Ryan Reynolds gives Leap Day 84-year-old her first ‘legal’ drink in hilarious new gin ad

The wait for your first legal drink at 21 may seem like it takes forever, but for Arlene Manko, it literally took 84 years.

Since she was born on Leap Day, aka February 29, 1936, that means she only just turned 21 years old on Saturday. And so Ryan Reynolds is helping her ring her long-awaited birthday by serving up her first legal drink in a hilarious new Aviation Gin ad.

The new commercial for the actor’s gin company sees Arlene explaining why she’s never had a legal drink in all 84 years of her life so far, thanks to being born on Leap Day. “I had seven kids in 10 years. You think sometimes I didn’t want to drink?” Manko says. “Follow the rules and do what you’re told is important. But I’m ready to party.”

When she finally takes her first legal sip of an Aviation Gin cocktail, her eyes go wide. “Holy Moses,” Manko says.

And before the commercial ends, Manko gets in a jab at Reynolds, admitting that she had never heard of his name before she was approached for the ad.

“Ignore her,” Reynolds says in voiceover while laughing. “She’s been drinking.”

This isn’t the first time Aviation Gin’s advertising has gone viral. Reynolds’ company previously got the “Peloton Bike wife” to reprise her role from the controversial commercial for a savage unofficial sequel.

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Actress Monica Ruiz returned to her role as a woman who was given a $2,245 stationary bike for Christmas by her husband and then manically exercised for a year. In the gin ad, Ruiz looks clearly traumatized as her two friends comfort her, reassuring her that “you’re safe here.” Drinking gin cocktails, they toast “to new beginnings” and then one of her friends comfortingly adds, “You look great by the way.” Looks like Peloton forgot to sign Ruiz to an exclusivity contract, and their loss is Aviation’s — and Reynolds’, and all of our — gain.

Related content:

• Peloton Bike wife stars in new viral ad hinting she dumped husband
• Ryan Reynolds spoofs Henry Cavill’s Justice League mustache in Movember promo
• Ryan Reynolds hilariously trolls and sings to Hugh Jackman in surprise birthday message

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