Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney Share Recreation of Iconic Christmas Album Cover
Welcome to Wrexham stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took to Instagram for a very special holiday greeting. McElhenney shared a fan-rendered photoshop showing himself and Reynolds standing in for Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael, respectively, on the single cover for Wham!’s iconic track "Last Christmas." The tribute comes just a week before the seventh anniversary of George Michael’s death. He passed away on Christmas Day in 2016.
McElhenney credited X (formerly Twitter) user @DarthPunk69 with creating the photo. The above image, first posted to X on November 25, is actually the second in a series of four photos subbing out Ridgeley and Michael for McElhenney and Reynolds. All of them have been created by the same user.
The first iteration of the gag features Reynolds and McElhenney photoshopped onto the cover of Wham!’s Fantastic album. Reynolds was apparently quite fond of this one, as he shared it to his Instagram Stories.
The Wham! Stadium, we've got this. ???? https://t.co/q4ysvPuTUN pic.twitter.com/vwn1wMmf8h
— Todd Cross ???????????????????????????????????? (@DarthPunk69) November 18, 2023
Another version of the joke has the Wrexham stars replacing Ridgeley and Michael on their Make It Big cover.
Latest Ps Edition
— Todd Cross ???????????????????????????????????? (@DarthPunk69) December 4, 2023
Thank you @RMcElhenney and @VancityReynolds ????❤???????????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/oHLO3mFvwW
The final post showcases another, more jubilant version of Wham!’s "Last Christmas" art.
Warms my heart hearing my 14yo son sing Last Christmas ????❤ https://t.co/ASzjXAkl7M pic.twitter.com/xjEkVesYLu
— Todd Cross ???????????????????????????????????? (@DarthPunk69) December 8, 2023
Many outlets are reporting that Reynolds and McElhenney personally participated in the photoshoot, but it seems they’re just the result of tongue-in-cheek photo editing. Representatives for Reynolds, McElhenney, and Wrexham FC did not immediately respond to requests for clarification.
It’s the second time this month that Reynolds has shared a silly fan-generated photo of himself. On December 3, he reposted a picture his wife, Blake Lively, had taken with their friend Taylor Swift. In the edited version, Reynolds’ face replaced Lively’s, while Swift’s was replaced with that of her boyfriend, Travis Kelce.
Travis Kelce and Ryan Reynolds. ???????????? pic.twitter.com/U36wwRTLm6
— Karthiknjartist (@Karthiknjartist) December 2, 2023