The Deadpool star turned a friendly wager into a powerful lesson on men’s health, and discovered something that might have saved his life.
A Bet That Turned Into Something Bigger
When Ryan Reynolds makes a bet, he goes all in.
The Deadpool actor and his Welcome to Wrexham co-star Rob McElhenney, who also co-own the Welsh soccer club Wrexham A.F.C., challenged each other in a friendly wager. The bet? That McElhenney couldn’t learn Welsh. The stakes? If Reynolds lost, he’d get a colonoscopy… and post the entire thing on YouTube for the world to see.
Spoiler alert: McElhenney did, in fact, learn Welsh. And Reynolds, true to his word, kept the bet, turning what could have been just another celebrity stunt into a life-saving message about colon cancer prevention.
Turning Humor Into Health Awareness
Reynolds is known for his sharp wit and prankster energy, but this time his comedic instincts served a bigger purpose.
In the YouTube video titled “Rob & Ryan Lead From Behind,” viewers see Reynolds joking with doctors before his first colonoscopy. “Enough motivation for me to let you in on a camera being shoved up my ass,” he quipped, blending humor with vulnerability in the most Ryan Reynolds way possible.
But when he woke up, the mood shifted. Doctors told him they had found and removed an “extremely subtle” polyp, a small tissue growth that could have become cancerous if left undetected.
“I’m not being overly dramatic,” his doctor explained. “This is exactly why you do this. You’re interrupting the natural history of a disease that could have developed into cancer.”
In other words, Reynolds may have just saved his own life, and showed millions of men why early screenings matter.
Breaking the Stigma Around Men’s Health
Reynolds underwent the procedure at age 45, the recommended age to start regular colonoscopies. Yet studies show that only about 60% of men over 50 follow through with screening guidelines.
Colon cancer is the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths among men and women, despite being one of the most preventable. By catching precancerous polyps early, a colonoscopy can literally stop cancer before it starts.
Still, many men avoid the procedure out of fear, discomfort, or misplaced pride, a fact researchers have linked to toxic masculinity and embarrassment.
Reynolds’ video tackles that stigma head-on, showing that it’s possible to approach even the most awkward health topics with humor and honesty. His co-star Rob McElhenney also underwent a colonoscopy for the project, proudly noting he had “more benign polyps than Ryan.”
Their approach, equal parts comedy and courage, transformed an uncomfortable medical topic into a viral public health message.
Why It Matters
Reynolds’ video isn’t just a celebrity moment, it’s a blueprint for normalizing preventive health care.
Colorectal cancer is projected to become the leading cause of cancer deaths for people under 50 by 2030, making early detection more important than ever.
If one of Hollywood’s biggest stars can roll up his hospital gown and talk openly about it, the rest of us have no excuse.
As Reynolds put it best, “You can’t be too careful. Or too camera-ready.”
Watch the Full Video below:
Featured Image Screenshot from Youtube: Ryan Reynolds