Jake Gyllenhaal Basically Professes His Love for Ryan Reynolds

Actor penned a tribute to his Life co-star for Variety's New Power of New York list

By Jess Cohen Oct 02, 2018 3:41 PMTags
Jake Gyllenhaal, Ryan ReynoldsMatt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for InStyle

Jake Gyllenhaal and Ryan Reynolds' bromance is still going strong.

The actors became pals while filming their 2017 movie Life, and went on to grace the world with their friendship during the film's promotional tour. Now, Gyllenhaal is opening up about their friendship in a tribute to Reynolds for Variety's New Power of New York list.

"I first met Ryan many years ago, and he struck me immediately as quick and warm and thoughtful, a gentleman in an era of foppish putzes, the unlikely love child of Mel Brooks and Dorothy Parker and Gary Cooper," the 37-year-old began. "He was also taller than me. Against my wishes, we became close friends."

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"Audiences got to know Ryan a bit through his work in a string of romantic comedies. He was undoubtedly charming and handsome (annoying), but he never quite had the space to fire on all cylinders," Gyllenhaal humorously continued. "What we all want for our friends in this business is for the world to see what we see, and as actors, that only happens in a perfect storm of timing and the full luck. After years of waiting and struggling to fit his unfortunate, pear-shaped physique into the skinny jeans of a conventional romantic lead, Ryan made his own luck with Deadpool."

Gyllenhaal went on to write that Reynolds "built the house of Deadpool brick by brick."

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"The remarkable success of Deadpool may have shocked the suits who took a chance on financing that ragtag superhero movie, but for the people who know and love Ryan, it was no surprise that the whole damn world rallied as soon as it had the chance to really see him: all of the edges and darkness, the crackerjack wit borne from a lifetime of sensitivity and sadness, and against all odds, the openness," Gyllenhaal wrote.

"But make no mistake about it: For all of the effortlessness that Ryan projects, the man works tirelessly. He writes all night so he can be present for his kids and wife all day (and thanks to Aviation gin, he can pull off the latter)," Gyllenhaal told readers, giving a nod to Reynolds' wife Blake Lively and their two daughters James Reynolds, 3, and Inez Reynolds, 2.

"So often — too often — the wildly talented people of our world funnel the lion's share of their energy into their work, but as good a writer and comedian as Ryan is, he is a better friend and father and husband," Gyllenhaal concluded. "And that, for me, is the true mark of power."

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