Channing Tatum feels he owes Ryan Reynolds a debt of gratitude.

The 44-year-old actor stars alongside Ryan in 'Deadpool and Wolverine', and Channing has taken to social media to heap praise on his co-star.

Channing wrote on Instagram: "I sat in the audience when Ryan showed his first peek of Deadpool 1 to the world and I think I ran back stage right after and found him and I think I just hugged him and was like holy s*** you did it man. It’s perfect. I didn’t know him really at all back then. But since then I can say that there is almost no one that has had my back in this industry more than Ryan. I thought I had lost Gambit forever. But he fought for me and Gambit. I will owe him probably forever. Cause I’m not sure how I could ever do something that would be equal to what this has meant to me. I love ya buddy. (sic)"

Channing admitted that he feels proud to appear in the new 'Deadpool' movie.

He said: "All things happen for a reason. I’m so grateful to be in this movie. It’s a masterpiece in my opinion."

Hugh Jackman also stars in the new film, and he recently admitted that he relished the challenge of getting in shape in order to play Wolverine.

The 55-year-old actor told PEOPLE: "I had got to the point, it must have been probably ten years ago, I was like, I'm not enjoying it. It was hurting. It was tough.

"But I've had a break, and I've been doing a lot of dance. I've been doing stage shows and arena shows. And so when I came back to it, it was really fun and I was thrilled."