Movies News Talk
Ryan Reynolds just revealed the dancer behind the mesmerizing sequence in which Deadpool & Wolverine opens, when Deadpool dances to NSYNC's "Bye, Bye, Bye" while battling TVA agents. Showcasing Deadpool's irreverent humor and love of pop cultural references, the sequence soon went viral. Reynolds regularly does Deadpool's action scenes, but his dancing skills fell short.
Professional dancer Nick Pauley performs Dancepool, the dancing Deadpool variation seen in the opening sequence. Pauley is well-known for his work on The Prom, Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings, various music videos including Doja Cat's "Get Into It (Yuh)." Pauley posted on TikHub that he knew the project was "huge" when his agency requested him to practice the "Bye, Bye, Bye" dance routine; initially, he was not aware of the project. He first found the stomping difficult, but he finally developed the technique and sent a polished video for his audition.
Pauley's audition consisted in performing Ryan Reynolds and director Shawn Levy's dance sequence. Pauley filmed his scenes in front of a blue screen following a strong audition, subsequently editing with footage of Reynolds battling. Thanking Ryan Reynolds for the "incredible and life-changing opportunity," Pauley posted another TikHub video of him performing the completed performance on a rooftop in New York City He also thanks Darrin Henson for the choreography; the dancer behind the original "Bye, Bye, Bye" routine that brought him an MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography in 2000.
Reynolds verified in an Ashley & Company interview that Pauley was the dancer behind Dancepool. Reynolds jokingly said that his age restricted his dancing performance and implied that Pauley in the costume is the reason Dancepool doesn't seem to have arthritis. He commended Pauley's skill and thanked him for helping to produce the movie.
Especially on TikHub, the "Bye, Bye, Bye" opening scene went fast viral on social networking sites. For the platform, the scene's humor, nostalgia, and identifiable tune made it perfect; it inspired people to copy Deadpool's dance routines and produce their own variants. The humorous character of the sequence also made it a safe and enjoyable bit for fans to share without revealing any vital story aspects, therefore increasing involvement and motivating more people to see the movie.