Image Credit: Alan Markfield/New Line/Kobal/Shutterstock
Ryan Reynolds and Amy Smart, both 47, starred together in the beloved 2005 holiday flick Just Friends. Now, they’re reuniting in a fun ad campaign that pays homage to the hilarious film that brought them together as besties nearly two decades ago! “2023, New Jersey,” the scene is set as Amy (as her character, Jamie Palomino) enters the living room to see Ryan (Chris Brander) checking out their Christmas tree and asking how her day went. “Mmm, I’ve had better days,” she says as she cradles a bottle of Aviation American Gin — a brand the Free Guy star just so happens to co-own. “The bar ran out of Aviation American Gin,” she deadpans, to which Reynolds throws back his head and howls with mock horror. “Ohhh no, that’s so bad!”
Amy then breaks character to ask if they can just “cut this,” and the on-screen couple find themselves in front of a green screen. “This is weird,” Amy says. Ryan says they should try it again, so Amy, back in the faux living room, again approaches him with the problem. “Oohhhh f***!” Ryan then screams, as Amy again asks if they can “cut.” “That was a big reaction,” she said, concerned.
“Well, it’s been 18 years, you know, I think the characters have changed a bit,” he says. A third attempt at the scene has Amy pointing out that the bottle of gin she’s holding is full, so the bar can’t be out of it — at which point she guesses that they’re filming what she calls a “stupid ad for your gin company.” “It’s a self-funded sequel,” he quips.
Amy calls the move “dirty,” at which point Ryan says, “Never work with your heroes, right?” “You’re not my f***** hero!” Amy retorts, the sound of glass shattering offscreen. In the caption, Ryan included the lyrics to the iconic song featured in the film, All-4-One’s “I Swear.”
Fans were there for the long-awaited reunion between the iconic characters, and took to the comments thread on YouTube to sound off. “This Thanksgiving, we should definitely be thankful for Ryan Reynolds,” wrote a fan, while another wrote, “Just Friends needs a sequel, such a good movie. Sequel not complete without ‘I Swear’ being sung again.” A third gushed over Amy, “It’s great to see Amy Smart doing great! And STILL lovely!!”
Ryan starred in the original film as a small-town geek who goes to Hollywood, only to find himself back home in New Jersey ten years later and awkwardly romancing his longtime high school crush, played by Amy.
