Hugh Michael Jackman, a talented Australian actor, singer, multi-instrumentalist, dancer, and producer, has gained international recognition for his diverse roles in major films. He is renowned for his performances in superhero, period, and romance genres, captivating audiences worldwide.
One of his most iconic roles is that of Wolverine in the X-Men film series, a character he has portrayed for a significant period. Additionally, he has starred in notable films such as Kate & Leopold, Van Helsing, The Prestige, The Fountain, Australia, Les Misérables, and Prisoners. His portrayal of Jean Valjean 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.
Jackman has also made a mark in Broadway theatre, winning a Tony Award for his role in The Boy from Oz. He has hosted the Tony Awards four times, winning an Emmy Award for one of these appearances. Furthermore, he has hosted the 81st Academy Awards on 22 February 2009.
Born in Sydney, New South Wales, to Grace McNeil (Greenwood) and Christopher John Jackman, an accountant, Hugh is the youngest of five children. His parents, both English, moved to Australia shortly before his birth. He also has Greek and Scottish ancestry through his great-grandfather and grandmother, respectively.
Jackman holds a communications degree with a journalism major from the University of Technology Sydney. After graduating, he pursued drama at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, immediately landing a starring role in the ABC-TV prison drama Correlli (1995),opposite his future wife Deborra-Lee Furness. He has since appeared in numerous TV guest roles, as an actor and variety compere.
As an accomplished singer, Jackman has starred as Gaston in the Australian production of "Beauty and the Beast" and as Joe Gillis in the Australian production of "Sunset Boulevard." He was also cast as Curly in the Royal National Theatre's production of Trevor Nunn's Oklahoma in 1998. Jackman has made two feature films, the second of which, Erskineville Kings (1999),garnered him an Australian Film Institute nomination for Best Actor in 1999.
When not acting, Jackman enjoys playing piano, golf, and guitar, as well as windsurfing.
