Matthew Lawrence recently looked back on one of his lesser-known roles 

and shared a funny and insightful memory of working with Ryan Reynolds in the 1998 TV horror-comedy Boltneck. 

The actor, known for his role on Boy Meets World, joined his brothers Joey and Andrew on the February 21 episode of the Brotherly Love Podcast to discuss various topics, 

including the ongoing legal drama between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. However, it was his recollection of working with Reynolds in Boltneck that caught the attention of listeners.

Matthew, 45, and his brothers reminisced about their time in the industry, and the conversation took an interesting turn when Andy Lawrence, 37, 

brought up the fact that Matthew had once shared the screen with Reynolds, 48, on this unique project. Andy, with a hint of humor, described Reynolds as a “total schlub” back then.

The movie in question, Boltneck, was a low-budget TV horror-comedy loosely inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. The plot centers on Frank, played by Matthew, a science nerd who gets into supernatural trouble, and Karl, portrayed by Reynolds, who plays a character that is part of the Frankenstein narrative. Despite the film’s intriguing premise, Matthew candidly reflected on how the movie itself “missed the mark,” although he acknowledged that it had a “great script.”

One of the more memorable aspects of working on Boltneck for Matthew was his observations of a young Ryan Reynolds. While Matthew had already been working in the industry for some time, Reynolds was still early in his career, having been in only four films before Boltneck. Matthew described himself as “dialed in” and well-versed in how a set operated by that time, but Reynolds was still finding his footing.

According to Matthew, Reynolds, at the time, was more focused on doing his own thing rather than adhering to the vision the producers had for the film. He recalled how the production team had a hard time with the actor, who was known for his comedic talents even back then. “The producers were getting really upset,” Matthew recalled, “and they told Ryan he was doing a ‘bad Jim Carrey impersonation’ and that he wasn’t sticking to the script.” The production team wanted Reynolds to move away from mimicking Carrey’s style and develop his own comedic persona, but Reynolds was firm in his approach, insisting that he was simply doing “his thing.”

The frustrations of the producers were apparent, and Matthew recalled a meeting where the director and producers expressed doubts about Reynolds’ future in the industry, saying, “He’s going nowhere.” Matthew chuckled at how wrong they were, emphasizing how unpredictable Hollywood can be. “You never know in Hollywood, folks,” he said with a laugh.

Despite the tension on set, Matthew expressed understanding toward Reynolds, acknowledging that the actor was merely staying true to himself. “I’m not even mad at Ryan in the sense that he actually stayed true to who he truly is authentically,” Matthew said. “Honestly, he was trying to Deadpool it.” Matthew made a point to mention that Reynolds’ character and comedic style in Boltneck were quite similar to the later, more mature Deadpool persona that would go on to make Reynolds a household name.

Indeed, Reynolds’ self-assurance and ability to stay authentic to his comedic roots were clearly evident even in his early work. His iconic Deadpool character was a natural evolution of the persona he had begun to develop in projects like Boltneck. Matthew even remarked that Reynolds had matured significantly as both a person and an actor, but the essence of his comedic style remained unchanged.

Interestingly, Reynolds himself has since mentioned Boltneck in a 2018 advertisement for Deadpool 2, where he humorously referred to the film as a “masterpiece.” The film, which was released straight to video, is now available for streaming for free on Tubi.

Looking back, Matthew Lawrence’s reflections on working with Ryan Reynolds in Boltneck offer a glimpse into the unpredictable nature of Hollywood and the evolution of one of its biggest stars. While the movie itself may not have achieved major success, the experience was clearly formative for both actors, especially Reynolds, who would go on to become a beloved and highly successful actor. For fans of Reynolds and Lawrence alike, it’s a reminder of how far they’ve come and how the industry can shape even the most unexpected careers.

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