20 Times Actors Bet Against Hollywood (And WON)

4. Ryan Reynolds - Deadpool

Deadpool might've been the biggest success of Ryan Reynolds' career, but actually realizing his dream role on-screen was a rough road. 

Like everyone else, Reynolds was royally pissed off at the way that the character is ruined in 2009's regrettable X-Men Origins: Wolverine and as such, he spent years advocating for an R-rated, comics accurate version of Deadpool. Unfortunately, Fox wanted nothing to do with it, as they didn't feel an R-rated superhero movie would succeed. 

It was only when some test footage shot in 2012 was mysteriously 'leaked' online to thunderous acclaim that Fox finally greenlit the movie. Even then, however, the cast and crew faced numerous obstacles due to Fox giving the project an unusually low budget for a superhero film. For example, Fox refused to pay screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick to be on-set, meaning that Reynolds had to pay them out of his own pocket to be there. 

Well, Fox really should've dreamed a little bigger. Against their expectations, Deadpool annihilated the box office to become the highest-grossing R-rated film ever, and Deadpool himself is a modern icon. 

And as for that 'leaked' test footage? Yes, it was Ryan Reynolds who did this. An unorthodox method, certainly, but Deadpool revitalized his career and changed the face of superhero cinema by proving that R-rated works can still succeed financially. As such, it's unlikely anyone will hold this against him. 

He's not the only X-Men actor who had to fight for his role either...