When Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool 2 was released in theaters in 2018, audiences were left wondering if they had seen Brad Pitt in a blink-and-miss cameo. It turned out that the Thelma & Louise actor indeed appeared as the Vanisher in the movie. Pitt remains invisible throughout his brief appearance until a freak accident electrocutes his character making him visible just seconds before his death.
Fans were surprised to see the Mr. & Mrs. Smith actor in such a short cameo role. However, it was the connection between director David Leitch and Pitt that brought him into the movie. A few years later, Reynolds got to repay the favor in another Leitch movie.
Ryan Reynolds Paid Back Brad Pitt With Another Cameo
David Leitch and Brad Pitt were acquainted since their collaboration on Fight Club, where the former served as the Moneyball actor’s stunt double. After directing the well-received action flick, Atomic Blonde, Leitch replaced Tim Miller as the director for Ryan Reynold’s Deadpool sequel. Leitch initially approached the Troy actor for the meatier role of Cable in the movie.
Pitt couldn’t do the role due to scheduling conflicts, and the role later went to Josh Brolin. However, Pitt did agree to the brief cameo, which required just two hours of filming. Leitch later had the opportunity to cast the Snatch actor as the lead in one of his movies – the 2022 action comedy film, Bullet Train. The Hobbs & Shaw director also remembered to reach out to Reynolds and ask for a cameo. Leitch shared with Insider:
“I just pitched him the idea of, ‘Why don’t you pay back Brad for the cameo in Deadpool 2?’ That’s really all it took. He was like, ‘I’m in.’ He was really grateful that Brad did that for him, so he really wanted to support us on this.”
Much like Pitt’s cameo, the Green Lantern actor also had a brief appearance, lasting only five seconds. The Adam Project actor’s addition was a pleasant surprise among the plenty of other easter eggs that the director scattered throughout the movie.
Ryan Reynolds Had A Pivotal Role In The Film [Spoiler Alert]
While Brad Pitt’s role was a fun appearance in Deadpool 2, Ryan Reynolds’ role was crucial to the plot of Bullet Train. The film revolves around Pitt’s character, Ladybug, an assassin who boards a bullet train for a mission. Ladybug must battle other assassins who have boarded the train with different missions and they all try to kill each other.
In the end, it is revealed that the main antagonist, White Death, sets them up against each other to seek revenge for his wife’s death, whom he believes was killed by Ladybug. However, a twist in the tale reveals that White Death was after the assassin who boarded the train, but Ladybug was never meant to be on that train. He was replacing his sick colleague Carver, played by Reynolds, who had actually killed the wife.
Bullet Train was a commercial hit gaining $239 million at the box office. Fans of both actors can watch their performances in Deadpool 2, now available for streaming on Disney+, and Bullet Train, now available for streaming on Netflix.
Source: Insider
