Hugh Jackman biography
Hugh Michael Jackman (born 12 October, 1968) is an Tony Award-winning and Emmy Award-winning Australian actor of film, theatre and television, known mostly for his roles in several major Hollywood films, including
Van Helsing (film) and
X-Men (film).
Biography
Early life
Jackman was born in Pymble,Sydney, New South Wales, the youngest of five children of England-born parents Chris Jackman and Grace Watson. His mother left the family when he was eight years old, and he remained behind with his father, an accountant with a degree from University of Cambridge, and siblings.
Jackman attended Pymble Public School and Knox Grammar School, an all-boys school, where he starred in the musical
My Fair Lady in 1985, directed by the headmaster, Dr. Ian Paterson. Jackman was School Captain in 1986 and his favourite subject was Ancient History. The following year he spent a gap year working at Uppingham School in England. Upon his return to Australia he worked at a Shell Oil station in Wahroonga and worked as a part-time clown for children's parties while studying at the University of Technology, Sydney. In 1989, Jackman participated in a Christian workcamp on Hasst's Bluff and Areyonga Aboriginal land in the Western Desert in Central Australia. He then graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication studies, having majored in journalism. He later used his inheritance from his grandmother to attend the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts of Edith Cowan University in Perth, Western Australia, Western Australia, from which he graduated in 1994.
Career
Australia
Jackman's early film work includes
Erskineville Kings and
Paperback Hero (1999 film) (1999), while his television work includes
Correlli (where he met his wife Deborra-Lee Furness),
Law of the Land,
Halifax f.p,
Blue Heelers, and
The Man from Snowy River (TV series) (American title:
Snowy River: The McGregor Saga).
On stage, Jackman played Gaston (Beauty and the Beast) in the Melbourne production of
Beauty and the Beast (musical), and Joe Gillis in the same city's production of
Sunset Boulevard (musical). 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 The Domain, Sydney.
In 2006, he was cast to replace Russell Crowe in Baz Luhrmann's
Australia (2008 film), starring opposite Nicole Kidman.
United Kingdom
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 theatre during 1998. Jackman also appeared in a Oklahoma! (1999 film).
United States
In 2000, he was cast as Wolverine (comics) in Bryan Singer's
X-Men (film), replacing Dougray Scott. According to a CBS interview in November 2006, Jackman's wife Deborra-Lee Furness told him not to take the role, a comment she later told him she was glad he ignored.
Jackman, at 6' 2 1/2", 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. An instant star upon the film's release, Jackman later reprised his role in 2003's
X2: X-Men United, and 2006's
X-Men: The Last Stand.
Jackman starred as Leopold in the 2001 romantic comedy film
Kate & Leopold, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. Jackman also starred in 2001 action/drama
Swordfish (film), along with John Travolta, and Halle Berry. This would be the second time Jackman would work alongside with Berry, the two would work together twice again in the X-Men movies, making a total of four movies starring Jackman and Berry from 2000 to 2006.
Jackman sang the role of Billy Bigelow in
Carousel (musical) in a special concert performance at Carnegie Hall in Manhattan, New York City in 2002. In 2004 he played the title role of vampire hunter Gabriel Van Helsing in
Van Helsing (film). In 2004, Jackman won a Tony Award for his Broadway theatre 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 televising of the 2004 awards earned him an Emmy win for Outstanding Individual Performer in a Variety, Musical or Comedy program in 2005.
In 2005 after his award-winning role in
The Boy from Oz, Jackman began filming his most challenging role to date. Jackman played the part of three different characters in Darren Aronofsky's sci-fi experience
The Fountain (film). As Tommy Creo a neuroscientist, Jackman played a man who was torn between his wife, Izzi (Rachel Weisz) who is dying of a brain tumor and his work at trying to cure her. As Captain Tomas Creo, a Spanish Conquistador in the year 1532, Savile, Spain who is seeking the mythical Tree of Life for his Queen, Isabel (also played by Weisz) in order to retain her throne. Tomas is a character in the book Izzi is writing called
The Fountain, and finally, as the future space traveller Tom enclosed in a transparent treeship seeking to be reunited with Izzi within a dying star called Xibalba. Jackman has stated
The Fountain was his most difficult role to date due to the physical and emotional demands his film director asked of him in the part. In the end,
The Fountain wasn't well received and Jackman went un-rewarded.
Not one to stop working, Jackman filmed
The Prestige (film) directed by Christopher Nolan and also starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, Andy Serkis, and musician David Bowie. As Robert Angier, Jackman portrayed a magician who built up a rivalry with contemporary Alfred Borden in attempt to 'one up' each other in the art of deception. Jackman stated his main reason for doing
The Prestige was to work with David Bowie, who played scientist Nikola Tesla. He also starred in another 2006 film with Scarlett Johansson, Woody Allen's
Scoop.
Jackman rounded out 2006 with two animation films:
Happy Feet in which he voiced the part of Memphis, an Emperor Penguin and directed by George Miller (producer), and
Flushed Away where Jackman also supplied the voice of a rat named Roddy who ends up being flushed down his Kensington family's toilet into the London sewer system.
Flushed Away also starred Kate Winslet, Ian McKellen (the fourth time Jackman has worked with him), Jean Reno, Andy Serkis and Bill Nighy.
In 2007, Jackman produced and guest starred in the unsuccessful television drama
Viva Laughlin.
Viva Laughlin was cancelled by CBS after only two episodes. A decision about the remaining episodes already filmed at the time of cancellation has yet to be made. Both Jackman and his wife Furness were shocked and saddened by this cancellation.
Jackman is also preparing a number of movies which he will both produce and star in, including
Wolverine (film), estimated to begin filming in early 2008, and a remake of
Carousel (musical) in which he will play Billy Bigelow.
Jackman was also one of the choices to play James Bond but eventually lost out to Daniel Craig.
He is also currently working on a new comic series,
Nowhere Man, with US publisher Virgin Comics and writer Marc Guggenheim.
Personal life
Jackman married actress Deborra-Lee Furness in April 1996. They met on the set of his first TV acting job in
Correlli, an Australian television series. Furness had two miscarriages, after which she and Jackman adoption two children, Oscar Maximillian (b. May 15, 2000) and Ava Eliot (b. July 10, 2005). They currently live in Melbourne. Jackman personally designed an engagement ring for Furness, and their wedding rings bore the Sanskrit inscription "Om paramar mainamar", translated by Furness as "we dedicate our union to a greater source".
In 2005, Jackman joined with longtime assistant John Palermo to form a production company, Seed Productions, whose first project was Viva Laughlin in 2007. 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".
Jackman is a longtime supporter of Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, a Rugby League club based in Sydney.
Hugh Jackman in the news
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Is narcissism keeping you single?CNN... they also expect partners who have the moral fortitude of Nelson Mandela, the comedic timing of Stephen Colbert, the abs of Hugh Jackman, and the hair ...and more »
read moreCutting in Line - San Diego Reader
Cutting in LineSan Diego ReaderShe sang it on The Tonight Show and dedicated it to Hugh Jackman, who looked embarrassed as he sat there. It's a great punk tune, with a great bass line and ...and more »
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