Ryan Reynolds managed to jam-pack his latest cinematic extravaganza, Deadpool & Wolverine, with more cameos than a Marvel executive’s Rolodex. But despite squeezing in everyone from your favorite superheroes to probably your next-door neighbor, one poor soul was tragically left on the cutting room floor. Who, you ask? Get ready, because this one might just break your heart (or at least give you a chuckle).
In a tale that could only be told on social media (because where else do celebrities spill their deepest woes these days?), the 47-year-old Reynolds dropped the bombshell that he was “mortified”—yes, mortified—to have cut one very special cameo. The victim of this heartless edit? None other than his business partner, football club co-owner, and all-around buddy, Rob McElhenney, AKA the guy you know from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, who was set to play a Time Variance Authority (TVA) soldier. In other words, the most glorified, time-policing extra ever.
Now, if you thought this was some casual decision, think again. Ryan, with all the drama of someone forced to choose between two puppies, admitted he had to “kill a darling.” Yes, he compared cutting Rob’s role to executing a beloved pet, all thanks to “great outside intervention.” Who are these shadowy “outside forces”? Studio execs? Time-traveling Deadpool clones? We’ll never know, but they sound ominous.
The reason for the cut? Apparently, the scene wasn’t working. But Rob didn’t go down without a fight. In fact, Ryan kept him in the film for as long as humanly possible. According to Reynolds, Rob was so talented, so oozing with charisma, that even under a mask and helmet, he was smoldering with an “almost infinite reservoir of talent.” Imagine being so magnetic that you’re a standout, even while dressed as what’s essentially a time cop in a glorified bicycle helmet. Some people just have it all.
But the heartbreak doesn’t end there. Ryan expressed his soul-crushing regret that Rob flew all the way to London for his blink-and-you-miss-it non-existent cameo. Seriously, imagine hopping on a plane, crossing the Atlantic, and sitting through endless takes in a helmet only to be digitally scrubbed from existence. Brutal.
Yet, amidst all the woe and sorrow, Ryan didn’t miss the chance to express his bromantic affection for Rob. In what reads like the start of a best man speech, Ryan poured his heart out, saying that whenever he sees Rob, his heart rate slows, his nervous system stops screaming, and the world suddenly seems like a better place. Basically, Rob McElhenney is the human version of a weighted blanket.
In a final twist of fate, Ryan even pitched his pal for a future MCU role: Hydra Bob. Because if you can’t play a time-traveling bureaucrat, why not aim for a villainous henchman? It’s the natural career progression, right?
So, while the world may never get to witness Rob McElhenney as a TVA soldier, we can all take comfort in the fact that he’s out there somewhere, patiently waiting for his shot at MCU stardom—and probably trolling Ryan for cutting him.