The celebrity co-owners of British football club Wrexham, Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, have recreated a famous album cover for an inspiring Christmas tribute.

Styled to look like Wham! – the British pop duo of the late George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley – the celebrity friends took to Instagram to share a seasonal photo montage.

The first photo is in black and white and framed like the cover for Wham!’s hit 1986 holiday single, Last Christmas.

A second photo, in colour, depicts the two men from Wham!’s 1983 Fantastic album cover.

Reynolds and McElhenney are known for their sense of humour, and clever use of social media to parody their projects. But fans of the Deadpool and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia actors had a mixed response.

“This is … at once intriguing and … disturbing,” wrote one fan after McElhenney posted the photos with the single word-caption “Wrexham!”.

And this: “You guys are embracing this just a little too much”.

“No hesitation in saying this is the funniest thing I’ve seen in 2023,” wrote another.

Australian actor Hugh Jackman, who regularly stirs up the internet with an ongoing fake feud with his mate Reynolds, might be feeling a bit left out. He is yet to weigh in on the well-intentioned Wham! spoof.

Jackman and Reynolds met and struck up a friendship in 2009 on the X-Men movie set. But his most recent post, on Tuesday, was about enjoying Christmas and cheese in Geneva with friends and family.

 

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‘Made for the ’80s’

Reynolds and McElhenney took a leap of faith in early 2021 when they took over the failing Wrexham AFC, the third-oldest professional association football team in the world, as its co-chairmen.

They reinvigorated the northern Wales club, injecting cash to renovate the playing field and stands, attracted a new membership and even scored an Apple TV+ documentary series, Welcome to Wrexham.

The rags-to-riches story was capped off with a National League title win last season, with Wrexham earning promotion back to the English Football League after a 15-year absence.

Their heartfelt photo tribute comes a week before the anniversary of the day Michael was found dead in his Oxfordshire home on Christmas Day 2016.

It was later determined the 53-year-old died of natural causes.

Michael had a hugely successful solo career post-Wham!. He was one of the best selling musicians of all time, selling more than 100 million records worldwide.

His career left a lasting impression on the industry and his music remains popular around the world. The 2019 film Last Christmas – starring Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones), Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians) and Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once) – was inspired by his discography, according to People.

Earlier this year, 2023, Michael was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Tweet from @netflix

But back to reactions to the cameo by Reynolds and McElhenney.

“As a Wham! and George Michael fan, I would normally be offended but I am confused, intrigued, happy all at once,” one fan echoed the sentiments of many.

Most clever comment?

“Rex-Wham”.

And “Wrexham Up Before You Go Go”.

And finally: “Christmas ruined. Knew I could depend on you two.”

A jubilant Ryan Reynolds rides through Wrexham on a double-decker bus for a victory parade.

The two Americans became overnight soccer fanatics after completing their out-of-nowhere purchase of the club for $US2.5 million ($3.7 million) two years ago.

They even joined the Wrexham FC busy victory parade – along with a crowd of more than 10,000 setting flares, wearing Deadpool costumes and draped in flags – following its wins in the Vanarama National League and Genero Adran North on May 2.

“What an unforgettable evening in Wrexham celebrating both [Wrexham] and [Wrexham’s women’s team] gaining promotion and winning their leagues,” Reynolds wrote on his Instagram at the time.

“Bonkers.”