Kenneth Branagh left Ryan Reynolds “starstruck” with an unexpected skill that completely changed how he saw the legendary actor. The Mayday star revealed why working with Branagh became “the best job” he ever had.
Ryan Reynolds discusses Kenneth Branagh’s genre shift in Mayday
Ryan Reynolds praised Kenneth Branagh’s unexpected comedic talent while promoting their upcoming film Mayday, in an interview shared by Deadline. The Apple TV action comedy pairs Reynolds with the acclaimed Shakespearean actor in a Cold War buddy adventure. Reynolds expressed genuine surprise at Branagh’s improvisational skills on set.
“I’m shocked to know that Ken is an incredible improviser,” Reynolds said. He noted that Branagh could abandon preparation and embrace spontaneity during filming. “You prepare and prepare to throw it all away and just have fun,” he added.
Reynolds highlighted Branagh’s versatility despite his classical training and prestigious career. “You have this kind, experienced, thoroughbred Shakespearean, properly trained actor, seven Academy Award nominations in different categories,” Reynolds said. He described Branagh as “completely leapfrogging the old and young guard in the buddy comedy action genre.”
The actor also reflected on Branagh’s ability to reinvent himself through the project. “He found in this movie, I felt like he found another way to become a revelation,” Reynolds said. He described the experience of accessing Branagh’s “little secret weapons that he’s never used before.”
Reynolds admitted he still feels starstruck working alongside performers he admires. “I’ve been doing this for three decades, but I still get really excited and blown away working with idols,” he said. “Every day I got to go to work with a guy that I just had so much respect for.” He called Mayday “the best job I ever had.”
The film, directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, follows a U.S. Air Force pilot who befriends a Russian ex-KGB carpenter after ejecting over Soviet territory in 1987. Mayday also stars Maria Bakalova, Marcin Dorociński, and David Morse. The film releases on Apple TV on September 4, 2026.
Originally reported by Vritti Johar on Comingsoon.net.
