Sep 9, 2026 · 6 min
Reynolds and Branagh turn music trivia into a chemistry test
Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh Go Head-to-Head | Track Star Versus
The quiz reveals how shared musical memories, competing interpretations, and celebrity encounters shape the rapport behind Mayday.
- 1Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh identify classics by David Bowie, The Police, Cyndi Lauper, The Pretenders, and Wham!.
- 2They unpack “Every Breath You Take” as both an unusual rhythm exercise and a song about stalking.
- 3Stories about karaoke, George Michael, and music legends turn a promotional interview into a portrait of shared chemistry.
Don't miss
The guests identify “Every Breath You Take” and debate its unusual rhythm, cinematic potential, and unsettling meaning.
The brief
Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh face off in a music quiz spanning ’80s rock, new wave, and pop, with shared knowledge quickly becoming part of the entertainment.
David Bowie opens the contest, alongside a story from Reynolds’s early press-tour days that connects the quiz to memorable encounters around music legends.
The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” prompts a sharper discussion: its unusual rhythm and cinematic pull coexist with its interpretation as a stalker song.
Cyndi Lauper, The Pretenders, karaoke, and epic ballads broaden the conversation, while stories about George Michael reveal the guests’ overlapping musical memories.
The quiz ends by shifting toward Mayday, the guests’ action-comedy film, whose buddy dynamic mirrors the easy chemistry they display throughout the interview.
Weekly email
State of the Pod, every Monday
The week's most-discussed names and stories from podcasts, with the moments behind them. Free, five minutes, unsubscribe in one click.