Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty; Ian Tuttle/Getty
LeVar Burton has Ryan Reynolds firmly in his corner.
Burton, 64, was one of 15 celebrities to guest host Jeopardy! in the months following Alex Trebek's death due to cancer.
The Reading Rainbow star was ultimately passed up as Trebek's successor in favor of the show's executive producer, Mike Richards, earlier this month. However, the 46-year-old former Beauty and the Geek host stepped down from the role on Friday after offensive comments he made about women and other marginalized groups were brought to light following his hiring.
Later that day, Reynolds, 44, showed his support for Burton in wake of the news with a brief anecdote about how he landed his role in Deadpool.
RELATED: Jeopardy!'s Mike Richards Quits Hosting Gig After His Past Offensive Comments Resurface
"Pretty consistently from 2013 to 2015 Deadpool would explode on Twitter with fans wanting me to play him. It was awkward because I agreed with them but the studio didn't see it. Ultimately the fans won and the rest is glorious history. I'm forever grateful," he wrote. "Hi @levarburton."
Richards announced he would no longer host the iconic quiz show in a memo to staffers, which was obtained by PEOPLE. He said it was painful to see his past "cast such a shadow on Jeopardy!" as the syndicated show begins its newest chapter and apologized "for the unwanted negative attention" as well as the "confusion and delays this is now causing."
"As I mentioned last week, I was deeply honored to be asked to host the syndicated show and was thrilled by the opportunity to expand my role. However, over the last several days it has become clear that moving forward as host would be too much of a distraction for our fans and not the right move for the show," he added. "As such, I will be stepping down as host effective immediately. As a result, we will be canceling production today."
In the meantime, guests will resume hosting Jeopardy! while Sony Pictures Television seeks a new permanent host for the show, according to Richards' memo. Details are expected to be announced next week.
Frederick M. Brown/Getty Mike Richards
Before his episodes aired, the Star Trek: The Next Generation actor said he very much hoped to land the role in an interview with The New York Times in June.
RELATED: LeVar Burton Says He 'Won' No Matter the Outcome of New Jeopardy! Host: 'I Am Truly Blessed'
"It will hurt. I'm not going to lie," Burton told the publication. "But if that happens, I will get over it. I will be fine. Remember: Everything happens perfectly and for a reason. That is my default. It's all going to be OK. Because it always is."
Jeopardy! has been a part of Burton's life longer than Trebek was host (He first began watching "more or less every night" of his life when Art Fleming held the title). He told The Times that he feels like hosting the "cultural touchstone" is ultimately "what I'm supposed to do."
Ian Tuttle/Getty
"Look, I have had a career for the [expletive] ages. Roots, Star Trek, Reading Rainbow. Won a Grammy. Got a shelf full of Emmys. I'm a storyteller, and game shows are tremendous stories. There's a contest, there's comedy, there's drama. If you don't know your [expletive] on Jeopardy!, you're sunk in full view of the entire nation. The stakes are high. I love that," he shared candidly.
RELATED: LeVar Burton Says 'It Will Hurt' If He Doesn't Get Jeopardy! Hosting Gig
In early August, Burton tweeted that "no matter the outcome" of the hosting search, he felt he had "won."
"The outpouring of love and support from family, friends, and fans alike has been incredible!" he added. "If love is the ultimate blessing and I believe that it is, I am truly blessed beyond measure."
Richards' taped episodes of Jeopardy! are still expected to air.
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