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Hugh Michael Jackman (born October 12, 1968) is an Australian film producer, film and stage actor, known for playing Wolverine in X-Men and its sequels, and his Tony Award-winning performance in The Boy from Oz. In 2005 he won an Emmy for hosting the Tony awards.
Early life
Jackman was born in Pymble, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, the youngest of five children of English-born Anglican parents Chris Jackman, an accountant, and Grace Watson. His mother left the family and went back to England when he was eight years old, and he remained behind with his father (an accountant with a degree from Cambridge), and his siblings. Jackman attended Pymble Public School and Knox Grammar School, an all-boys school in Wahroonga, where he was Head of School in 1984, and graduated from the University of Technology, Sydney with a BA in Communications, having majored in journalism. Jackman's introduction to acting was by accident, as he had to take an acting class as part of the requirements for a college diploma. He became interested in the craft and used some money inherited from a relative to attend the WAAPA of Edith Cowan University in Perth, from which he graduated in 1994.
Career
Jackman's early film work includes Erskineville Kings and Paperback Hero (1999), while his television work includes Law of the Land, Halifax f.p., Blue Heelers, and Snowy River: The McGregor Saga (in which he appeared in the recurring guest starring role of Duncan Jones during the seasons' in 1996).
On stage, Jackman played Gaston in the Melbourne production of Beauty and the Beast, and Joe Gillis in the same city's production of Sunset Boulevard. During his stage musical career in Melbourne, he starred in the 1998 Midsumma festival cabaret production Summa Cabaret. He also hosted both Melbourne's Carols by Candlelight and Sydney's Carols in the Domain. He first became known outside of Australia when he played the leading role of Curly in the Royal National Theatre's acclaimed stage production of Oklahoma! in the West End of London in England. His performance was filmed for television broadcast and DVD release. On 6 June 2002, Jackman sang the role of Billy Bigelow in Carousel in a special concert performance at Carnegie Hall in Manhattan, New York City. He was a last-minute addition to the X-Men cast. Dougray Scott was originally cast as Wolverine, but Scott was tied up on the set of Mission: Impossible II for two additional months of shooting. According to a CBS interview in November 2006, even his own wife told him not to take the role, a comment she later told him she was glad he ignored. Jackman, at 6' 2 1/2" tall, stands nearly a foot taller than Wolverine, who is said in the original comic book to be 5' 3". Hence, the filmmakers were frequently forced to shoot Jackman at unusual angles or only from the waist up to make him appear shorter than he actually was. In an interview with Men's Health magazine, he stated that he was also required to add a great deal of muscle for the role, and noted that at the end of his preparatory physical training, he could bench press 315 lbs. and leg press 1000 lbs. An instant star upon the film's release, Jackman later reprised the role of Wolverine in in 2003's X2: X-Men United, and 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand. The trilogy ultimately garnered over a billion dollars worldwide. He is producing a Wolverine spin-off, to be released sometime in 2008.
In 2004, Jackman won a Tony Award for his Broadway portrayal of Australian songwriter and performer Peter Allen in The Boy from Oz. He hosted the Tony Awards in 2003, 2004 and 2005, garnering very positive reviews. The televisation of the these awards earned him an Emmy Award win for Outstanding Individual Performer in a Variety, Musical or Comedy program in 2005.
In 2004 and 2005, he was rumoured to portray as James Bond, by replacing the role from Irish actor, Pierce Brosnan. The role later went to British actor, Daniel Craig.
In 2006 he was cast to replace Russell Crowe in Baz Luhrmann's Australia, starring opposite Nicole Kidman. He is now preparing a number of movies which he will both produce and star in, including Wolverine, estimated to begin filming around Summer 2007 and a remake of Carousel.
Personal life
Jackman married actress Deborra-Lee Furness in April 1996. They met on the set of his first TV acting job in Corelli, an Australian television program. Jackman played an angry prisoner who fell in love with his counsellor, played by Furness. The couple suffered through two miscarriages, after which they adopted two children, son Oscar Maximillian (b. May 15, 2000) and daughter Ava Eliot (b. July 10, 2005) They currently live in Melbourne.
In 2005, Jackman joined with longtime assistant John Palermo to form a production company, Seed Productions, whose first project will be Wolverine in 2008. Furness is also involved in the company, and Palermo had three rings made with an inscription meaning "unity" for himself, Furness, and Jackman. About the trio's collaboration Jackman reports "I'm very lucky in the partners I work with in my life, Deb and John Palermo. It really works. We all have different strengths. I love it. It's very exciting."
According to NNDB, "Jackman has very poor vision, and is unable to even read a menu when he is not wearing his contact lenses. He is left-handed, loves windsurfing, plays the piano, guitar, and violin, and sushi is his favorite comfort food." He also knows how to juggle 5 balls in the air at the same time. He does not smoke in real life, and hates having to do so in films. In real life he is described as a very polite and friendly man, unlike the belligerent, anti-social Wolverine.
He sang the Australian National Anthem in front of 100,000 people at the Melbourne Cricket ground before the 1998 Bledisloe Cup. Also sang the National Anthem at the 1999 NRL Grand Final in front of 108,000 people at Stadium Australia.
Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1999 Erskineville Kings Wace
Paperback Hero Jack Willis
2000 X-Men Logan/Wolverine
2001 Kate & Leopold Leopold
Swordfish Stanley Jobson
Someone Like You... Eddie Alden
2003 X2 Logan/Wolverine
2004 Van Helsing Van Helsing
Standing Room Only Roger
2005 Stories of Lost Souls Roger
2006 Happy Feet Memphis (voice)
Flushed Away Roddy (voice)
The Prestige Robert Angier
The Fountain Tomas / Tommy / Tom Creo
Scoop Peter Lyman
X-Men:The Last Stand Logan/Wolverine
2007 The Tourist Wyatt Filming (Also Producer)
If You Could See Me Now Pre-Production (Also Producer)
A Plumm Summer Adult Elliot Pre-Production
Rebound Guy Pre-Production (Also Producer)
2008 The Beatle John Lennon Rumored
Australia Pre-Production
Wolverine Logan/Wolverine Pre-Production (Also Producer)
Drive Pre-Production (Also Producer)
The Amature CIA Agent (main character, name unknown) Pre-Production (Also Producer)
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