Betty White and Ryan Reynolds: A long love joke
Hollywood legend Betty White died at the age of 99 on December 31, 2021. Perhaps to elevate the joke that lasted all through 2021: 'Can 2021 get any worse?' Well. Knowing Betty White and her unbelievable sense of humour, it could all just be planned, who knows.
Betty White, screen legend, was known for her role in Golden Girls, where she played Rose Nylund. Betty was witty and humourus. Along with her very entertaining interviews and speeches, Betty White and Ryan Reynolds's banter over his crush on her has also kept viewers on their toes for years.
Betty was 55 years older than Ryan, and always had the upper hand in their banter. Hollywood has a world-famous history of relationships between older men and young women, so Betty and Ryan's subversion of the expected was refreshing. The joke was that Betty was too good for Ryan, who has been frequently named the "Sexiest Man Alive" by People magazine.
After starring together in The Proposal alongside Sandra Bullock in 2009, Betty and Ryan began a 'back-and-forth teasing relationship with plenty of flirtation'. Betty plays Ryan's 'Gammy Annie' in The Proposal. Ryan has been vocal about his love for Betty ever since the release of the movie.
Betty told People magazine, "I've heard Ryan can't get over his thing for me but Robert Redford is The One", while Ryan jokingly told the same magazine, "Betty is a typical Capricorn. Sleeps all day. Out all night boozing and snacking on men." When People magazine posted this article a day before her death, this is what Ryan tweeted:
I’m absolutely sick of the media exploiting past relationships just to drive clicks. https://t.co/xV8v2vVvXB
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) December 30, 2021
Here is a behind-the-scenes video from the set of The Proposal which has gone viral after Betty White's death.
Ryan has also wished Betty a happy birthday every year since they worked together. In 2018, he gave Betty a Deadpool-themed birthday surprise; while in 2019, he cheekily captioned a photo of the two of them with: "I don't usually wish ex-girlfriends Happy Birthday. But Betty's special. Happy Birthday to the one and only, @bettymwhite." He also posted the above video in 2019 on his Instagram stories to wish Betty her birthday.
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With the announcment of Betty's death, Ryan posted on Twitter saying that he would miss her. Here is the post:
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The world will miss GOAT Betty White.