Ryan Reynolds Was Impressed with Hugh Jackman's 'Sheer Relentlessness' on “Deadpool & Wolverine ”Set (Exclusive)

Ryan Reynolds tells PEOPLE that Hugh Jackman's physical performance in their new superhero movie "just looked like a clinic on stunt work"

Ryan Reynolds was wowed by friend Hugh Jackman on the set of Deadpool & Wolverine.

While speaking with PEOPLE recently for their May cover story, Reynolds, 47, remarked at how impressed he was with Jackman's work ethic in reprising his X-Men role as Logan / Wolverine for Marvel's new team-up film.

"I couldn't believe what I saw with what you did physically for this movie," Reynolds, who portrays Deadpool for the third time in the new film, says. "Not just the aesthetic transformation. That's amazing. That's incredible that anyone could do that. But just the sheer relentlessness that you dedicated yourself towards stunts and choreography."

Jackman, 57, had not portrayed his massively popular superhero character since 2017's Logan and had taken on fewer action-oriented roles in recent years. But as Reynolds notes, his longtime friend — a two-time Tony Award winner — benefitted from his experience as a stage actor even as he geared up for significant fight choreography in the new movie.

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"It was the first time I'd ever seen how invaluable — and I hope any young actors are listening to this — how invaluable a background in song and dance is when you are doing an action movie," he tells Jackman. "You hit your marks in those fight scenes with speed and confidence, the likes of which I have never seen. I don't care if you were 25, 35, 45 or 55. It was lightning."

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Reynolds went on to say that watching Jackman perform on set "just looked like a clinic on stunt work," and described Jackman's physicality in his return to the Marvel role as "one of the most impressive things I've ever seen in my life."

"And this is not even to promote the film," he adds. "I could not believe what I saw."

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For his part, Jackman credits a longtime second unit director both he and Reynolds have worked with, Brian Smrz, for emphasizing the importance of dance training in action movie choreography. "I'm not a dancer, but I have done a lot of dance training now, and dance in my job. And I love the process of it," he says.

Deadpool & Wolverine is in theaters Friday, July 26.

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