Reynolds surprised us all on his Japanese press tour, inviting us to chat with him as he visited temples, shrines and busy streets in Tokyo.
Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds was in Japan recently to promote his latest film, Deadpool 2 – which debuted in Japan on 1 June – and luckily for us, we were able to spend some time with the star.
However, in a move befitting the unconventional character of Deadpool himself, Reynolds surprised everyone by shunning the usual indoors-interview approach and inviting a select number of online news outlets to chat with him while seeing the sites of Tokyo instead.
Our Japanese-language reporter P.K. Sanjun was the lucky one who got to represent our site on the day, and he decided to probe Reynolds about Deadpool 2 and its titular character, while finding out some interesting tidbits about the Canadian star’s love for Japan’s creative industry.
So let’s get right to it and find out where Reynolds went and what he had to say on his whirlwind Tokyo tour!
Q1: There’s no other “hero movie” like Deadpool. Why do you think people have fallen in love with it so much?
“First of all, it’s because Deadpool is such a unique individual. Other superheroes are able to do what they have to do, but Deadpool’s morals can be off-whack sometimes, which is why so many people can sympathise with his character. After watching Deadpool, it’s like people come away thinking, “I’m going to try not to be the same jerk I was yesterday”.
Q2: Who has been a big influence on your comedic sense?
“Actually…my father! While my father was the type of person to shoulder a lot of stress, for me this was as funny as a hand grenade. I’m the youngest of four brothers, but whenever there were tough times, we survived by handling it with humour, which is something I tried to bring to the character of Deadpool”.
Q3: You have wonderful muscles. How do you maintain your physique?
“Preparing for a movie is hard work. Before shooting the film, I trained for two hours every day. When I was in my 20s, if I fell over or something I was able to laugh it off, but now at 41 I can’t laugh it off anymore – it just hurts and hurts. That’s why I’m always aiming to make sure I’m in good condition so I’m able to do all the required stunts.
Q4: Deadpool 2 is studded with lots of small jokes. Were there any that had to be cut for crossing a line?
“Definitely. In fact, there were so many that we couldn’t use you could make an entire catalogue out of them! Actually, there were some harsh black comedy jokes about Disney in there, and it was just at the time that Disney acquired 21st Century Fox (Deadpool 2’s distributor), so we had to give them up! Still, there are so many small jokes in the film that you can’t get them all if you just watch it once, so when you watch it again you can pick up on different jokes each time.
Q5: Which superheroes do you think would be good for a crossover?
“Mmm… There’s nobody in particular that Deadpool would want to star with, but I reckon he’d hate to be in one of those teams. After all, everyone would probably try to kill him after five minutes if he joined their team! But he’d probably be good paired up with someone from The Avengers or a character from The Guardians. Anyway, it’s not up to me, it’s up to Disney!”
Q6: Vanessa, the heroine of Deadpool and Deadpool 2, seems like a really wonderful woman. What should an everyday guy like me, P.K., do to get her to fall for me?
“If it’s you, I think you should definitely make a pass at her! You’re a good-looking guy so you’d have no problem! But Vanessa and Deadpool have a weird relationship, don’t they? Because they find each other it’s a perfect relationship in a sense. But if you really want, I can give you her address!”
At this point in the interview, P.K. was on cloud nine after being given such a compliment from the handsome actor, but instead of running down the street to tell everyone about it, he maintained his composure and pressed on with one final question.
▼ Watch out, Morena Baccarin – P.K. might be making a pass at you when you visit Tokyo!
Q7: Previously, you’ve said that Deadpool was influenced by Japan. Could you tell us a bit more about that?
“I really respect Japanese artists. In terms of movies, of course there’s the director Akira Kurosawa. I think the legacy Kurosawa left behind is truly staggering. I won’t say which particular work it is, but if we make Deadpool 3, you’ll be able to get a hint of which particular work we’re referencing.”
“And my favourite writer is Haruki Murakami. I was so influenced by him I went out and competed in the New York Marathon! I particularly love his novels Norwegian Wood and Kafka on the Shore.”
And then, just as soon as it started, P.K.’s time with Reynolds in Tokyo was over. He had just enough time to grab a selfie on the down-low after the actor paid his respects at a local shrine.
▼ According to Reynolds, P.K. is handsome enough to snare a Hollywood star.
After bidding farewell to the press, Reynolds shared this photo with his 22 million followers on Instagram, while mentioning that his love for Tokyo is so great he’s keen to buy an apartment here.
▼ Scroll left to see Reynolds with P.K. and the rest of the press gang.
If the Hollywood star does manage to get an apartment in Tokyo, it’s bound to come in handy for his next project currently in the works, as producer of the upcoming live-action Pokémon film called Detective Pikachu. And with a possible Deadpool 3 on the horizon, a Tokyo home-base would be perfect for soaking up some more inspiration from his favourite Japanese artists.
Photos © SoraNews24
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