Ryan Reynolds Jokingly Rips ‘Objectively Perfect’ Jonathan Bailey in “Wicked” Speech: ‘Pump the Talent Breaks’
The actor praised the 'Wicked' star's good looks in his speech at the 2025 National Board of Review Awards gala
The actor praised the 'Wicked' star's good looks in his speech at the 2025 National Board of Review Awards gala Jamie McCarthy/Getty; Karwai Tang/WireImage Ryan Reynolds, Jonathan Bailey:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/ryan-reynolds-jonathan-bailey-010825-79b39308270e4765b30cfccf2bc5c004.jpg "Ryan Reynolds poses during The National Board of Review Annual Awards Gala; Jonathan Bailey attends the")
Ryan Reynolds has a bone to pick with Jonathan Bailey!
The actor, 48, jokingly called out the Wicked: Part One actor, 36, for being “objectively perfect” while presenting the movie at the National Board of Review Awards gala in New York City on Tuesday, Jan. 7.
Making his first public appearance since his wife Blake Lively filed a complaint against It Ends With Us costar Justin Baldoni, Reynolds quipped in his speech, “I have one note. I think we can all agree that Jonathan Bailey is objectively perfect. Perhaps too perfect. Personally, I would've preferred fewer scenes featuring Mr. Bailey.”
“Being good is great, but being great is bad. You can't just go around indiscriminately spraying charisma all over an enraptured audience. It might feel nice in the moment but it could easily destabilize the entire industry," he continued.
The Deadpool & Wolverine star also joked that Bailey was "making us look terrible" — referring to the rest of the leading actors in Hollywood. John Nacion/Variety via Getty Reynolds speaks onstage at The National Board of Review Gala in N.Y.C. on Jan. 7
“...The HLMS, or Hollywood Leading Man Society, simply cannot sustain a standard of performance this high and it is in our collective best interest that Jonathan Bailey tone it the f - - - down,” Reynolds said. “I cannot work harder than I already work and plastic surgery frightens me, Johnny ... Let's just pump the talent breaks or get out of f--- town."
The father of four went on to praise Bailey for being “hardworking," "kind” and “easy on the eyes."
“But the HLMS relies on predictable mediocrity. Do not force our hand, Bailey,” he warned the British actor in conclusion.
Wicked: Part One scooped awards for best film and director on the evening along with the Spotlight Award for the "creative collaboration" between leading costars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Bailey at the 'Wicked' premiere in Los Angeles in November
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Back in December, Reynolds was winning awards of his own when he received the Order of Canada, the highest civilian distinction.
And in a statement exclusively shared with PEOPLE on Dec. 19, the actor said he “couldn’t be more emotional and proud" of the award.
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“I’m so grateful to be a part of the ever-evolving Canadian story," Reynolds, a native of Vancouver, said.
He went on to thank went on to thank his “third parent" — the communities across Canada who “supported and shaped" him.
Reynolds — who shares four children with Lively — continued. “I’m asking the Governor General if I can break my officer’s medal into thousands of little pieces to share.”
