What does one do when fame and fortune aren’t sufficient? Buy a complete soccer membership, in fact.
That was the case for actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The duo not solely grew to become co-chairmen of the Wrexham A.F.C. crew in Wales, however chronicled their journey in Welcome to Wrexham — a documentary sequence for which Disney+ has launched the primary trailer for.
“In 2020, Rob and Ryan teamed as much as buy the fifth tier Purple Dragons within the hopes of turning the membership into an underdog story the entire world may root for,” reads the sequence’ official synopsis, based on AV Membership. “The fear? Rob and Ryan haven’t any expertise in soccer or working with one another.”
Whereas it’s unclear whether or not the 2 have seen Ted Lasso, they actually channelled its formidable American protagonist when buying the Wrexham crew. The acquisition in 2020 started with a couple of Instagram messages within the early days of the pandemic, based on Yahoo.
Reynolds initiated the dialog earlier than sending McElhenney, whom he had by no means even met, a case of his Aviation American Gin. Inside months, the budding friends collectively contemplated shopping for a European soccer membership — main McElhenney to ask his spouse, Kaitlin Olson, for recommendation.
“So I stated to my spouse, ‘Do you assume if it’s a good suggestion if I ask Ryan if he desires to be a companion?’” McElhenney advised Males’s Well being in 2021. “And he or she stated, ‘Properly, that relies on whether or not or not your ego can take sharing area with Ryan Reynolds.’”
“And the reality is, my first thought was Ooh, you’re proper.”
The 2 finally agreed to purchase Wrexham, the third-oldest skilled soccer membership on the planet. Whereas the crew competes in England’s fifth-tier nationwide league, Reynolds stated the purpose wasn’t to take over one thing already victorious, however to guide an underdog to triumph.
Bradley Collyer – PA Photos through Getty Photos
“It was us not simply buying a soccer membership within the nationwide league, however actually engaged on a neighborhood that surrounds that membership and getting concerned locally round that membership and rising that,” Reynolds advised Yahoo. “And that’s the factor that basically hooked me.”
Wrexham frequently performs on the native Racecourse Floor, which holds 10,500 seats and opened in 1807. These grounds function the oldest soccer stadium to carry worldwide matches, based on Selection.
Whereas Reynolds and McElhenney are well-known for his or her acerbic senses of humour, the brand new trailer is maybe surprisingly low on laughs. The pair wasn’t joking after they got down to fortify the Welsh crew, as evident by the $2.3 million they’ve already invested.
Welcome to Wrexham premieres August 24 on FX in the USA and can stream solely on Disney+ beginning August 25 within the UK.
