Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman have embarked on a new sporting partnership, but a recent promotional video proves the Canadian actor might be a little out of his depth. The Deadpool and Wolverine co-stars, who became owners of the Australian SailGP team, the BONDS Flying Roos, in June, released a clip ahead of this weekend's Abu Dhabi Grand Final.
A Hilarious On-Screen Put-Down
Despite their off-screen friendship, the duo's famous playful rivalry was on full display. The video shows Reynolds, co-owner of Wrexham AFC, being swiftly cut off by Jackman after making a sporting blunder. The interaction reaches its peak when Roos sailor and CEO Tom Slingsby appears on screen. Reynolds initially fails to recognise the sailing champion before hastily claiming to be a "huge fan."
When Slingsby expresses enthusiasm about taking the pair out on the water, Jackman immediately interjects. "Yeah, Ryan doesn't like water," he quips. "He actually hired a life coach just to get in the tub. He's going to be a silent partner." Jackman then ushers a bemused Reynolds out of shot and onto a "quiet chair," to which Reynolds retorts, "This isn't a chair, this is a room."
Star-Studded Sports Investment
The SailGP competition, established in 2019 by Olympic legend Russell Coutts and billionaire Larry Ellison, has attracted a host of celebrity investors. The league also boasts backing from Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé and actress Anne Hathaway. For Hugh Jackman, this marks his first major foray into sports team ownership, joining other high-profile newcomers like Sebastian Vettel and Deontay Wilder in the SailGP.
In contrast, Ryan Reynolds is a seasoned investor in the sports world. His portfolio includes:
- Wrexham AFC (co-owner)
- Club Necaxa in Mexico
- La Equidad in Colombia
- The Alpine Formula 1 team
The High-Stakes Abu Dhabi Final
The promotional antics come ahead of a crucial moment for the BONDS Flying Roos. The team is competing in the SailGP grand final in Abu Dhabi this weekend, where they are chasing a historic fourth championship title. A winner-takes-all prize pot of $2 million (£1.5m) is up for grabs.
Ahead of the contest, the Roos have also secured two significant new sponsorship deals with AI work platform Monday.com and online trading site Blueberry. Reynolds has often admitted his limited sports knowledge, confessing that his involvement with Wrexham was a steep learning curve. He previously described football as "the best and the worst thing that's ever happened to me," calling it a "unique brand of gorgeous torture."
The new video, ending with the caption "They're out of their league. And into ours," suggests he might be in for a similar experience with sailing.
