Hugh Jackman

Hugh Michael Jackman 

12 October 1968

An Australian actor, producer, and singer who is involved in film, musical theatre and television.

Jackman went to primary school at Pymble Public School and later attended the all-boys Knox Grammar School on Sydney's Upper North Shore, where he starred in its production of "My Fair Lady" in 1985. Following graduation, he spent a gap year working at Uppingham School in England. On his return, he studied at the University of Technology, Sydney, graduating in 1991 with a BA in Communications. In his final year of university, he took a drama course to make up additional credits. The class did Václav Havel's "The Memorandum" with Jackman as the lead. He later commented, "In that week I felt more at home with those people than I did in the entire three years [at university]".

After obtaining his BA, Jackman completed the one-year course "The Journey" at the Actors' Centre in Sydney. About studying acting full-time, he stated, "It wasn't until I was 22 that I ever thought about my hobby being something I could make a living out of. As a boy, I'd always had an interest in theatre. But the idea at my school was that drama and music were to round out the man. It wasn't what one did for a living. I got over that. I found the courage to stand up and say, 'I want to do it'." After completing "The Journey", he was offered a role on the popular soap opera "Neighbours" but turned it down to attend the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts of Edith Cowan University in Perth, Western Australia, from which he graduated in 1994.

Jackman has won international recognition for his roles in major films, notably as superhero, period, and romance characters. He is best known for his long-running role as Wolverine in the superhero "X-Men" film series (2000-2014), as well as for his leads in the romantic-comedy fantasy "Kate & Leopold" (2001), the action-horror film "Van Helsing" (2004), the magic-themed drama "The Prestige" (2006), the epic historical romantic drama "Australia" (2008), the sci-fi sports drama "Real Steel" (2011), the film version of "Les Misérables" (2012), and the thriller "Prisoners" (2013). His work in "Les Misérables" earned him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and his first Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy in 2013. A four-time host of the Tony Awards, winning an Emmy Award for one of these appearances, Jackman also hosted the 81st Academy Awards on 22 February 2009.

Jackman has said he "always loved acting but when I started at drama school I was like the dunce of the class. It just wasn't coming right to me. Everyone was cooler, everyone seemed more likely to succeed, everyone seemed more natural at it and in retrospect I think that is good. I think it is good to come from behind as an actor. I think it is good to go into an audition thinking 'Man I've got to be at my best to get this gig.'"

As actor

• Erskineville Kings (1999)
• Paperback Hero (1999)
• X-Men (2000)
• Kate & Leopold (2001)
• Someone Like You (2001)
• Swordfish (2001)
• X2: X-Men United (2003)
• Van Helsing (2004)
• Van Helsing: The London Assignment (2004)
• Stories of Lost Souls (2005)
• Happy Feet (2006)
• Flushed Away (2006)
• The Prestige (2006)
• The Fountain (2006)
• Scoop (2006)
• X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
• Deception (2008)
• Uncle Jonny (2008)
• Australia (2008)
• The Burning Season (2008)
• X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
• X-Men: First Class (2011)
• Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2011)
• Real Steel (2011)
• Butter (2012)
• Rise of the Guardians (2012)
• Les Misérables (2012)
• Movie 43 (2013)
• The Wolverine (2013)
• Prisoners (2013)
• X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
• That Sugar Film (2014)
• Dukale's Dream (2014)
• Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014)
• Chappie (2015)
• Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015)
• Pan (2015)
• Eddie the Eagle (2016)
• X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
• Logan (2017)
• The Greatest Showman on Earth (2017)
• Larrikins (2018)

Quotations

* * *

When I come home, my daughter will run to the door and give me a big hug, and everything that's happened that day just melts away.

* * *

The word philosophy sounds high-minded, but it simply means the love of wisdom. If you love something, you don't just read about it; you hug it, you mess with it, you play with it, you argue with it.

* * *

I was probably more scared of my high school exams than I was of the Oscars. At the time you think it's everything and if you don't do well, your life's over. Opportunities are gone. So the more you do it, the less the fear is present.

* * *

The secret to modern life is finding the measure in time management. I have two kids, career and I travel, and I don't think my life is any different than most couples. The most valuable commodity now for many people is time and how to parcel that out.

* * *

Meditation is all about the pursuit of nothingness. It's like the ultimate rest. It's better than the best sleep you've ever had. It's a quieting of the mind. It sharpens everything, especially your appreciation of your surroundings. It keeps life fresh.

* * *

There comes a certain point in life when you have to stop blaming other people for how you feel or the misfortunes in your life. You can't go through life obsessing about what might have been.

* * *

I feel so lucky to have both a son and a daughter, because there's a different relationship with each of them.

* * *

With age, you see people fail more. You see yourself fail more. How do you keep that fearlessness of a kid? You keep going. Luckily, I'm not afraid to make a fool of myself.

* * *

Breakfast is my specialty. I admit it's the easiest meal to cook, but I make everything with a twist, like lemon ricotta pancakes or bacon that's baked instead of fried.

* * *

As you get older you have more respect and empathy for your parents. Now I have a great relationship with both of them.

* * *

Your wife is always right. Very simple. I think I'm going to get it tattooed on my forehead.

* * *

I've never heard my dad say a bad word about anybody. He always keeps his emotions in check and is a true gentleman. I was taught that losing it was indulgent, a selfish act.

* * *

I've always felt that if you back down from a fear, the ghost of that fear never goes away. It diminishes people.

* * *

What I respect as far as in myself and in others is the spirit of just doing it. For better or worse, it may work and it may not, but I'm going to go for it. Ultimately I probably prefer to be respected for that than whether it works out or not, either winning or losing.

* * *

Becoming a father, I think it inevitably changes your perspective of life. I don't get nearly enough sleep. And the simplest things in life are completely satisfying. I find you don't have to do as much, like you don't go on as many outings.

* * *

I just love making a fool out of myself. I made my living as a clown at kids' parties for about three years.

* * *

If I'm a lush at anything, it's food and drink. I'm not materialistic in any way, but I value food.

* * *

My gosh, I love food. If I wasn't an actor, I could be a completely different body shape right now.

* * *

Now I meditate twice a day for half an hour. In meditation, I can let go of everything. I'm not Hugh Jackman. I'm not a dad. I'm not a husband. I'm just dipping into that powerful source that creates everything. I take a little bath in it.

* * *

But in another world, another life, probably growing up in another country, I might have been more of a dancer.

* * *

To this day, I am the least materialistic person I know, because my father didn't raise me to just go out and buy this or that car. The only reason I wanted to make money as an actor was because I'm passionate about food!

* * *

I'm quite a competitive person, so I do quite like to win.

* * *

My father is a real idealist, and he's all about learning. If I asked for a pair of Nikes growing up, it was just a resounding 'No.' But if I asked for a saxophone, one would appear and next day and I'd be signed up for lessons. So anything to do with education or learning, my father would spare no expense.

* * *

I'm an actor who believes we all have triggers to any stage of emotion. It's not always easy to find but it's still there.

* * *

Being on Broadway is the modern equivalent of being a monk. I sleep a lot, eat a lot, and rest a lot.

* * *

We feel that there are so many kids who need adopting. We thought we'd do it after having a couple of our own, but we just changed our mind.

* * *

I've dreamt of being in a movie musical for a long time. For some reason I never even thought 'Les Mis' would be possible.

* * *

I wanted to be a lawyer. Then a journalist. Actually, I graduated from university as a journalist.

* * *

It dawned on me that acting was what I wanted to do with my life. Nothing had ever touched my heart like acting did.

* * *

Acting is something I love. It's a great craft that I have a lot of respect for. But I don't think it's any greater challenge than teaching 8-year-olds or any other career. In my life, I try not to make it more important than it is and I just hope that rubs off on the people around me.

* * *

I don't think many actors are the best judge of careers. I think generally we have good instincts about what we can do in terms of acting. And often they become directors, which I don't want to be.

* * *

I'm quite an independent person, and I had to be. As a boy and growing into a young man I had to look out for myself. And now I'm very family-oriented. It's a big priority in my life.

* * *