Kenneth Branagh on ‘Mayday,’ Ryan Reynolds, and the Heart Behind the Chaos
Sometimes the most unlikely partnerships make the best entertainment, and Apple TV may have found that with Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh in their new film, Mayday. From creative duo John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein (Game Night and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves), this unconventional action comedy takes audiences back to the final years of the Cold War, where U.S. Navy pilot Lieutenant Troy “Assassin” Kelly (Reynolds) finds himself stranded behind enemy lines. His unexpected lifeline comes in the form of Nikolai Ustinov (Branagh), a former KGB operative whose eccentric personality, questionable loyalties, and surprising fascination with American pop culture make him anything but ordinary.
An American military man and a Russian intelligence operative forced to work together? What could possibly go wrong? As it turns out, quite a bit. Still beneath the bullets, bruises, and international misunderstandings lies something much more interesting: two men discovering that friendship doesn’t necessarily recognize political boundaries. And, according to Kenneth Branagh at a recent press conference, finding that emotional connection was just as important as getting the laughs.
[Warning: possible spoilers from Apple TV’s Mayday are below!]
An unlikely partnership makes for undeniable hilarity
Ryan Reynolds has built a career on rapid-fire wisecracks and charm that makes even the most ridiculous situations entertaining. Kenneth Branagh, meanwhile, has spent decades moving between Shakespearean drama, blockbuster filmmaking, and practically everything in between. Put the two together, and you’d probably expect a battle for comedic supremacy. Instead, Branagh found a remarkably generous scene partner who recognized that sometimes the funniest thing an actor can do is let someone else take center stage.
“Ryan is very free and very present and a great listener,” Branagh explained in the virtual press conference.
That willingness to listen matters even more because Mayday doesn’t necessarily follow the usual Reynolds formula. Rather than making Troy the nonstop wisecracker, the film often lets Nikolai become the more unpredictable, comically outrageous half of the partnership. It’s a refreshing reversal, especially since Branagh’s character is a former intelligence operative who can shift from lovable eccentric to lethal killing machine in the blink of an eye. The actor praised Reynolds for recognizing what each scene needed in the moment, rather than competing for laughs, which ultimately created a friendly atmosphere that allowed both actors to explore the increasingly unusual relationship between their characters. And unusual might be putting it mildly.
Top Gun, Bruce Springsteen, and one very confused Russian
Every great action comedy needs a character who marches to the beat of his own drum. Nikolai Ustinov doesn’t just march to a different beat; he’s practically conducting an entire orchestra of American pop-culture references from the middle of nowhere. After leaving his former KGB life behind, Nikolai has developed a rather peculiar affection for American culture. His secluded cabin is filled with references to Top Gun, Bruce Springsteen, and imagery that might make visitors wonder whether they’ve ended up in a Cold War thriller or an unusually enthusiastic 1980s fan convention.
But for Branagh, those details aren’t simply there to generate laughs.
“He’s looking, I suppose, for symbols of what seem to be freedom and what seem to be power and what seem to be modern,” Branagh explained.
That fascination becomes a window into Nikolai’s complicated relationship with his surroundings. Having experienced the darker realities of Soviet intelligence work, including the devastating consequences it brought to his family, Nikolai has retreated into a life where American entertainment represents something larger than movies and music. It represents possibility. Of course, his understanding of American freedom has been filtered through Hollywood spectacle, which isn’t exactly the most reliable educational resource. But that disconnect makes him an intriguing character, not just another eccentric sidekick.
There’s something both amusing and strangely touching about a man who has built his understanding of another country around fighter jets, movie stars, and rock music. And while Nikolai might seem harmless when discussing his favorite American cultural exports, anyone foolish enough to underestimate him will likely discover just how dangerous a former KGB operative can be.
Don’t let the Mayday laughs fool you
One of Mayday’s more entertaining aspects is the contrast between Nikolai’s eccentric personality and his remarkable capacity for violence. He might get excited about a Top Gun reference, but he’s also exceptionally skilled at making sure an enemy doesn’t get back up. Branagh described Nikolai as someone whose intelligence training has made him ruthlessly efficient. There’s no unnecessary showboating when violence becomes unavoidable. His movements are calculated and economical, designed to end a confrontation as quickly as possible.
That duality gives the character an unpredictable edge. Audiences might laugh at Nikolai one moment and watch him dismantle an opponent the next. What makes the character particularly compelling is that his toughness doesn’t keep him from revealing vulnerability. Beneath the bravado and bizarre interests, he carries the load of his past and struggles with questions about freedom, loyalty, and whether he can build significant relationships after spending so much of his life surrounded by suspicion.
Those questions grow more urgent as his relationship with Troy develops. The two men begin as representatives of opposing worlds, influenced by different political systems and personal experiences.
But as they navigate one dangerous situation after another, those distinctions matter less than their shared humanity. It’s a surprisingly thoughtful foundation for a movie that also features Ryan Reynolds hiding in a closet.
Sometimes the best comedy comes from being uncomfortably close
Every buddy comedy needs at least one scene where the actors are clearly having almost as much fun as the audience. For Branagh, that moment came during a sequence in which Nikolai and Troy try to hide together in an extraordinarily cramped closet. Sharing an enclosed space with Reynolds might sound like a delightful proposition to some, but apparently it gets considerably more complicated when you’re trying to perform without bursting into laughter. Branagh recalled that the situation’s sheer absurdity, combined with Reynolds’ comedic instincts, made the scene particularly difficult to film.
At one point, Reynolds reportedly joked that Branagh was closer to him than his underwear. Not exactly the kind of observation that helps an actor maintain a straight face. The actor found himself biting his lip and thinking about particularly unpleasant subjects just to keep from laughing. Unfortunately, his efforts weren’t entirely successful, and tears of laughter apparently had to be removed digitally.
It’s the kind of behind-the-scenes story that perfectly captures what makes a strong comedic partnership work. The actors aren’t simply delivering jokes written on a page. They respond to one another, find humor in the moment, and embrace the ridiculousness of the situation. For Branagh, that sense of playfulness was essential to making Mayday work. And while the film isn’t afraid of broad comedy, its humor serves a deeper purpose than simply giving audiences something to laugh about between explosions.
Finding humanity between the punchlines in this Apple TV film
For all its action-movie swagger, Mayday ultimately explores what happens when two people who should have nothing in common discover they might understand each other better than expected. The concept could easily become overly sentimental, especially in a story about political enemies. But Branagh believes comedy provides a natural way to explore those emotional connections without making them feel forced.
“Comedy just lets man in this instance move more quickly to their feelings,” Branagh explained.
In other words, sometimes it’s easier to make somebody laugh than to admit you’re frightened, lonely, or desperately searching for a little understanding. That idea becomes central to Troy and Nikolai’s developing friendship. The two characters come from opposite sides of a decades-long ideological conflict, but beneath their professional identities are familiar human concerns. They have families, regrets, fears, and emotional baggage that political labels can’t simply explain away.
Humor becomes the language that allows them to recognize those similarities. A shared joke can reveal compassion. An embarrassing situation can break down defenses. An unexpected moment of vulnerability can transform someone who initially seems threatening into a person worth understanding. Branagh suggested that the film’s comedy helps move the characters beyond the familiar division between “us” and “them,” challenging the assumptions they’ve spent their lives accepting.
“You have to start inhabiting what some might call a gray area,” he explained.
It’s an idea that gives Mayday an emotional dimension that might not be immediately apparent from its action-packed premise. Of course, none of this means the movie forgets that audiences also came to see things explode.
Kenneth Branagh gets his hands dirty
This classically trained actor is certainly no stranger to demanding roles, but Mayday presented a particularly physical challenge. Playing Nikolai required more than mastering an accent, developing an eccentric personality, or finding the right comedic rhythm opposite Reynolds. It also meant preparing for elaborate action sequences that demanded considerable stamina, precision, and a willingness to take a few bumps along the way.
Branagh arrived approximately three weeks before filming began to prepare for the role’s physical requirements. His training included stunt choreography, stretching, yoga, and learning how to safely absorb the various hits his character would encounter. As he jokingly acknowledged, being an actor of “a certain age” means warming up and cooling down become increasingly important parts of the process.
But the preparation wasn’t simply about surviving the action. He wanted Nikolai’s fighting style to communicate something about his personality. Unlike the typical action hero who relies on brute strength and flashy moves, Nikolai approaches combat with the practical efficiency of someone who has spent years learning to stay alive.
“He’s wily and cunning,” Branagh explained. “You have to be because that’s how you stay alive.”
That approach also aligned with the filmmakers’ desire to capture much of the action in camera rather than relying too heavily on digital effects. The filmmakers encouraged both actors to perform substantial portions of the sequences themselves, including moments filmed in wider shots where audiences could clearly see the actors executing the choreography. For Branagh, whose career has often emphasized the power of language, the experience offered another chance to tell a story through physical performance. A carefully timed movement, an improvised reaction, or a particularly economical punch could communicate as much about Nikolai as an extended conversation. And in a film that draws considerable inspiration from the action movies of the 1980s, that old-fashioned commitment to physical storytelling feels entirely appropriate.
Mayday is a love letter to old-school action films
There’s something unquestionably appealing about an action comedy that understands the pleasures of a good old-fashioned cinematic adventure. The 1980s gave audiences no shortage of unlikely partnerships, larger-than-life characters, outrageous situations, and action sequences that were often just as entertaining for their personalities as their pyrotechnics. Mayday clearly loves that era.
Set during the final years of the Cold War, the film embraces the period’s atmosphere, cultural references, and cinematic sensibilities while approaching the material with a contemporary comedic perspective. For Branagh, that combination was particularly appealing because it let the filmmakers play with familiar genre expectations without getting trapped by them.
Directors Daley and Goldstein have already shown they can find fresh entertainment in well-established genres. Their previous films balance spectacle with character-driven humor, often letting the most entertaining moments emerge from the personalities of people caught in increasingly ridiculous circumstances. Branagh admired that approach long before joining Mayday. He also appreciated the directors’ clear understanding of the film’s visual style, comedic tone, and cinematic influences. Rather than simply assembling a collection of jokes and action sequences, they approached the project with a specific vision for how those elements should work together.
That confidence let Branagh explore a character who could be absurdly funny, genuinely dangerous, and unexpectedly sympathetic without feeling like three entirely different people. And for the actor, finding that balance is one of the most challenging aspects of popular entertainment.
“I think the hardest thing to do is popular entertainment of substance that is lightly done and invisibly done,” Branagh explained.
It’s a philosophy that speaks to the difficulty of making something that appears effortless. After all, audiences shouldn’t have to work to enjoy a movie like Mayday. The comedy should feel natural, the action should be exciting, and the emotional moments should emerge organically from the characters rather than arriving with a flashing sign announcing that it’s time to feel something. When those elements come together, even the most familiar premise can feel surprisingly fresh.
More than just another buddy comedy
Throughout his career, Branagh has demonstrated a deep appreciation for filmmakers who understand that memorable cinema requires more than impressive visuals or clever dialogue. During the conversation, he recalled advice from legendary actress Julie Christie, who emphasized that even an excellent screenplay needs the right director to bring it to life. Branagh has carried that lesson throughout his career, and it influenced his decision to work with Daley and Goldstein.
He also reflected on the films that helped shape his understanding of storytelling, including The Searchers, Lawrence of Arabia, Paths of Glory, and Cool Hand Luke. Although those movies might seem worlds apart from a Cold War action comedy, he sees a common thread in their ability to combine cinematic spectacle with memorable, complicated characters. He hopes audiences find that same balance in Mayday.
At its heart, the film isn’t really about the political differences separating an American pilot and a former Soviet intelligence officer. It’s about what happens when shared experiences, unexpected humor, and the realization that the person beside you might not be so different after all challenge those differences. Nikolai’s fascination with American culture starts as one of the film’s most amusing character quirks, but it gradually reveals something deeper about a man who has spent much of his life imagining a world he doesn’t fully understand.
Troy, meanwhile, must confront his own assumptions about the people he’s been taught to view as enemies. Neither character enters the relationship expecting friendship, but sometimes the most important connections are the ones nobody sees coming. And if those connections happen to develop while dodging bullets, trading wisecracks, and squeezing into spaces clearly never designed for two grown men, all the better.
Final thoughts on Kenneth Branagh and Mayday
With Reynolds bringing his signature comedic instincts and Branagh contributing a wonderfully eccentric mixture of theatrical precision, physical commitment, and unexpected vulnerability, Mayday has the ingredients for something more entertaining than a straightforward Cold War adventure. It’s a movie built around an unlikely friendship, dressed up in the wonderfully excessive clothing of an old-school action comedy. As bullets fly, political tensions rise, and Nikolai still has a few things to learn about American culture, one thing is certain. When Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh find themselves behind enemy lines together, international diplomacy is probably the least of anyone’s concerns.
Mayday is streaming on Apple TV! Have you had a chance to check out this film? What did you think of it? Share your thoughts on social media and tag @bsb.insider to keep the conversation going!
