Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney. Getty Images(2)
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s birthday prank wars continue — and now their families are getting involved.
“Dad?! He got to you too???” McElhenney, 47, shared via X on Sunday, April 14, posting a photo of his father, Robert, standing beside a shirtless drawing of his son. The image was commissioned by Reynolds, also 47, for his Wrexham cochairman’s birthday.
The actors kicked off their years-long friendship by buying the Wrexham Football Club together and have since celebrated each other’s birthdays with public trolling. This year, Reynolds commissioned a Titanic-themed drawing of the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star.
“As some of you may know, today is April 14th, the birthday of my beloved cochairman, Mr. Rob McElhenney. It also happens to be the day the Titanic went down,” Reynolds said in an Instagram video over the weekend. “So, for his big day this year, I financed an expedition to the ocean floor to retrieve a few bottles of Wrexham Lager, which was actually on that maiden voyage, to use in an epic birthday toast.”
Dad?! He got to you too??? pic.twitter.com/JIgKaDSbtK
— Rob McElhenney (@RMcElhenney) April 14, 2024
Reynolds explained that he posted the message a day early because it was already Sunday in Wrexham — which is located in Wales.
“We searched and searched and while unfortunately we didn’t find any drinkable Wrexham Lager, what we did find was even more beautiful,” Reynolds concluded, showing of a drawing of a shirtless McElhenney, similar to what Leonardo DiCaprio’s Jack drew of Kate Winslet’s Rose in 1997’s Titanic movie.
Instead of the heart of the ocean, McElhenney’s drawing had him wearing a Wrexham team logo pendant. Reynolds also revealed that merch with the drawing on it is available for purchase, and the original version will hang in the Tŷ Pawb Gallery located in Wrexham.
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“Didn’t miss a single chest hair. Amazing,” McElhenney commented on Reynolds’ Instagram post.
Aside from the drawing, McElhenney got the ultimate birthday gift when Wrexham was promoted to League One — the team’s second promotion since the actors took the reins. (Wrexham was previously promoted to League Two in April 2023 for the first time in 15 years.)
“A few years ago, if you had told me I would be crying tears of joy over a football match taking place in North Wales, you would be @robmcelhenney,” Reynolds posted on Saturday, April 13, after Wrexham beat Forest Green Rovers 6-0. “Congrats to @wrexham_afc and to my co-chairman in crime. Double up the town! This is the ride of our lives. 🏴.”
Wrexham’s 2023 – 2024 season is set to be showcased on FX’s Welcome to Wrexham season 3, which premieres on Thursday, May 2.
