The latest instalment of the 'Hollywood Derby' arrives this week as Ryan Reynolds' Wrexham go head-to-head with Tom Brady's Birmingham City. The significance of the Championship encounter stretches all the way to the glittering wealth of the United States. The fixture takes place on Friday at the Racecourse Ground and is one of the most prominent matches in the second tier.
Hollywood owners and their rise
Reynolds, together with Rob Mac, bought the Welsh club in 2021 and, thanks to their considerable financial backing, guided them through three successive promotions from the National League to the Championship. The achievements of the Hollywood pair prompted Brady, a record seven-time Super Bowl champion, to try his luck at football by becoming a minority shareholder at Birmingham in 2023.
The 49-year-old drew upon his estimated £256million fortune, according to Celebrity Net Worth, to do so, yet initially encountered disappointment when the Blues were relegated to League One during his debut season.
Brady's fortune and Reynolds' empire
Widely regarded as the greatest player in NFL history, the former quarterback is thought to have accumulated a staggering £175m in salary alone throughout his 20-year career. That figure could, however, have been considerably higher had he not agreed to team-friendly contracts with the New England Patriots in order to boost their prospects of silverware.
His extraordinary football intelligence and standing as the most decorated winner in NFL history led him to sign a 10-year, £285m contract as an NFL analyst for FOX Sports in 2022. Brady's considerable fortune is matched by Reynolds, who has accumulated wealth through numerous revenue streams.
Best known for portraying the superhero Deadpool and appearing in films such as Red Notice and the forthcoming Avengers: Doomsday, the Canadian entrepreneur and actor has channelled several investments through his production company, Maximum Effort. The 49-year-old's business empire is estimated at a value of £256m, receiving a remarkable boost from his reported £96m profit on the sale of Aviation Gin following his purchase of the company in 2018.
Recent form and bragging rights
Reynolds' sharp commercial acumen also reportedly netted him £250m after selling a 25 per cent stake in Mint Mobile, which T-Mobile acquired in 2024. However, it is not financial clout that will settle bragging rights on Friday. Those rights currently rest with Brady after Birmingham claimed victory in the most recent encounter between the two sides in April 2026.
The Blues defeated Wrexham 2-0 at home, prompting Brady to take to his Instagram Stories to revel in his team's triumph while taunting Reynolds and Mac. He posted: "Big W. It's always more fun to beat your friends."
Both sides have made a remarkably similar start to the new campaign, with Wrexham drawing 1-1 against Cardiff City and Watford. Birmingham's first two fixtures saw them held to a 0-0 stalemate with Sheffield United before being pegged back to a 2-2 draw against Bristol City, thanks to Demarai Gray's 95th-minute penalty.
