Ryan Reynolds found himself $25,000 lighter on Sunday night after being gleefully pressured by a Broadway audience to win a charity auction for a hat worn by Jonathan Groff in his final performance of Just in time.
Groff’s closing night as Bobby Darin gave theatergoers the chance to bid on his autographed hat, with all proceeds going to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
Bidding opened at $5,000 and quickly rose, leaving Reynolds visibly surprised as he found himself in a battle with other audience members.
“Wow,” he could be seen mouthing as the numbers rose before bidding $20,000.
The crowd wasn’t done with him yet.
“We love you, Ryan,” someone yelled as the MC kept up the pressure. “You know I want more, 21?”
When Reynolds seemed hesitant, she was honest about it: “Well, we could just finish it if you want to do a big number. It’s for charity, honey!”
That did the trick. Reynolds stood up and yelled “25!” and the hat was his.
Groff, 41, personally presented the award, the two embraced and chatted before Reynolds attempted to place the hat on his daughter’s head.
Reynolds, 49, was at the theater with his wife Blake Lively and three of their four children, James, 11, Inez, 9, and Betty, 6.
Lively sat behind her husband with Betty, while Reynolds was flanked by James and Inez. Their youngest, three-year-old son Olin, was not at the exhibition.
