Hollywood is full of fake friendships. You see two actors smiling on a red carpet, and then you find out they couldn’t stand being in the same trailer. But the bond between Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, and the late, great Betty White was something else entirely. It wasn't just a PR stunt to sell a movie. It was a decade-long running gag that felt like a family holiday dinner where everyone is slightly tipsy and trying to out-insult each other.
Honestly, it all started with The Proposal back in 2009. If you’ve seen it, you know the vibe. Sandra is the high-powered boss from hell, Ryan is the long-suffering assistant, and Betty is the eccentric "Gammy" Annie who basically steals every scene she's in. But what most people don’t realize is that Ryan and Sandra were actually friends for nearly ten years before they ever set foot on that set. They weren't just colleagues. They were a support system.
That Infamous "Feud" and the Slap Heard 'Round the Internet
If you want to understand why people are still obsessed with this trio in 2026, you have to look at the "behind the scenes" promotional videos. There’s one specifically that lives rent-free in the collective mind of the internet. It’s a sketch where Ryan and Betty are "feuding" on set.
Betty plays a total diva. She pretends she doesn’t know who Ryan is, calls him a "jackass," and demands he get her coffee. When Ryan finally snaps and starts yelling back at her—calling her a "national treasure" with maximum sarcasm—Sandra steps in. She doesn't just mediate. She literally takes Ryan aside and tells him he’s nothing compared to Betty White.
"I am on the poster of this film. No one knows who you are, Ryan," she deadpans before basically slapping him.
It was a masterclass in "working blue," a term Ryan often used to describe Betty’s humor. She had this uncanny ability to say the most shocking, raunchy things with the sweet face of everyone’s grandmother. That contrast is exactly why the chemistry worked. You had three people who were all incredibly secure in their own talent, allowing them to relentlessly mock each other without any ego getting in the way.
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Why The Proposal Almost Didn't Happen
It’s hard to imagine anyone else in those roles now. But did you know Julia Roberts was originally considered for the lead? She reportedly turned it down because the salary wasn't high enough. That opened the door for Sandra Bullock, and the rest is rom-com history.
The production was also weirdly deceptive. The movie is set in Sitka, Alaska, but almost none of it was filmed there. They shot most of it in Massachusetts—specifically Rockport and Manchester-by-the-Sea. Those giant Alaskan mountains you see in the background? Most of those were added in post-production.
The Nude Scene: A Lesson in Vulnerability
One of the most talked-about moments in the film is the "collision" scene where Sandra and Ryan’s characters accidentally run into each other while both are naked.
It sounds like a nightmare to film. Sandra has since joked in interviews that she told the crew, "I don't care if it's cold, I don't care if I'm naked, just make it funny." They had to wear "flesh-colored pasties" and tape, which sounds about as un-sexy as it gets. Ryan and Sandra have both said that their long-term friendship made it easier because there was a level of trust there, even if it was objectively ridiculous to spend a whole day basically "taped" to your best friend.
The "Ex-Girlfriend" Birthday Tradition
For years after the movie wrapped, the trio kept the bit alive. Specifically, Ryan Reynolds and his annual birthday tributes to Betty White. He started a tradition of calling her his "ex-girlfriend" on social media.
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- 2018: Ryan posted a photo of himself as Deadpool holding a martini and a hot dog, with a framed photo of Betty in the background. It was a nod to her famous quote that the secret to a long life was "vodka and hot dogs, probably in that order."
- 2019: He shared a photo of them gazing into each other's eyes, again wishing his "ex" a happy birthday.
- 2020: This was the peak. Sandra and Ryan teamed up for a video to celebrate Betty’s 98th birthday. They sang "Happy Birthday" to her, but it quickly devolved into a competition over who loved her more.
"What does Sandy do for you every year?" Ryan asked in the video. "Does she show up and hand-deliver flowers to you wearing nothing but black socks and a dozen gold bracelets? Doubt it."
He then fake-cried. It was classic Reynolds, but it showed how much they genuinely adored her.
Dealing With the Loss of a Legend
When Betty White passed away on New Year's Eve in 2021, just weeks shy of her 100th birthday, the world felt it. But for Sandra and Ryan, it was personal.
Sandra’s tribute was perfectly on-brand for their relationship. She told People magazine that she wasn't a big vodka drinker, but she was going to have one that night "on ice, with a slice of lemon and a hot dog on the other side." She talked about how Betty was "rose-colored glasses" for all of us.
Ryan’s response was equally poignant. He noted that the world looks different now and that Betty was "great at defying expectation." She managed to grow very old and somehow, not old enough.
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Actionable Insights: Lessons from the Trio
You can actually learn a lot about career longevity and relationships from how these three handled their fame and their friendship.
1. Don't be afraid to "work blue" (selectively).
Betty White’s career had a massive second wind because she wasn't afraid to subvert her image. She was the "First Lady of Television," but she was also the funniest person in any room because she was willing to be edgy. In your own career, don't get pigeonholed. Surprise people.
2. Protect your "non-romantic" partnerships.
The media spent years trying to pretend Sandra and Ryan were dating. They never were. They were just two people who survived the Hollywood meat grinder by leaning on each other. Genuine, platonic friendships are often more stable and long-lasting than high-profile romances.
3. Use humor as a shield and a bridge.
The reason the The Proposal press tour is still viral is that they used humor to deflect the boring "actor" questions. Instead of talking about their "craft," they talked about who Betty hated more. It made them relatable.
If you're looking to revisit that magic, skip the trailers and go straight to the blooper reels of The Proposal. You’ll see Betty White ad-libbing the wedding dress fitting scene—making Sandra and the costume designers lose their minds with laughter. It’s a reminder that even in a high-stress industry, you can still have a blast if you're with the right people.
To dive deeper into the technical side of how they pulled off the "Alaska" look in Massachusetts, you can check out the production notes from Touchstone Pictures. Or, if you just want more of that Ryan Reynolds wit, his YouTube channel still hosts the original "feud" sketches that started it all.
Next Step: You might want to look up the "Funny or Die" sketch titled The Proposal: Ryan Reynolds & Betty White's Feud to see the full three-minute clip of the slap Sandra gave Ryan. It’s a perfect example of their group dynamic.