Hugh Jackman in "X-Men: The Last Stand"
Hugh Jackman
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After Russell Crowe hit it big with “Gladiator” in 2000, an Aussie Invasion swept the States with the promise of fresh talent. And while actors like Naomi Watts and Heath Ledger became household names, others (including Guy Pearce and Adam Garcia) weren’t so lucky. Hugh Jackman falls into the former category, thanks mostly to his performance as the ever-popular Wolverine in Bryan Singer’s X-Men films; a role he never would have even gotten had fellow Aussie actor Dougray Scott not injured himself on the set of “Mission: Impossible 2.” One can only imagine the amount of regret Scott is feeling right about now, because while he treads in a not-so-great career filled with cancelled television series and unpromising movies, Hugh’s face is on the cover of millions of lunch boxes around the world.
Born the youngest of five children, Hugh grew up in New South Wales with dreams of becoming a famous journalist, but after finishing up his degree at the University of Technology at Sydney, enrolled in Western Australia’s Academy of Performing Arts. While there he honed his acting skills with some of the country’s best teachers, and upon graduating, landed the role of Gaston in the Australian production of “Beauty and the Beast.” The charming actor followed up his performance with more musical productions including “Sunset Boulevard” and “Oklahoma!” before getting the call from Bryan Singer to play Wolverine.
Since then, Hugh has made a point of always keeping a full schedule, and along with appearing in future X-Men sequels, starred in two romantic comedies (one of which earned him a Best Actor nomination from the Hollywood Foreign Press), as well as the action films “Van Helsing” and “Swordfish.” He also won an Emmy in 2005 for his hosting gig at the 2004 Tony Awards, and was even nominated for his performance on the Broadway production of “The Boy from Oz.” And though Hugh isn’t exactly what we’re looking for from the next big action hero, it all becomes strikingly irrelevant as soon as he dons those badass adamantium claws.
Hugh on the Web
IMDB
An online database of Hugh's film career.
TV Guide: Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman Videos, Interviews and More on TV Guide's Online Video Guide
Yahoo! Movies
An actor page with lengthy bio and red carpet photos.
What's New With Hugh?
One of many fan sites with updated news and picture galleries.
Hugh Jackman Fan
Another fan page that includes more photos and an archive of video/audio downloads.
Topix
The ultimate source for all entertainment news on Hugh.
Hugh on the Screen
Hugh is still relatively new to the industry, but like many of the Aussie imports, has proven himself quite capable as an actor. Along with more notable roles in films like "X-Men," "X2: X-Men United," and "Van Helsing," Hugh has also starred in the tech thriller "Swordfish," as well as in several romantic comedies including "Kate & Leopold" and "Someone Like You."
Latest Buzz
Hugh has been a busy guy lately, and along with the upcoming release of "X-Men: The Last Stand," is set to appear in four more films alone in 2006: the Darren Arnofsky sci-fi drama "The Fountain," the Woody Allen romantic comedy (July 28), the Christopher Nolan drama "The Prestige" (October 27), and the animated film "Happy Feet" (Novemeber 17). Other future projects include the Wolverine prequel (slated for 2008), the musical "If You Could See Me Now," and the romantic comedy "Rebound Guy."
Hugh Says
On the rumors about being gay:
"I have a wife and a son, but the gay rumors have started. I guess it's a sign that I'm moving up the ladder."
On playing Wolverine:
"Now I meet people with full-color Wolverine tattoos on their backs. Thank God I did okay, because I think if I hadn't, they'd spit on me in the street."