Bullet Train: Ryan Reynolds' Hilarious Cameo Was To Pay Back Brad Pitt
Ryan Reynolds' appearance in "Bullet Train" was one of the most surprising cameos in a movie filled with small details you may have missed. The "Deadpool" star's small role was just one of many stellar cameos David Leitch squeezed into the hilarious yet deadly train ride. It has become a trend for the director to use his Hollywood connections to get some big-name stars in his movies, with Kevin Hart appearing in "Hobbs & Shaw" and Brad Pitt vanishing in "Deadpool 2."
It turns out Pitt's cameo in the superhero movie led to Reynolds filming a small cameo in "Bullet Train." In an interview with Insider, Leitch revealed that getting Reynolds on board was all about returning the favor for Pitt's "Deadpool 2" cameo. "I just pitched him the idea of, 'Why don't you pay back Brad for the cameo in Deadpool 2?'" he shared while reflecting on his conversation with Reynolds. "That's really all it took. He was like, 'I'm in.' He was really grateful that Brad did that for him, so he really wanted to support us on this."
Leitch also stated that he loves surprising audiences, taking advantage of the relationships with the actors on set to deliver the best superstar cameos.
Deadpool 2 was Brad Pitt's easiest role
For those living under a rock, Brad Pitt made a surprise cameo in David Leitch and Ryan Reynolds' "Deadpool 2," lending his talents to Vanisher. Deadpool's X-Force team member is entirely invisible (and thought to not even exist) until a parachuting accident sends thousands of volts of electricity through his body, revealing Pitt's face seconds before he dies.
The cameo is super short, so shooting it was the lowest possible degree of difficulty, according to Pitt, who answered BBC Radio 1's question with laughter. "What was shooting that like? Pretty much the easiest thing I've ever done," the actor said, revealing just how far back his and Leitch's relationship goes. "Dave's an old friend of mine, and he used to be ... he was my stunt double starting with 'Fight Club' and all the way up till about 2004. And then he went off and became a really good director, which is rare. He and Ryan [Reynolds] called and, like, why not?"
In a 2018 interview with Entertainment Tonight at San Diego Comic-Con, "Deadpool 2" producer Rhett Reese joked that Pitt would only sign on if Reynolds personally delivered him a cup of coffee, meaning he'd essentially do it as a favor to a friend — which Reynolds paid back with his "Bullet Train" cameo.