There are a few great recurring characters in the Deadpool franchise, including Blind Al, played by Leslie Uggams; Weasel, played by T.J. Miller; and Deadpool’s cab-driving buddy Dopinder, played by Karan Soni. The character of Dopinder wasn’t just created from the minds of the creators of the comic or films, or even the imagination of Ryan Reynolds, but it is based on a real person in Reynolds’ past. The actor explained during an appearance at a recent “Talks at Google” series:
“Dopinder … that name comes from my friend in elementary school. I went to school with this guy named Dopinder, and we’re paying tribute to him. He was killed. He was struck by lightning, which is just utterly crazy. Dopinder is a tribute to this guy. He was a really cool guy. That was more information than you ever wanted.”
This anecdote provoked nervous laughter, which was apparently okay by Reynolds. “They’re all laughing about it now,” he said. Talk about an awkward moment!
We will see what the franchise has in store for Dopinder when he returns in Deadpool 3, which hits theaters on May 3, 2024.