‘Wolverine’ his favorite role, Hugh Jackman says

  • By John Carucci Associated Press
  • Wednesday, July 24, 2013 2:16pm
  • LifeGo-See-Do

Whether performing on a Broadway stage, singing in a movie musical, or hosting the Oscars, Hugh Jackman approaches them all with equal intensity.

Yet, when he dons Adamantium bone claws in “The Wolverine,” the 44-year old actor admits that something magical happens.

“It may be the strongest of all the roles I’ve played,” Jackman says of the “X-Men” antihero.

When the Australian actor was interviewed before the opening of “The Wolverine,” he honored the icon comic book character with appropriately trimmed facial hair showing off Logan’s signature muttonchops.

And why not? It’s the role that launched his career in the first “X-Men” film. He’s played the character six times already, and is currently shooting a seventh installment due in 2014.

“There’s four or five roles that end up being the foundation of your entire career. There’s no doubt to me that this (“The Wolverine”) is one of them.”

As a fan of the comic book series, Jackman says this one was important for him.

“I wanted to make (this movie) for 13 years when I first read that samurai story,” the actor said. “I just think seeing this character in that world, juxtaposed with Japan in every way, I thought it was perfect and to see him battle with his powers, which really gives him an almost immortality.”

While there’s immortality to Logan, the operative word for the man who plays him is versatility. Jackman seems every bit as comfortable in an action film as he does in a Broadway musical. It’s an adaptability he attributes to a bygone era.

“I’m more of kind of a throwback kind of actor. This is how all actors had to make a living 40, 50 years ago,” Jackman said. “When Clint Eastwood was under (studio) contract … he would do musicals, he would do cowboy dramas.

Jackman credits his training back home for preparing him for a wide range of roles. But he also acknowledges the core intent had more to do with survival.

“The nature of acting in Australia is you need to be up for everything. If you want to make a living, if you want to pay the rent, you’ve got to be able to do everything. There’s only 10 movies made a year so that’s natural to me,” he said.

Part of Jackman’s fascination with the Logan character lies in the duality between the human and the animal. The actor says the key is to balance the chaotic and controlled emotions within him.

“On one level you can say I’m playing a guy with weird hair and claws coming out of his hands, but actually he’s incredibly human and a great sort of anti-hero and tragic figure,” Jackman said.

“That’s why he’s eternally fascinating to me and that’s why I keep coming back.”

Last year, Jackman starred in the film adaptation of “Les Miserables” as the iconic Jean Valjean, picking up a Golden Globe win and an Oscar nomination for his effort.

In between, he’s been working on the original Broadway musical, “Houdini,” when he puts on the cape as the legendary illusionist. That show hits Broadway in the spring of 2014.

“I’ve never originated in a musical before, so I’m thrilled,” the Tony-winning actor said.

The talk of his stage and screen work makes his face light up, because as he puts it: “I’ve been blessed with opportunities that I could never have imagined.”

And he acknowledges that the necessary “grounding” for his career to thrive comes from a strong family bond. It’s something he felt was missing early on.

“I didn’t grow up with a particularly stable family life and trying to create that … is a priority for me and for my wife,” Jackman said of Deborra-Lee Furness, his spouse of 17 years.

“Your family is there forever. At the end of the day when you’re on your deathbed, your family is sticking by you. You’re not going to be filled with DVDs of movies that you’ve done,” he said. “So that’s the most important thing.”

“The Wolverine”

The movie opens today at . See Page XX in A&E section for a review of the movie.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Sarah Jean Muncey-Gordon puts on some BITCHSTIX lip oil at Bandbox Beauty Supply on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Langley, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Bandbox Beauty was made for Whidbey Island locals, by an island local

Founder Sarah Muncey-Gordon said Langley is in a renaissance, and she’s proud to be a part of it.

A stroll on Rome's ancient Appian Way is a kind of time travel. (Cameron Hewitt)
Rick Steves on the Appian Way, Rome’s ancient superhighway

Twenty-nine highways fanned out from Rome, but this one was the first and remains the most legendary.

Byrds co-founder Roger McGuinn, seen here in 2013, will perform April 20 in Edmonds. (Associated Press)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

R0ck ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Roger McGuinn, frontman of The Byrds, plans a gig in Edmonds in April.

Mother giving in to the manipulation her daughter fake crying for candy
Can children be bribed into good behavior?

Only in the short term. What we want to do is promote good habits over the course of the child’s life.

Speech Bubble Puzzle and Discussion
When conflict flares, keep calm and stand your ground

Most adults don’t like dissension. They avoid it, try to get around it, under it, or over it.

The colorful Nyhavn neighborhood is the place to moor on a sunny day in Copenhagen. (Cameron Hewitt)
Rick Steves: Embrace hygge and save cash in Copenhagen

Where else would Hans Christian Andersen, a mermaid statue and lovingly decorated open-face sandwiches be the icons of a major capital?

Last Call is a festured artist at the 2024 DeMiero Jazz Festival: in Edmonds. (Photo provided by DeMiero Jazz Festival)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Jazz ensemble Last Call is one of the featured artists at the DeMiero Jazz Festival on March 7-9 in Edmonds.

Kim Helleren
Local children’s author to read at Edmonds Bookshop

Kim Helleren will read from one of her books for kids at the next monthly Story Time at Edmonds Bookshop on March 29.

Chris Elliott
Lyft surprises traveler with a $150 cleaning charge

Jared Hakimi finds a $150 charge on his credit card after a Lyft ride. Is that allowed? And will the charge stick?

Inside Elle Marie Hair Studio in Smokey Point. (Provided by Acacia Delzer)
The best hair salon in Snohomish County

You voted, we tallied. Here are the results.

The 2024 Kia EV9 electric SUV has room for up to six or seven passengers, depending on seat configuration. (Photo provided by Kia)
Kia’s all-new EV9 electric SUV occupies rarified air

Roomy three-row electric SUVs priced below 60 grand are scarce.

2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime XSE Premium AWD (Photo provided by Toyota)
2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime XSE Premium AWD

The compact SUV electric vehicle offers customers the ultimate flexibility for getting around town in zero emission EV mode or road-tripping in hybrid mode with a range of 440 miles and 42 mile per gallon fuel economy.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.