘Steve!’ ” Jackman recalled in a PEOPLE cover story, in which he and Reynolds, 47, interview one another about their 17-year friendship. Added Reynolds playfully, “Greg? No, don’t tell me.”

As we celebrate the actor who perfected the role of Wolverine to a tee, here’s a timeline of the ongoing feud and banter between Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds.

Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds.Guy Aroch

1. Scarlett Johansson might have had an unwitting hand in starting it.

Jackman told The Daily Beast it was Scarlett Johansson who might have started the feud, though he admitted to having trouble remembering the origins at first.

The actor explained how he started teasing Reynolds over his recent (at the time) marriage to Johansson, 39. The two were married from 2008 to 2011 before Reynolds wed now-wife Blake Lively in 2012.

“I used to ream him because I was very close friends with Scarlett, and Scarlett had just married Ryan, so when he came on set I was like, ‘Hey, you better be on your best behavior here, pal, because I’m watching,’ and we started ribbing each other that way, and then it all escalated with the Deadpool thing and him calling me out, and trying to manipulate me through social media to do what he wanted,” Jackman explained.

He seemingly made their feud public in 2015 when he posted a video on his Instagram of Reynolds impersonating him — Australian accent and all — in his Deadpool makeup.

2. The feud initially mainly focused on Reynolds’ desire to make a Deadpool/Wolverine film.

Since that time, Jackman and Reynolds, who met on the set of 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine, have continued their public trolling and found ways to poke fun at one other on social media.

In January 2017, Reynolds made it clear he wanted to make a mashup movie featuring his Deadpool character with Jackman’s Wolverine.

Unfortunately for the Free Guy actor, Jackman hung up his Wolverine claws just months later in March with the release of Logan, his seemingly final foray as the comic-book mutant. But that didn’t stop Reynolds, whose Deadpool & Wolverine dreams are now coming true.

“I have no idea if I can change his mind,” Reynolds told Variety of Jackman at the time. “It’s the audience: I would exclusively exploit that relationship to get Hugh back for another one.”

He echoed his statements to Entertainment Weekly later, saying, “What we’re gonna have to do is convince Hugh. If anything, I’m going to need to do what I can to get my internet friends back on board to help rally another cause down the line.”

As Jackman told Variety, “I’m hesitating. I could totally see how that’s the perfect fit. But the timing may be wrong.”

3. Their antics have spanned years and included Christmases, birthdays and live performances.

Jackman and Reynolds have trolled each other during the holidays and on each other’s birthdays.

Playing up on their lovingly antagonistic relationship in April 2018, Jackman tried to record a birthday message for a fan on Twitter, only to be interrupted by Reynolds’ Deadpool. As the actor started to record his well-wishes, Reynolds began singing in the background.

“When you’re trying to record a heartfelt birthday message … but are interrupted by the least greatest showman,” Jackman wrote on Twitter.

Distracted by the song, he panned the camera over to show Reynolds lying on a hotel bed in his full Deadpool costume, belting “Tomorrow” from Annie.

“Don’t give him too much attention,” Jackman said in the clip.

For Reynolds’ 42nd birthday, the pair had another hilarious exchange on social media. Given the nature of their relationship, Jackman naturally celebrated his friend’s big day by trolling him.

“Because I’m told that I AM THE NICEST GUY and you’re NOT. @VancityReynolds … I will let you hug me. Just this once. On your birthday,” he wrote alongside a picture of the pair embracing each other.

Reynolds quickly responded with a false claim. “This man is a monster,” he wrote. “He’s not even from Australia. He’s from Milwaukee.”

4. The duo seemingly called a truce.

In February 2019, Reynolds and Jackman announced on their respective social-media accounts that their friendly feud had officially come to an end.

As a way to mend their “broken relationship,” the two actors revealed their plans to make ads for each other’s companies — Reynolds’ Aviation Gin, Jackman’s Laughing Man Coffee — and, of course, each expected to out-do the other.

“Official truce with @realhughjackman!” Reynolds wrote alongside a black-and-white snapshot of the pair smiling as they shook hands. “As a gesture of goodwill, I’m gonna make a beautiful ad for his company, Laughing Man Coffee. Can’t wait!”

Jackman shared the same photo, captioning it, “Official truce! I’m going to make the most amazing ad for Aviation Gin. And, look forward to seeing what @vancityreynolds comes up with in return.”

Reynolds later re-posted the same photo on his Instagram Stories from another user — but it was edited to include a grenade in their hands, a pin from the explosive weapon in Reynolds’ mouth, and Jackman’s Wolverine claw behind his back in the mirror.

The spoof shot was captioned by Reynolds, “Look closely.”

5. They reignited their feud just months later.

It appears the two just couldn’t stay away. That August, Reynolds and Jackman reignited the feud when the latter injured his hand during his one-man tour The Man. The Music. The Show.

“The first time I’ve played #wolverine … and, actually bled. Clearly, it’s @vancityreynolds fault,” Jackman wrote over an image of a scratch on his knuckle. The bit reportedly included jokes about Reynolds and Jackman playing Wolverine.

Reynolds commented, “I just don’t think you’ve been practicing enough.”

In 2020, Jackman wished his now-ex, Deborra-lee Jackman, a happy 24th anniversary in a heartfelt social-media message.

“These 24 years have been the best of my life! And, as far as I can see, we keep getting better,” the actor captioned a throwback image of himself and Deborra-lee, 68. “I love you Debs with every fiber of my soul. Happy anniversary. #24″

Reynolds used the anniversary post as an opportunity to continue his hilarious feud with Jackman. “Hang in there, Deb,” he teased in the comments section on Instagram.

Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds on Feb. 28, 2022.Monica Schipper/Getty

6. The jokes have expanded to include footwear.

Back in October 2021, Reynolds marked Jackman’s 53rd birthday by trolling the X-Men actor with a TikTok video of his socks — which were printed with Jackman’s face on them.

“Look I don’t tell you how to celebrate Hugh Jackman’s birthday. So don’t tell me,” he wrote, adding in the caption, “Socks to be Hugh.”

Jackman reposted Reynolds’ TikTok on his Instagram page and addressed it in a video of his own, in which he thanked friends and fans for their birthday wishes.

“I know there’s been a lot of messages about Ryan’s post — him wearing socks with my face on them and wondering where you can get them,” the actor added, joking, “You can’t get them anywhere because he made them himself, he darned them himself.”

Jackman continued, “I know, it’s just really sad. But anyway, I guess you could ask him, he might darn you a pair or give you the ones he’s been wearing.”

7. The actors have given true props to one another — but the jokes are never far off.

In their recent conversation for PEOPLE, Jackman said that “a lot of people come up to” him talking about Reynolds.

“And I say, ‘Shut up, I’m not interested,’ ” he added, to which Reynolds responded with a laugh, “That tracks.”

But in seriousness, Jackman told Reynolds that he believes him speaking about his experience with anxiety, “takes courage,” and has “helped a lot of people.”

And for Reynolds, the key to their friendship, in part, is that they “rely on each other for the real kind of advice that you want.”

Ryan Reynolds as Sexiest Man Alive in 2010; Hugh Jackman as Sexiest Man Alive in 2008.

8. Their friendly feud might have to do with Sexiest Man Alive.

During a joint appearance on The View to promote Deadpool & Wolverine, the former Sexiest Man Alive titleholders recreated their covers after panelist Sara Haines suggested their beef might involve “competing covers.”

“Don’t bring it up. We’ve done a lot of therapy,” Jackman interjected. However, he added that when the pair catch up, they “assume the pose.”

“What am I doing there?” Reynolds asked of his cover before attempting to casually lean back. “That’s not comfortable.”

When John Legend was announced as PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive in 2019, Jackman congratulated the singer with a silly Instagram video flaunting his own cover to a dismissive Reynolds.

“99% of the time, People Magazine gets it right,” Jackman wrote in the caption before playfully dissing Reynolds. “But a word of caution. There is the 1%. Exhibit A.”

9. They even beef in promotional material outside of Deadpool & Wolverine.

When Jackman took to social media to announce a series of 12 concerts, titled “From New York, with Love,” Reynolds naturally had to join him after their lengthy press tour.

Sitting on the same couch Reynolds used to reveal Jackman’s return as Wolverine, The Greatest Showman star unveiled his Radio City Music Hall shows before asking Reynolds if he wanted to come.

The Deadpool actor asked if he would be a part of Jackman’s show, to which the star jokingly replied, “Absolutely!” to the camera, as he silently gestured otherwise.

“This is my time,” he whispered.

Following a loud montage of Jackman explaining his show and Reynolds seemingly offering suggestions, Reynolds concluded, “I’m not going to be in it?”

“On stage, no. But in my heart, yeah,” Jackman answered, stipulating that he needs his friend in the audience — (perhaps even further away) and not in the actual show.

“It’s going to be the most amazing tech rehearsal you have ever, ever been to,” Jackman joked.

“I’ve won the friendship lottery,” Reynolds said with an unconvinced laugh.