Ryan Reynolds Reveals Story Behind Madonna Approving ‘Like a Prayer’ for ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’

Ryan Reynolds is opening up about how Madonna approved the use of “Like a Prayer” for use in Deadpool & Wolverine.

During an interview with Jess Cagle on SiriusXM on Friday (July 19), Reynolds shared the story of how he and co-star Hugh Jackman, along with director Shawn Levy, convinced the Queen of Pop to license her 1989 hit for the highly anticipated superhero flick.

“It did involve a personal visit to Madonna, where we showed Madonna the sequence where ‘Like a Prayer’ would be used,” Levy said.

“Also, let’s preface it with the fact that they don’t license — that Madonna doesn’t just license the song, particularly that song,” Reynolds added. “It was a big deal to ask for it and certainly a bigger deal to use it. We went over and met with her and and sort of showed her how it was being used, and where, and why.”

“It was a big deal to ask for it and certainly a bigger deal to use it,” the Deadpool actor continued. “We went over and met with her and and sort of showed her how it was being used, and where, and why.

During the visit, Reynolds joked that he had to ask one of Madonna’s team members how to appropriately address the iconic singer.

“Like am I allowed to just say, ‘Madonna?’” he said. “Like, ‘Hello Madonna, I’m Ryan.’”

Madonna ended up granting them permission to use “Like a Prayer” — which spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1989 — and even provided some ideas on how to use the classic track in the film.

“She gave a great note,” Reynolds said. “She watched it, and I’m not kidding, [she said], ‘You need to do this.’ And damn it, if she wasn’t like spot on.”

“We literally went into a new recording session within 48 hours to do this note,” Levy added. “It made the sequence better.”

Deadpool & Wolverine opens in theaters on July 26.

Watch a clip from Reynolds’ SiriusXM interview here.