Ryan Reynolds has jokingly ripped into Jonathan Bailey, arguing that the ‘perfect’ actor is making the rest of Hollywood ‘look terrible’.
2024 was a stellar year for Jonathan, 36: a cameo appearance in Netflix’s Heartstopper, a return to Bridgerton as Lord Anthony, and his portrayal of Fiyero Tigelaar in John M. Chu’s Wicked.
The latter has the chance to earn him his first Academy Award nomination, with the nods due out any moment.
Meanwhile, Ryan, 48, saw success this year with his leading role in John Krasinski’s children’s flick IF and as Wade Wilson in Marvel’s Deadpool & Wolverine.
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On Tuesday (January 7), The Adam Project favourite headed to the National Board of Review Award gala to present the Best Film award to Wicked in New York City.
During his time on stage, Ryan - who was making his first public appearance since his wife Blake Lively, 37, filed a legal complaint against It Ends with Us director Justin Baldoni, 40, - revealed he had a bone to pick with Jonathan.
“Wicked is indeed wicked. It dares to centre two powerful women,” he began.
“It examines a nuanced, complex relationship which has resonated with people for over two decades on stage.
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“Stories about women seem to be held to a different set of standards, and that is to say that they’re often held to the standard women are held to in life. You must be perfect. You must hide your strength. You must shapeshift or placate.”
After praising Universal Pictures and chairman Donna Langley, Ryan continued to individually applaud the cast before stopping on Jonathan.
“I have one note. I think we can all agree that Jonathan Bailey is objectively perfect, perhaps too perfect. Personally, I would have preferred fewer scenes featuring Mr Bailey,” he joked.
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“Being good is great, but being great is bad. You can’t just go around indiscriminately spraying charisma all over an enraptured audience. It might feel nice in the moment, but it could easily destabilise the entire industry.”
The father-of-four went on to jest that the Hollywood Leading Man Society ‘simply cannot sustain the standard of performance this time’.
“It is in our collective best interest that Jonathan Bailey tone it the f**k down,” Ryan laughed. “You’re making us look terrible. I cannot work harder than I already work, and plastic surgery frightens me, Johnny.
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“Can I call you Johnny, if you’re here? I don’t give a s***… Let’s just pump the talent breaks or get the f*** out of town."
While Jonathan was not in attendance at the ceremony, Elphaba actress Cynthia Erivo, 38, and Glinda star Ariana Grande, 31, who scooped the Spotlight Award for ‘creative collaboration,’ were among the audience.
“Cynthia, what you do in this film and in all your work, is a recipe of mischief, humanity and tender grit,” Ryan praised. “You should be given all the Michelin stars, because this is the product of a master chef.
“When you perform, it feels as if there’s literally nobody else on Earth who could do what it is that you do and what you’re doing in this film is extremely hard, but you make it look like a moment’s thought, because that’s what a movie star does.”
Topics: Celebrity, Entertainment, Ryan Reynolds, TV And Film, Wicked, Bridgerton, Oscars, Netflix
Ella Scott