During the filming of the 2012 thriller Safe House, Ryan Reynolds inadvertently caused a major disruption while co-star Denzel Washington was delivering a crucial performance. The incident, shared by Reynolds during a career talk at the Toronto International Film Festival, centered around his phone ringing at the worst possible moment, breaking Washington’s intense concentration during a pivotal scene. This unexpected interruption underlined the tension present on set and became a memorable moment for everyone involved.
The High-Stakes Scene Interrupted by an Unexpected Sound
Safe House, directed by Daniel Espinosa, stars Reynolds and Washington as agents caught in a dangerous alliance while being hunted by mercenaries. The incident happened during the emotional climax of the film, where Washington’s character is mortally wounded and reflects on his past mistakes. Just as he was delivering a powerful, tearful performance, Reynolds’ phone ringtone suddenly pierced the silence.
“He’s been shot, wounded, dying, admits all the stuff that he did wrong. Tears start rolling down his face. And suddenly you hear — and this is take two, by the way, because take one there was a technical problem — we hear [Frank Sinatra singing] ‘Come fly with me, let’s fly, let’s fly away.’” —Ryan Reynolds, Actor
The ringtone belonged to Reynolds, and the timing could not have been worse. The crew’s patience quickly wore thin, and even Washington momentarily lost his focus in frustration.
Attempted Deflection and Revealed Culprit
In the immediate chaos following the ringtone, Reynolds tried to deflect blame by questioning the nearby stuntmen rather than admitting responsibility:
“I stand up and look at all the stuntmen around me, and I go, ‘Who the f*ck’s phone is that? Inexcusable!’” —Ryan Reynolds, Actor
Eventually, the assistant director identified Reynolds as the source of the disruption. Despite the tension, Washington agreed to reshoot the scene, acknowledging the need to get through it:
“He was like, ‘D, can you do another one?’ And [Washington] was like, ‘We’re going to have to, aren’t we?’ And I’m like, ‘Yes, [because of] the stunt men! Inexcusable!’” —Ryan Reynolds, Actor
Reynolds’ Reflection on the Embarrassing Moment
Looking back, Reynolds considers the episode a clear example of his own carelessness, creating a cringe-worthy memory for himself and those on set:
“Dumb-dumb is sitting on his phone. I’m dumb-dumb in this story. And I can feel everybody looking around like, ‘What the f*ck is happening right now?’ I can see Denzel with a tear in his eye.” —Ryan Reynolds, Actor
This moment highlights the high-pressure environment during the filming of Safe House, especially for Washington, who was fully immersed in his character’s emotional journey.
Impact on the Filming and Behind-the-Scenes Atmosphere
The incident with Reynolds’ phone ringtone during Washington’s intense Safe House moment serves as a reminder of the delicate balance required in high-stakes film productions. Such breaks in concentration can undermine the emotional weight of critical scenes and disrupt the cast and crew’s workflow. Despite this disruption, the production continued, with Washington’s professionalism ensuring the scene was ultimately completed as intended.
Reynolds’ recounting of this behind-the-scenes mishap adds a humanizing layer to the film’s production story, revealing that even seasoned actors face unexpected challenges. It remains unclear whether Washington ever learned this story directly from Reynolds or heard it later through interviews.
