Hugh Jackman: Wolverine Returns

One of the most popular (and hot) of the powered-up X-Men is mutton-chopped hard-body, quick-to-anger Wolverine. In the new sci-fi actioner X-Men: The Last Stand, he's baaaack! Hunky Hugh Jackman has enjoyed developing his comic book character and is anxious to do a spin off film that will allow more time for us to get to the core of this fascinating (did we say "hot"?) character.

Multi-talented Hugh has gotten our attention as Van Helsing and co-starred with Halle Berry in the crime thriller Swordfish. Jackman is a Broadway baby, having won a Tony for his energetic portrayal of 1970's songsmith Peter Allen in "The Boy From Oz" and confides that he plans to hit the stage again soon. Describing Wolverine's look as "Elvis chops and Elvis hair", the actor enjoys doing as many of the character's rough fighting stunts as he can but he also enjoys getting into what makes the guy tick. Talented Hugh can be candid and very funny but, at the same time, wax very philosophical about bio-medical ethics; the theme of this new X-Men film.

Picture that smooth Aussie accent in your head as we discuss all things "Hugh"....

TeenHollywood: Let's start off with a dorky but fun question. If you could have an X-Men power would it be Wolverine's claws or something else?

Hugh: I don't think the claws would be my ultimate power. Really, every time you used it you'd be up for life imprisonment so it would be a tough gig. I think, honestly, the walking through walls is kind of cool but really the telepathy. That's very, very handy, let's face it. Early in life it could cut down the dating process. You could be in and out of a bar in like five minutes; check it out, 'okay, what are my options?. There we go, let's go!'

TeenHollywood: Can you talk about doing your own stunts and the training?

Hugh: I train every day. I start training about four months before the film starts and then, stuntwise, we rehearse things like jumping off the tree. That takes quite a long time. Other things don't take as much time to do. It just takes balls, more than anything, so it's better not to rehearse it and know what you're in for. Generally, my rule of thumb; I have two stuntmen and I say 'you do it first'. If the guy doesn't kill himself and it doesn't look too hard then I just get in there and do it. It's kind of complicated because one of my stuntmen is my brother-in-law and on Van Helsing he broke his leg and dislocated his shoulder so it's kind of a slightly tense family situation [laughs].

TeenHollywood: I'll bet. How is your preparation for an action film like this different from other films?

Hugh: For me, no different. Acting-wise, no different. I look at the script the same way and I think that's why X-Men has been successful. It's a character-driven piece. Beyond the amazing visuals and the great special effects, it's really about these ten or so characters. This film, I think, is by far the most emotional. A lot happens in it and, in a way, as an actor, it's probably tougher to get that across to an audience when there is so much going on visually. It's so epic. You've got Elvis-chops on and Elvis hair and claws coming out of your hands and you've still got to make people believe and slightly relate to that character. I'm not saying I should be up for an Academy Award, I'm just saying it's exactly the same.

TeenHollywood: You're a dad again. How does that effect the roles you'll accept?

Hugh: It does make you think on another level about what you choose knowing that your kids are going to see it. Of course, I have a six year old and now a 10 month old but they haven't seen any of my movies. I have two animated movies coming out later in the year and I definitely did that because I wanted it for them. It certainly makes you think twice about what you choose because at some point they're going to go 'dad, what were you thinking?'.

TeenHollywood: You've been in People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" for like five years in a row. Are ya feelin' sexy?

Hugh: [laughs] Well, I was just told, actually, by a publicist of mine, that I wasn't in it the last couple of years. [laughs] Maybe this is a sign that this is on the way down. I still have all five copies. They're on me now. I carry them everywhere. If people get the year wrong, I just pull them out at parties. It still works. [He's totally kidding].

TeenHollywood: How was working with director Brett Ratner?

Hugh: Brett is great. He's the most fun guy. You can see his personality in the film. He loves the epics. But he's also an emotional guy. He's not as cerebral as Bryan (Singer). He's more instinctive and incredibly passionate. He loves what he does like I've never seen anyone love what they do in any job, in any field and I think that comes across. He's unflappable. You're been on these sets. It's the toughest thing for a director to pull off and to not ever have a tantrum. There's a couple of moments where he fell asleep in the chair at 4 A.M. and the entire set left and we have him on video. He wakes up, starts looking around and this huge set piece was empty. He went straight back to sleep by the way. But, apart from that, generally, he was always up. I thought he brought a lot to the film. I thought he was smart to not change what was working. He didn't try to reinvent the wheel, yet he made it his own.

TeenHollywood: About the bio-medical ethics theme of the movie, a drug that would be a cure for something some people don't think needs curing.. just being different with powers. What do you think about that?

Hugh: Everything in life is a double-edged sword. Having power is a double-edged sword. If you were the leader of the free world as President, there are going to be moments where you wish you were a garbage man. Every person's dream can become their nightmare. So, even though the X-Men have powers that seem so cool, every one of them, because of their power, is alienated, separated and unhappy with it too. Look at Rogue's character. She's arguably one of the most powerful yet there's a human being who can't touch people, can never have children, can never make love or kiss. It's a pretty horrible prospect.

TeenHollywood: I see what you mean but should the X-Men take a pill to become "normal"?

Hugh: There's not a person on the planet that doesn't feel a little different and wouldn't like to change something in their life and if there was a pill you can take... which is really what this story is a metaphor for...would you just get rid of [your power] like that? Philosophically speaking, I'm sure most people on a high moral ground would say the hurdles we have in life which are placed through genetics, through the environment, whatever they happen to be, are generally the things that make us but sometimes they break us. So, compassionately speaking, I can really see both sides of it. When we were filming X-Men: The Last Stand, there were arguments on set. For example, 'should Rogue take the cure or not?' Literally, there were arguments about it and it was split and I'm sure the audience is going to be split. I think that's what makes X-Men a little different.

TeenHollywood: Will there be more Wolverine in your future?

Hugh: I hope so. I hope that we can do a wolverine spin-off. I'm championing it. We have David Benioff who is a fantastic writer who has written a second draft. It's never been my intention that, if we did a spin-off, it would be X-Men 4. I always hoped we'd have an opportunity to really flesh out this character. I've been lucky in getting one of the most complex and amazing characters in comic book history that is well-loved for a reason. He's got a lot of depth and mystery to him. I see it as a kind of Max Mad: Road Warrior which I grew up with, one of those great characters like a Dirty Harry. I'm sure we're going to make a movie and we can finally, once and for all really understand what this guy's about.

TeenHollywood: How was working with Halle Berry again?

Hugh: Awesome! [laughs]. I never have any complaints about working with Halle Berry. In fact, it's a contractual stipulation that, at least every two years I work with her. She doesn't know that but we have an arrangement; her agent and me [big grin].

TeenHollywood: Growing up, did you read X-Men comics?

Hugh: I had no idea about the X-Men. I wasn't a big reader of comic books. I was a big fan of cartoons but the X-Men cartoons didn't even come out in Australia, not when I was around. My favorite was "The Justice League" and "The Legion of Doom". It was kind of like the good guys and the bad guys. Superman I did love actually as a kid and I did love the movie that came out when I was in Australia. I loved that.

TeenHollywood: Being a Superman fan, how do you feel about the upcoming Superman Returns?

Hugh: I can't wait to see it. I know Bryan (Singer) was conflicted about directing X-Men 3 or Superman but I recall a moment on X-Men one when I was fighting on the statue of liberty head rescuing Anna and he yelled at me through the megaphone, 'Hugh, it's just like that moment in Superman when he rips off the door and pulls Lois Lane out of the car and throws the door away and that's the moment in action'. I said 'Bryan, I haven't seen Superman since I was twelve'. We shut down filming and he had Superman [DVD] in his trailer and we went in and watched the scene. He said 'I watch it like twenty times a year'. So it was no surprise to me that he found it too compelling to turn down directing Superman Returns. I know in his heart of hearts, he would have loved to have done both.

TeenHollywood: We just had mother's day, can you recall something special your mom said or did when you were growing up?

Hugh: Ah, Mum, this is the story. I was the youngest of five kids at the time and there was a lot of noise and I stood up on my chair and stamped my feet and yelled until everybody was quiet and Mum said to me 'you don't have to stand on a chair and shout to be noticed' and about a year ago she said, 'apparently, I was wrong' when she saw me [dancing on chairs and tables] in "The Boy From Oz".

TeenHollywood: You had a great run on Broadway. Are you going back?

Hugh: Absolutely. I'm looking at several things at the moment in terms of Broadway. I think the one thing that "The Boy From Oz" did for me was re-ignite my passion for the stage. I hadn't been on stage for about five years, and made me realize that, for me, it's an important part of who I am as a performer to be balanced and helps my movie career in terms of my movie acting. I need to be doing both. That's what I'm planning to do. "Sunset Boulevard" has come my way in terms of interest and I'm looking at it but there's nothing concrete yet. That role, that movie, it's very important who plays Norma [Desmond]. That's really key.

TeenHollywood: Are you ready for all the comic book fans' detailed questions?

Hugh: You can never be ready for Comicon ever. There is nothing like it on the planet. It's the most amazing, wonderful, feaky, slightly frightening experience. I remember standing on the stage announcing Van Helsing and there were like twelve Wolverine guys who had run up to the front as we were closing down and every one of them looked exactly like the comic book version. I was like 'whoa, I'd better get back in the gym'.

TeenHollywood: What feelings do you tap into trying to find Wolverine's core?

Hugh: Everybody, particularly in the teenage years, everybody has those moments of 'I want to fit in. I just want to be normal. I don't fit in'. I defy anybody to say they haven't had those moments. It's not that tough for me to draw on that. I think the tough thing for Wolverine, as an actor, is, except when he's fighting in that berserker rage, he's fairly laid back yet you always have to feel that he's ready to snap so that's just a thing of concentration and intensity that you have to have. Over five months [shooting], that's the toughest thing.

TeenHollywood: What do you think about the new young actors in the film?

Hugh: Great. I think Ben Foster does a great job as angel. I thought it was an interesting choice the way he played it. I really felt for him and I felt his conflict. Ellen Page, I think is an amazing actress and wonderful as Kitty. She's got a huge future and I honestly think Kelsey Grammer is amazing. I told him 'Man, you go see that movie with an audience'. Especially in the third act when he's fighting, everyone is going to be cheering. The stuff that guy does is unbelievable and he's terrific. You can't recognize him as Kelsey Grammer but you see in his eyes, such heart, such depth. I can't see anyone else who could have played that role [Beast].

TeenHollywood: There are so many successful Aussie actors in America. Why is that?

Hugh: We basically come over here with the philosophy that you go in for an audition and before you audition, you let the producers know you'll do it for half the price of anyone locally and that gets you a lot of gigs [sly grin].

TeenHollywood: Can you talk about your part in The Fountain?

Hugh: Yeah. "Fountain" was the toughest thing I've ever done on film and probably the thing I'm most proud of. It's the film that I can guarantee, it's like nothing you've ever seen before. I'm proud to be in it. Darren Aronofsky is the new Kubrick. I think he's that good.

TeenHollywood: You've played a wide variety of characters. Is that important to you?

Hugh: I've always been attracted in this business to doing different things. That's why I want to do stage musicals. I want to do Shakespeare. It may be a little greedy but I love all of them. Really, for me, there's something at the core of every character whether you're playing Hitler, Peter Allen, Wolverine, there's a humanity at the core that unites everybody and once you tap into that, it's the same feeling with everything you play no matter how different it is. That's what I love.

***

Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.