Deadpool's Ryan Reynolds reveals Hugh Jackman's secret dark side in the latest commercial for the Aussie actor's coffee brand. The pair, both known for their roles in the X-Men universe, have had a long-running public feud, where each appears to hate the other. Reynolds, in particular, relishes any opportunity he can get to ruin Jackman's public good-guy image. At the same time, Jackman has leaned into the joke by being very mean about Reynolds in return. The so-called feud dates back to Reynolds' first appearance as Wade Wilson, aka Deadpool, in Jackman's first solo X-Men outing, X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
That film was a critical and box office flop, but it led to the actors becoming close and commencing their good-natured mutual mocking. Both men have since made fun of the others' bad movie choices, and most recently, Jackman called out Reynolds for misusing his likeness in Deadpool. In reality, the actors are incredibly good friends. They are using the feud as a way to promote each other's brands, with Reynolds owning Aviation Gin, which was recently purchased for the eye-watering amount of $600-million, and the Logan star running Laughing Man coffee, which donates all its profits to fair trade initiatives.
Now, the pair have combined once again for the latest commercial for Jackman's coffee. Narrated by Reynolds, the 60-second spot reveals that Jackman is secretly an angry old curmudgeon, shouting at kids and treating his dog terribly. Reynolds' voiceover relishes the chance to reveal this, before showing that Jackman's coffee is so good it turns him into the charming, nice guy that fans know, and which inspired the name of his brand, Laughing Man. You can watch the hilarious commercial below:
The commercial is another example of how both actors use their star power and humor to promote their brands, though Jackman comes out as the winner here, given the fact that he donates all his profits to a worthy cause. It's also a reflection of the increasingly celebrity-dominate culture, where major brands are not only promoted by famous actors but also run by them. Jackman and Reynolds are just two celebrities with their own brands, following the example set by actors like George Clooney, who makes hundreds of millions from his tequila brand.
Hopefully, this isn't the last time Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman pair up for a commercial. While cynics might argue that the manufactured feud is celebrity consumerism at its worst, the fact remains that the actors do it so well, and both have the right amount of charm and humor, that the ads don't come across as condescending. And who knows, the continued friendship might mean that Jackman finally ends up making a cameo in a potential second Deadpool sequel, something fans have been clamoring for for years.
Source: Hugh Jackman/Twitter