Both actors pen a heartfelt tribute to Ray Chan, whom they last saw during 'Deadpool and Wolverine' reshoot two weeks before his unexpected passing, as the whole production team is rocked by the news.
- Apr 27, 2024
AceShowbiz - Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman and the entire "Deadpool & Wolverine" crew are in a somber mode. The stars and crew of the upcoming Marvel movie are mourning the loss of one of their colleagues, Ray Chan, who was the movie's lead production designer and a Marvel Studios veteran.
Chan's passing was announced on Wednesday, April 24, much to the shock of many in the film community. Among them rocked by the news was Reynolds, who is "downright gutted" by the unexpected death, according to TMZ.
The "Deadpool" star penned a heartfelt tribute to Chan on his social media pages. "RIP Ray Chan. Words are pretty inadequate in comparison to this loss," he wrote on Friday on his Instagram Story over a picture of the late crew member.
"There's an incomparable reservoir of skill, tender grit and talent no longer with us. He was as valuable a creative force on Deadpool & Wolverine as the writers, director and stars," he continued. "I don't pretend to know every chapter of Ray's heart, but I know it's unusual to encounter someone with that level of artistry, who simultaneously moved through the world with such an indelible humanity."
"He built worlds from scratch - and did so in the most collaborative and inclusive ways. Ray was peerless. He'll be missed by many, but most of all by his family," Reynolds added.
The 47-year-old hunk went on sharing his last memory of Chan, "The last time I saw Ray was exactly two weeks ago. One of last things I said to him was that he makes magic and there's nobody on earth like him. He and I would also give each other good natured s**t. So... of all the last thing you could say to someone you adore, that's a little crap of consolation I'll hang onto forever."
Jackman echoed the sentiment in his own tribute that he posted on his Story. "I am devastated to hear of the tragic news about Ray Chan," he began. "There was not a day shooting when I didn't marvel at what he created. He created magic. There was this look in his eyes. The look of a man who loved his craft."
The Australian native revealed that the last time he saw Chan was during "Deadpool 3" reshoot two weeks ago. "I've had the pleasure of working with some of the best in the business. Ray was at the very top! We did a bit more shooting 2 weeks ago. For that I will be forever grateful. It not only gave us the opportunity to fine tune our film but it gave us the bonus of time with Ray," he shared.
The "Logan" star concluded his statement by bidding his farewell, "Time for him to finish the job he loved so much. He told a great story. And man - I am so honored to have played a role. My heart goes out to Ray's family and friends. Rest well Ray. Rest well."
Meanwhile, director Shawn Levy said in his own statement, "The loss of Ray is devastating to all of us who worked on Deadpool & Wolverine. Ray did more than design the world of our movie; he lit up the world around him."
"Truly, anyone who knew Ray, or was lucky enough to collaborate with him as we were, experienced this beacon of a man: kind, warm, tenaciously devoted, and relentlessly inspiring - Ray worked and lived with a joyous and contagious humanity that is rare," he added. "He will be deeply missed but forever remembered."
Marvel Studios' Kevin Feige and Louis D'Esposito said in a joint statement, "Ray was first and foremost a good friend to everyone at Marvel Studios. He was a talented collaborator who brought creativity and attention to detail to every frame of every movie he worked on, and who was able to bring out the best in each department he worked with."
They added of Chan, who also worked on "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame", "He was the nicest human being and was such a pleasure to work with, hugely generous, and the kind of person who could take the seed of an idea and turn it into something beautiful. We are devastated by his passing. He will be missed by everyone at Marvel, and our sincerest condolences go out to his family and friends."
Chan was nominated for an Art Directors Guild Award five times, winning in 2015 and 2020 for "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Endgame", respectively. He also worked with directors such as Ridley Scott, Michael Apted, Alfonso Cuaron, Ed Zwick, James Mangold and Antoine Fuqua, and on films as diverse as "National Treasure", "Nanny McPhee", "Children of Men", "Blood Diamond", "Robin Hood", "Knight & Day" and "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves".
Chan is survived by his wife Lindsay and his children Caspar and Sebastian. The cause of death has not been shared.
