Hugh Jackman's Wolverine frowning at Deadpool in a car in Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) on the left, Ryan Reynold's Deadpool gasping from Deadpool (2016) on the right

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Deadpool & Wolverine.

Deadpool & Wolverine doesn’t hold back with its jokes and Marvel movie references, even if it’s at the expense of its own actors. The fourth-wall-breaking superhero has become beloved by fans because of his playful manner and unique circumstances. The meta nature of Deadpool in Marvel Comics translates particularly well to the big screen with the ever-evolving landscape of pop culture, and Deadpool & Wolverine makes it known that Deadpool is up-to-date with his celebrity gossip with fun real-life references.

Two Deadpool & Wolverine actors get the short end of the stick when it comes to the film’s jokes about celebrity divorce. Both Wolverine’s Hugh Jackman and Elektra’s Jennifer Garner have gone through a divorce in recent years, but the two seem to be in good spirits with the film’s playful jabs. The Deadpool franchise has never held back on its savage insults, and these two Deadpool & Wolverine moments prove that even its own stars aren’t safe.

Deadpool & Wolverine’s Hugh Jackman Divorce Joke Explained

Hugh Jackman Married Deborra-Lee Furness In 1996

Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) facing Deadpool in Deadpool & Wolverine

Deadpool comes across two of his variants in the Void, the well-mannered Nicepool and his pet Dogpool. When introducing Wolverine to the two, Deadpool states that Wolverine is “usually shirtless, but he’s let himself go since the divorce.” On a surface level, it’s a funny quip since Jackman’s Wolverine is very clearly in incredible shape. The divorce could’ve been a reference to the X-Men’s departure from 20th Century Fox after Disney’s acquisition, but fans who keep up with celebrity news know the hidden meaning.

Jackman and his then-wife Deborra-Lee Furness first announced their divorce in September 2023 after nearly 30 years of marriage. The two actors first met on the set of the Australian TV series Correlli in 1995 and got married a year later, going on to have two kids together. Though their relationship reportedly ended amicably, Jackman still wasn’t safe from Deadpool’s trolling. Considering the silly nature of Jackman and Ryan Reynolds’ friendship, it’s likely that Reynolds had the joke cooking for quite some time.

Deadpool & Wolverine’s Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner Divorce Joke Explained

Jennifer Garner And Ben Affleck Got Married In 2005

Jennifer Garner's Elektra and Ben Affleck's Daredevil dueling in Daredevil (2003)

There were reports that Jennifer Garner’s Elektra would return in some capacity, and her Deadpool & Wolverine cameo did not disappoint. Stuck in the Void alongside Blade, Gambit, and X-23, Elektra is part of the team that ultimately helps send Deadpool and Wolverine back home. While in their hideout, the crew explains how everyone who has gone up against Cassandra Nova has died, including Elektra’s lover Daredevil. When Deadpool offers his condolences, Elektra shrugs it off rather nonchalantly, saying it’s fine.

Garner’s Elektra first appeared in 2003’s Daredevil, starring opposite Ben Affleck. The two fell in love while filming the project, going on to get married in 2005 and since having three kids together. Elektra’s unaffected response to Daredevil’s death is undoubtedly a reference to Garner and Affleck’s divorce in 2018. Since Elektra is played by Garner in Deadpool & Wolverine, it’d mean that Daredevil in her universe still exists as Affleck. Whether the Daredevil that Cassandra killed was the variant from Elektra’s world is uncertain, but Elektra’s indifference to his death is a playful parallel.