Warning - This article contains spoilers for Deadpool & Wolverine.
The appearance of Wesley Snipes' Blade in Deadpool & Wolverine surprised fans for many reasons, including the infamously contentious relationship between Snipes and Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool).
The two actors did not get along behind the scenes (and sometimes even on camera) when filming 2004's Blade Trinity, and it got so bad that many believed Snipes and Reynolds would never work together again.
[ Deadpool and Wolverine Spoilers: All Cameos & Plot Reveals, Explained ]
Does Ryan Reynolds Hate Wesley Snipes?
Ultimately, the contention between Ryan Reynolds and Wesley Snipes comes down to the latter's practice of method acting during the filming of Blade Trinity — at least, that is how Reynolds seems to see it.
Reynolds once told IGN that Snipes' method acting goes so deep that he "never met Wesley, [he] only met Blade." Snipes remained steadfastly serious on set, whether or not the cameras were rolling.
Reynolds did say, though, that the contention has been "overblown" and that he "has the utmost respect for" the way Snipes went about bringing his character to life:
"It's always overblown. My personality is the polar opposite of Wesley. I never met Wesley, I only met Blade, and he is a method actor. Say what you want about that style of acting, I have the utmost respect for whatever it takes to get through this process. We all say that these actors make so much money and they live such a life of leisure and privilege, but that is a vulnerable process, stepping onto the set everyday and performing in front of 110 judgmental souls. So whatever it takes for him or anyone else to get through that in a way that is artistically fulfilling to them, I have the utmost respect for."
Reynolds consistently tried to make Snipes break character, with some of these attempts even making it on screen. He explained that "ad libs are just born" when he found himself making comments about his "relationship as Ryan Reynolds," as opposed to his character Hannibal King, to Snipes:
"That being said, yes I did. You know what, what I found was, I just use every moment. There's a moment in the movie where I look up at Jessica and I swear to God, I didn't even know the cameras were rolling anymore and I say, 'He hates me, doesn't he?' And she's like, 'Yeah.' I'm just saying this about my relationship as Ryan Reynolds to this guy, and it works. The ad libs are just born of that. There's another one where I do a dime store psychoanalysis of him where I say, 'You ever thought about sitting down and talking with someone, getting in touch with your inner child, and also you might want to try blinking once in a while.' He just looks at me like he's gonna turn me into a** pulp..."
Does Wesley Snipes Hate Ryan Reynolds?
Snipes has not discussed Reynolds nearly as much, with the focus of most of his Blade Trinity controversies being based on claims like one that he allegedly strangled director David Goyer on set.
This is one of the many rumors about Snipes' allegedly difficult behavior on set that the actor has denied, most explicitly in a 2020 interview with The Guardian.
He said that if the story of him strangling Goyer were to be true, he would be in prison because "a Black guy with muscles strangling the director of a movie is going to jail, I guarantee you:"
"Let me tell you one thing. If I had tried to strangle David Goyer, you probably wouldn’t be talking to me now. A Black guy with muscles strangling the director of a movie is going to jail, I guarantee you."
He later explained that if he did not like things happening on set, he did have the power to address them and did not need to stoop to the behavior he reportedly demonstrated on set:
"I remind you that I was one of the executive producers of the project ... I had contractual director approval. I was not just the actor for hire. I had au-thor-i-ty to say, to dictate, to decide. This was a hard concept for a lot of people to wrap their heads around."
With the focus of these discussions being on his alleged behavior rather than the impact it reportedly had on others, it makes sense that Snipes has not discussed his feelings about Reynolds specifically.
Ryan Reynolds & Wesley Snipes Reunited
The Reynolds and Snipes reunion, through Deadpool meeting Blade in the borderlands of The Void, did not shy away from referencing the actors' history.
At one point in the scene where they first meet, Blade tells Deadpool, "I don't like you," to which Wade quickly responds, "You never did."
As for their offstage reunion, though, the actors have at least somewhat buried the hatchet. At San Diego Comic-Con 2024, the cast of Deadpool & Wolverine took to the Hall H stage (via @Borys_Kit).
Reynolds introduced the Blade actor as "my friend, Mr. Wesley Snipes." Snipes danced as he walked onto the stage, and he and Reynolds hugged.
The tagline for Deadpool & Wolverine is "Everyone deserves a happy ending." That seems to be the case for this infamous, seemingly former, feud.
Deadpool & Wolverine is playing in theaters.
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Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
