Ryan Reynolds further established himself as one of Hollywood’s most celebrated leading men when he took on the role of the wise-cracking mutant mercenary Wade Wilson in the superhero hit Deadpool, delivering an iconic and unforgettable performance as the Marvel Comics character. The big-screen extravaganza debuted in theaters in 2016 and was a knockout with critics and audiences alike, earning over $782 million and paving the way for a lucrative, fan-favorite franchise.

The first two flicks featured Reynolds working alongside comedian T.J. Miller, who portrayed Wade’s trustee sidekick Weasel, with the pair sharing uproarious jokes and jabs and showcasing their winning on-screen camaraderie. In 2022, Miller made some blunt and startling comments about collaborating with Reynolds, declaring that he would never work with the leading man again. Miller was in fact absent from the newly released blockbuster hit Deadpool & Wolverine, seemingly keeping his word when it came to reuniting with Reynolds. Let’s dive in and see why Miller refuses to work with Ryan Reynolds again.

Who Is T.J. Miller?

Actor and comedian T.J. Miller made his feature film debut in the 2008 found footage extravaganza Cloverfield, in which he portrayed cameraman Hud Platt, who courageously captured the widespread terror and giant monster wreaking havoc on New York City in the trailblazing horror flick. Miller would go on to find further success on both the big and small screen, providing his distinct voice as Tuffnut Thorston in the beloved How to Train Your Dragon animated franchise while also starring in a slew of sidesplitting comedies including She’s Out of My League, Our Idiot Brother, and Office Christmas Party.

In 2014, Miller began appearing as entrepreneur Erlich Bachman in the critically-acclaimed HBO comedy series Silicon Valley, centering on brilliant programmer Richard Hendricks as he creates a startup company known as Pied Piper and struggles with the stress he and his fellow team experience while trying to stay ahead of their competition. The program parodied the technology industry culture in the eponymous global center, and ran for six seasons until 2019, attracting praise and appreciation during its TV tenure.

Miller won a Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his impressive work in the engrossing show, but was ultimately removed from Silicon Valley ahead of its fifth season, with creator Mike Judge claiming it was because Miller didn’t show up for work and was “seemingly under the influence” when he did. The comedian would continue to be plagued by controversy but nonetheless had prominent roles in films like Transformers: Age of Extinction, Big Hero 6, and Ready Player One, before landing an important part in the 2016 blockbuster hit Deadpool.

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What Character Did Miller Play in Deadpool?

Ryan Reynolds delivered a truly iconic and unparalleled performance as the foul-mouthed, self-deprecating mutant mercenary Wade Wilson in the epic superhero knockout Deadpool, in which Miller portrayed Wilson’s best friend and wise-cracking sidekick Weasel. Producer Simon Kinberg chose the funny man to appear as the character because the studio needed an actor “who could keep up with” Reynolds comedically, with Miller adding he was chosen because he “looks like his superhero power is spilling mustard on his shirt”.

Miller starred as Weasel in the first two Deadpool films, with each of the raved-about installments earning over $780 million worldwide and being celebrated for their delightfully profane humor, charismatic performances, and wildly entertaining premises. After the massive impact and positive reception of Deadpool 2 in 2018, it didn’t take long until a third movie was announced to be in the works, and with news of Deadpool being integrated with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) the project quickly gained steam.

Controversy & Sexual Assault Allegations

Shortly after his dismissal from Silicon Valley, controversy and negative publicity began to plague Miller, with the actor being arrested for assaulting an Uber driver in 2016 and later being apprehended once again when he made a fake bomb threat while on an Amtrak train in 2018. Both cases were ultimately settled out of court, yet Miller’s bad decisions didn’t stop there, as during the height of the Me Too movement he was accused of violent behavior during a sexual encounter with a female at George Washington University in 2001.

The anonymous woman accused Miller of choking, shaking, and punching her in the mouth during a sexual encounter, allegations that were corroborated by witnesses and led to student conduct proceedings being held, with the results being sealed by the university. Miller denied the sexual assault allegation, but his career took a massive hit, as DreamWorks Animation removed the actor from How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World as a result of the disturbing claims. Filming for Deadpool 2 had already been completed by the time the woman came forward with her allegations against Miller, though that wasn’t the only problem he faced with the franchise.

Miller Alludes to On-Set Tension with Reynolds

There apparently appears to be no love lost between Miller and his Deadpool co-star Reynolds, as the controversial star made pointed remarks about the film’s leading man during a 2022 appearance on The Adam Carolla Show, bluntly expressing how he feels his former co-star hates him and how he attempted to belittle him in front of their cast and crew. Though he commended Reynolds for his dazzling performance as the Merc with a Mouth, Miller went on to call him an “insecure dude” outside of Hollywood and claimed he tried to embarrass him while filming a scene:

“As the character, he was, like, horrifically mean to me . But to me. As if I’m Weasel. He was like, ‘You know what’s great about you, Weasel? You’re not the star, but you do just enough exposition that it’s funny, and then we can leave and get back to the real movie.'”

Miller went on to suggest that the exchange went far beyond their on-screen dynamic and that he believes Reynolds genuinely dislikes him as a person and that after the sensational success of the first Deadpool, the actor’s fame went to his head. The comedian went on to state that the on-set interaction told him all he needed to know about who Reynolds was as an individual and that it left a sour taste in his mouth, telling Carolla that he had no desire to collaborate with the star in future films.

“Would I work with him again? No. I would not work with him again . I sorta wish him well because he’s so good at Deadpool , and I think it’s weird that he hates me…I don’t wish them any ill will. I think [Reynolds] should make a Deadpool 3 and continue to make movies. I just think he doesn’t like me, and I thought it was weird how he expressed that.”

Miller Changes His Tune

Shortly after his unfiltered opinions of Reynolds came to light and spread in the media, Miller confirmed shortly after his interview with Adam Carolla that the pair had reconciled and hashed out their differences. The comedian revealed during an appearance on SiriusXM’s Jim Norton & Sam Roberts that Reynolds quickly reached out to him following the release of his comments in order to make amends. Miller seemed to change his tune over his allegations and feelings towards Reynolds, blaming the media for their obsession with negative press:

“I didn’t think that I had said anything that was that negative. I feel bad that it was picked up and that it was misconstrued. For sure. But no, it was the next day… he and I talked, and it’s fine…It was very cool for him to say, ‘Hey, you know, I just heard on the show that you were upset about this.’ And I kind of said, ‘You know, I’m not,’ and then we sort of just hashed it out really quickly.”

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Though Miller and Reynolds ultimately made up, the former star was notably missing in his role as Weasel in the highly-anticipated third installmentDeadpool & Wolverine in 2024, which is already shattering records and dazzling moviegoers all across the world with its star-studded cast, raunchy humor, and electrifying pairing of Reynolds and Hugh Jackman. It seems very unlikely that Miller will return to the Deadpool franchise as he hasn’t appeared in a film since the 2020 romantic comedy The Stand In, with the comedian’s career seemingly being on a decline following the troubling sexual assault accusations made against him.