Ryan Reynolds was “humiliated” to have to cut Rob McElhenney’s cameo from “Deadpool & Wolverine,” as his friend and co-owner of Wrexham football club flew all the way to London to make it happen. McElhenney filmed scenes for the Marvel blockbuster as a Time Variance Authority soldier, but they did not end up in the film. Reynolds wants the scenes to “hopefully live on in the digital extras.”

“They say in film editing that sometimes you gotta kill your darlings. And with a heavy heart (and some amazing outside intervention) I had to kill a darling with this cameo,” Reynolds wrote on Instagram, accompanied by photos of McElhenney in character on set.

“The sequence didn’t work the way we originally made it,” Reynolds explained. “Rob was the only reason it stayed in the cut for so long, because even under a TVA mask and helmet, you can feel him smoldering with a raw and almost infinite reservoir of talent, writing spirit and ‘I make hit TV shows’ bravado. Don’t even get me started on Wrexham. I wouldn’t know a love like Wrexham if it wasn’t for Rob McElhenney.”

“Anyway, I loved making this movie, but it wasn’t without its stresses,” Reynolds continued. “There was a lot of expectation — and I’m pretty sure the best-written villain in the history of cinema is ‘Expectation.’ And when you’re doing stressful things, it feels good to have friends around. And while I’m mortified that he flew all the way to London for a cameo that wasn’t meant to be, I’m grateful that my friend was there with me on set. When I see Rob, my heart rate slows down and my nervous system stops screaming. He shows up for people. And he showed up for me.”

While McElhenney didn’t make it into “Deadpool & Wolverine,” there were plenty of other surprise cameos, including Channing Tatum as Gambit, Wesley Snipes as Blade, Jennifer Garner as Elektra and Chris Evans as Johnny Storm. These surprise cameos have helped “Deadpool & Wolverine” become the highest-grossing R-rated film in history with $1.15 billion and counting.

“Deadpool & Wolverine” is now playing in theaters nationwide.