Deadpool & Wolverine co-stars Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds praised each other’s commitment to sell the film’s fight scenes. Reynolds even went so far as to admit he feared for his safety on several occasions when Jackman came at him.

Ryan Reynolds praised co-star Hugh Jackman’s athleticism while filming Deadpool & Wolverine. The compliment holds weight considering Jackman has been playing the character for more than 24 years; the actor is now 55 years old but looks as ripped as ever in the trailers for the film. In an interview with People, Reynolds said Jackman’s stunt work was “lightning” during their fight scenes. “You hit your marks in those fight scenes with speed and confidence, the likes of which I have never seen,” he added. “I don’t care if you were 25, 35, 45 or 55.” Reynolds then explained how his co-star’s physicality was at times terrifying.

“I noticed that in the film that we would change things quite quickly and say, ‘Okay, let’s try this and that,'” he said. “And particularly the physicality — that ability, the dance and that background — really came in because you would do stuff where I was convinced when you were coming at me a few times, there is no way this guy’s pulling his punch. I will be decapitated by Hugh Jackman, and that will be his f—ing cross to bear, not mine.” Reynolds was similarly irreverent yet endearing with Josh Brolin during press junkets for Deadpool 2; at one point, Reynolds told Brolin he was “so old he made dust look like a baby.” Initial trailers for Deadpool & Wolverine teased Jackman wouldn’t be spared from the same insults throughout the film.

Hugh Jackman Is Physically Intimidating In Deadpool & Wolverine

Reynolds joked he had good reason to fear for his safety during his fight scenes with Jackman. “When Hugh Jackman is coming at you at 150 Australian miles per hour, you feel like there’s no way you’re not going to be dead in four seconds,” he said. “And I will never forget that. And thank God I’m in a mask, because under the mask my face is going, ‘Oh God!'” Jackman confirmed he really bulked up for the part and even became more agile with dance training, proving he was capable of pummeling Reynolds at whim. The banter and animosity fueled the actors’ horseplay on and off-screen, mirroring their characters’ love-hate bromance in the comics.

Jackman admitted he thought he was done with Wolverine after Logan, but has recently regretted the decision. He said the physical demands of the role were starting to take their toll on him. “I had got to the point probably 10 years ago I was like, I’m not enjoying it. It was hurting. It was tough,” he confirmed. He first considered making a comeback after seeing Deadpool, and the sequel made their crossover film even more appealing. Jackman said he had been mulling the idea for some time but the decision to finally do it struck him “like a bolt of lightning.”