Hugh Jackman Gave the Green Light for DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE’s Riskiest Joke

As you know, Deadpool is no stranger to pushing boundaries with its humor, and in Deadpool & Wolverine, Ryan Reynolds takes the humor to a new level with a joke that hits close to home… literally.

In one of the film's signature fourth-wall-breaking moments, Deadpool makes a crack about Hugh Jackman’s personal life, specifically his divorce from Deborra-Lee Furness after 27 years of marriage.

According to director Shawn Levy, the joke, which riffs on Wolverine's trademark shirtlessness, came with Jackman’s full approval.

Speaking with Wicked director Jon M. Chu during Variety’s Directors on Directors series, Levy shared the behind-the-scenes story of the now-infamous moment.

“There’s a joke where we go, ‘This is Logan. He’s normally shirtless, but he let himself go after the divorce. Deadpool is an equal-opportunity offender, but we cleared that with Hugh before we laid it out in front of the crew and the world.”

Levy then recalled that Jackman initially attempted some fourth-wall-breaking lines of his own during filming but was quickly reminded by Reynolds that Deadpool owns that territory. "The rule is, other characters don’t notice Deadpool breaking the fourth wall.”

For Jackman, the playful jab was just another reason to embrace his return as Logan, a role he previously retired from. Levy shared: “It’s the kind of humor that’s uniquely Deadpool, and Hugh was on board with it from the start.”

The film didn’t just poke fun at Jackman. Jennifer Garner, who reprises her role as Elektra, was also in on the joke when Reynolds’ Deadpool referenced her ex-husband, Ben Affleck, and his stint as Daredevil.

Unlike Jackman’s improvised moment, Garner’s line was scripted, but Levy assured fans that it was approved beforehand. “It was all in a playful spirit that everyone felt good about. Those lines wouldn’t be in the movie if Hugh and Jen didn’t think they were funny.”