Ryan Reynolds was just as excited by the Parks and Wrexham video as any of the fans, it turns out. The video, from Reb McElhenney, starred Chris Pratt and, as you might expect, parodied the opening to Parks and Recreation, the series that made Pratt a household name. The video teased the creation of a “memorial park” for Reynolds in the United Kingdom, where Reynolds and McElhenney co-own a football (soccer) club. Reynolds took to social media to reshare the video, and to thank McElhenney and Pratt.
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Reynolds has been celebrating the day on social media so far, with McElhenney and Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld both sharing attention-grabbing posts first thing this morning. As noted in the video itself, McElhenney and Reynolds have a history of showering each other with shows of affection on their birthdays (even if Pratt doesn’t know anything about it).
“I’ll use this park to weep in whenever Wrexham suffers a loss,” Reynolds tweeted. “And probably draws too. And thank you [Pratt] for shining your benevolence upon [McElhenney]. April will be fast upon us.”
You can see Reynold’s post, including his comments and the video itself, below.
While it would be easy for two celebrities owning a sports team to feel like a gimmick, the pair have ingratiated themselves to the team and the community, with star Ben Foster praising them in a recent interview.
“With the new owners coming in, Rob and Ryan, they’ve done it professionally. They’ve built everything up. If you’ve watched the documentary, little things like, when they first walked in and saw the gym, it’s a shambles,” Foster added. “There’s basically a medicine ball on the floor and that’s about it. Now, it’s a fully-functioning professional gym. The lads are in there everyday giving everything they’ve got.”
“It is a special day for the two of us to become the latest stewards in the long and storied history of Wrexham AFC,” the two said in their joint statement when the purchase became final. “Together with the players, the staff, the fans, and the local community, we can now pursue our goal to grow the team and return it to the EFL in front of increased attendances, and in an improved stadium, while making a positive difference to the wider community in Wrexham. Wrexham AFC is only in a position to thrive because of the incredible efforts of the Wrexham Supporters Trust. Their members are a fitting reflection of the integrity and spirit of the town and they will always have an important role at the club.”
