Ryan Reynolds Hits Back At Critics Saying He Shouldn't Be On Variety's Actors On Actors!

The lineup for Variety‘s Actors on Actors for 2024 dropped Thursday, and a lot of the cinephiles out there are saying the same thing… WTF is Ryan Reynolds doing on this list??

Here’s the full list, which includes Zendaya in conversation with Nicole Kidman, Saoirse Ronan and Selena Gomez, Angelina Jolie and Cynthia Erivo, Adrien Brody and Tilda Swinton, Daniel Craig and Josh O’Connor, Colman Domingo and Kieran Culkan… and yes, RyRey with Andrew Garfield:

#ActorsOnActors Season 21????️ pic.twitter.com/DtKafos7th

— Variety (@Variety) December 5, 2024

The critics began with from a place of furor over Sebastian Stan. See, the Marvel star has two critically acclaimed movie performances that have a lot of buzz this year, as a man whose deformity is “cured” in A Different Man and a man whose monstrosity is encouraged in The Apprentice. He revealed a few weeks ago — and Variety confirmed — that he was offered a spot but no other actor would agree to go one-on-one with him because no one wanted to talk about Donald Trump. Eesh.

Related: Hugh Jackman Ex-Wife SO Angry At Ryan Reynolds & Blake Lively!

So naturally cinephiles who knew that going in were looking for his replacement. Hence, we get the vitriol aimed at the only actor on the list who doesn’t have an acclaimed performance this year.

A great many comments were something to the effect of, why the heck is Ryan talking to Andrew Garfield when one was giving moving, human thespian work, and the other was doing d**k jokes as Deadpool. One (which has since gone private) caught Ryan’s attention! Because he actually responded:

“Correct. Andrew’s a genius. He and Florence are magic together in, WE LIVE IN TIME. They’re heartbreaking and charming and spend the entire film in a high-wire act of humanity and constraint. And yes I am Deadpool BUT I will take a second and speak up in defense of comedy. Dramatic work is difficult. And we’re also meant to SEE it’s difficult which is one of the reasons it feels visceral and effective. Comedy is also very difficult. But has an added dimension in that it’s meant to look and feel effortless. You intentionally hide the stitching and unstitching. I think both disciplines are beautiful. And both work beautifully together. Comedy and drama subsist on tension. Both thrive when subverting expectation. Both thrive backstopped by real emotion. And both are deeply subjective. Your favourite comedy might be Anchorman. Mine might be Lars Von Trier’s, Melancholia.”

Ha! Well, there ya have it! We agree comedy can be as hard — if not harder — than drama and absolutely should be respected more at awards season. As should horror and sci-fi. But we also understand why folks might wonder IF this year is really Ryan’s best work…

But what do YOU think, Perezcious film fans?? Is Ryan right about comedy? Do you think he’s right and STILL not think he should be on this list??

[Image via Jimmy Kimmel Live/Variety/YouTube.]