While at TIFF, Ryan Reynolds reveals that his phone ruined Denzel Washington’s climactic emotional moment in Safe House. Directed by Daniel Espinosa, the 2012 action thriller features the ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool star as an inexperienced CIA agent who finds himself on the run with a dangerous fugitive, played by Washington, after their safe house is attacked.

Grossing $208 million worldwide and earning mixed reviews from critics, the film features plenty of gritty action sequences, but it also doesn’t shy away from emotion. One particularly emotional moment comes towards the end of the film when Washington’s character, Tobin Frost, comes clean to Reynolds’ while bleeding out.

During a recent appearance at TIFF, where ScreenRant is in attendance, Reynolds recalls his phone going off and ruining one of Washington’s takes during this touching Safe House moment. The actor hilariously explains that he feigned ignorance, pretending it wasn’t his. Check out Reynolds’ story below:

“I’m really, really scared, because he’s Denzel Washington, and I’m me! But the great thing is the character’s terrified. So it’s no problem. But the last scene of the movie, he’s dying on the floor and he’s like the guy’s method actor. He said two words to me, the whole movie, and he knocks on my trailer door and says, ‘Can we rehearse?’ I’m like, ‘Yes, do come in,’ and I bring my Denzel Washington posters down, sit down.

“Anyway, he rehearses the scene with me. It’s a very powerful scene. He’s got to cry in the scene. Big, big, big time with this guy with an emotional scene. You get it twice, you get it once, and then you get it twice that second time if you f*** up, that’s on you. That’s not going to be on him. And he’s leaving, so you better get it.

“So he does this emotional scene. It’s crazy. There’s all these stunt guys, these ᴅᴇᴀᴅ stunt guys around in the scene, and he’s been sH๏τ, wounded and dying. Oh, he admits all the stuff that he did wrong. Tears start rolling down his face. And suddenly you hear — and this is take two, by the way, because take one there was a technical problem — we hear [Frank Sinatra singing] ‘Come fly with me, let’s fly, let’s fly away,’

“I’m hearing the director go, who the f***’s phone is that? The first AD goes who’s phone is that. Finally, Denzel breaks character [and says], ‘Who the f***’s phone is that?’ I stand up and look at all the stuntmen around me, and I go, ‘Who the f***’s phone is that? Inexcusable!’

“He was like, ‘D, can you do another one?’ And [Washington] was like, ‘We’re going to have to, aren’t we?’ And I’m like, ‘Yes, [because of] the stunt men!”

What This Means For Safe House

Because it’s Ryan Reynolds, it’s possible the story has been embellished for comedic effect, but it does highlight just how seriously someone like Washington takes his craft. This approach to acting has evidently paid off, as Washington has two Oscar wins under his belt and eight more nominations, not to mention his frequent recognition at the Golden Globes and the SAG Awards.

Reynolds’ story also makes clear that Washington doesn’t take his work any less seriously when it’s genre fare. Safe House was never going to win any Oscars, but he still approached the scene and his character with seemingly the same level of dedication. Unfortunately, this didn’t drive the film to success.

Made on an $85 million budget, Safe House could have been looking at a break-even point of around $212 million, meaning it may actually have ended its run as a theatrical disappointment. Combined with a 52% critics’ score and a lukewarm 63% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes, the Washington and Reynolds collaboration wasn’t a hit.

Our Take On Ryan Reynolds’ Safe House Story

Though Safe House may not be one of the most memorable action thrillers from the 2010s, the combination of Reynolds and Washington is one of its strengths. Even where the script may fall short, both actors give the film the weight and charisma it needs to be, at the very least, an entertaining, easy watch.

It’s a shame, then, that Washington and Reynolds have not worked together again since. Washington remains active in the genre, starring in the popular Equalizer movies, while Reynolds is predominately focused on major blockbuster fare, including recent films like ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine (2024) and IF (2024).

It seems unlikely that the ringing phone is responsible for Washington and Reynolds not working together again, especially since it’s something Reynolds can laugh at now. If another collaboration after Safe House does happen, though, Reynolds will evidently be making sure his phone is on silent.