Jake Gyllenhaal has praised Ryan Reynolds for breaking away from romantic comedies to make 'Deadpool' a success.
Jake Gyllenhaal
The 37-year-old actor is good friends with the Hollywood star, and he has opened up about how his pal moved from being a typical leading man to realise his dream of playing Marvel's wise-cracking anti-hero.
Writing for Variety - who named Reynolds on their New Power of New York list - he teased: "Audiences got to know Ryan a bit through his work in a string of romantic comedies.
"He was undoubtedly charming and handsome (annoying), but he never quite had the space to fire on all cylinders. What we all want for our friends in this business is for the world to see what we see, and as actors, that only happens in a perfect storm of timing and the full luck.
"After years of waiting and struggling to fit his unfortunate, pear-shaped physique into the skinny jeans of a conventional romantic lead, Ryan made his own luck with 'Deadpool.' "
The 'Southpaw' star noted how "tirelessly" Reynolds works on his projects, and admitted that helped make the movie - and its sequel - be the unexpectedly huge success it was.
He added: "Ryan built the house of 'Deadpool' brick by brick, constructing a space that inspired him and let him stretch to every corner of the room.
"The remarkable success of 'Deadpool' may have shocked the suits who took a chance on financing that ragtag superhero movie, but for the people who know and love Ryan, it was no surprise that the whole damn world rallied as soon as it had the chance to really see him: all of the edges and darkness, the crackerjack wit borne from a lifetime of sensitivity and sadness, and against all odds, the openness."
Tagged in Ryan Reynolds