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Hugh Jackman is sexy.
He’s also multi-talented — he sings, dances and acts onstage and onscreen — charming, down-to-earth and a family man. But above all, Jackman has the ideal physique that is the epitome of sexy.
As if to prove his uber-sexy alpha-male status, Jackman made a grand entrance hanging out of a helicopter and waving, before using a flying-fox to slide to the ground, inducing shrieks from the female section of the enthusiastic crowd. Now, that’s sexy.
And Jackman isn’t just any gymnasium pretty boy. He’s People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive. Rugged and manly, he’s hirsute in all the right places and incredibly buff in his role as Wolverine, the brooding-but-sexy animalistic, anti-establishment mutant with the huge shiny claws.
Men want his biceps, women want to squeeze them. And I was determined to do just that when I set foot on Cockatoo Island, Sydney, where the Australian star was presiding over the “world first exclusive” peek into X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
The prequel to the X-Men trilogy explores how Wolverine came to be, his conflict with nemesis Sabretooth and his one great romance. Whatever.
When he took his seat on stage for a radio interview, I staked out my place right up front. I was fiddling with my camera when a sexy hand grazed my shoulder and a deep sexy voice said: “Excuse me, darling.” It was Jackman, hopping off the stage to go shake hands with fans. I went for his bicep — but he was already out of reach.
Undeterred, I bided my time until the group interview, where other journalists and I will get to squeeze — I mean, quiz — the man. Once we shook hands, I decided to cut to the chase: “Can I squeeze your bicep?”
“Sure. Go for it,” he replied with an easy smile. “That’s your one question. That’s it!”
He was jesting, of course. Or was he? Who cared? I had left my handprints on the bicep of the Sexiest Man Alive. Isn’t that enough?
How has playing Wolverine changed your life?
In many, many ways. I’ve played him for 10 years, so he’s been a very important part of my life. I love the character. It was the first movie I did in America, and because it was such a success, it gave me lots of other opportunities. So, it’s very close to me.
Why do you think people are so interested in Wolverine’s backstory?
Wolverine reminds me of the characters I loved growing up: Mad Max, Dirty Harry, Han Solo. He’s that reluctant hero. He was the first anti-hero, really, in comic books. He’s pretty badass, and there’s something we love about that. Nobody knew about his past. So, there was a lot of mystery to him and he kept everything close to his chest. All those things combined, I think, are what makes him intriguing. I think a lot of guys would like to be a bit like him.
You get naked in the movie. Was that your idea?
The scene in the tank. You see flashbacks of that in X-Men 2. So, we were pretty much hemmed into that nudity — back when I had no say over these things. I got a gift from (Wolverine director) Gavin Hood, who handed me some film. He says: “There it is, mate. I’ve put it in a bag, I don’t want it.” Haha!
You are very buff. Have you got any training tips for Wolverine wannabes?
You gotta eat like you’ve never eaten before. As in a lot — and all the things you don’t want to eat, basically. And then I always put on heavy metal music, because at 5am, the last place you want to be is in the gym. But when Godsmack’s playing, somehow everything seems okay. And then you have to have a trainer who abuses you.
And if all else fails, just sweet talk the special effects department to throw in a lazy half a million and do it all in CGI!
What was it like being a producer?
It’s not always easy being a producer. It’s like being a grown up, whereas being an actor’s just like being a kid. I probably enjoyed acting more. One of the main reasons I wanted to be the producer was to protect Wolverine as a character; as the character that I think the fans wanted and, fingers crossed, I think we’ve delivered.
Are you worried you won’t be able to play other superhero characters because you’re tagged to Wolverine?
Why would I want to play others? I’m playing the coolest already. Come on, Wolverine’s one of the coolest out there!
What’s it like to be a sex symbol?
Haha! On a day-to-day basis, it’s pretty much exactly the same as any other day. I don’t even know if I am one, to be honest. It doesn’t kind of register.
And when you have kids, they think that that’s the most ridiculous thing they’ve ever heard, and they tell you about it. That kind of brings you down to earth immediately.
What’s the best pickup line that’s ever been used on you?
I’d like to say there were many, but there haven’t been that many. The night my wife (Deborra-Lee Furness) and I kind of got together, there was a dinner party at my house with about 10 people. Her phone rang. She picks it up, puts her hand on it and she goes: “You’ll never believe it, but Mick Jagger is sitting in a limo outside your house, and my friend’s in the limo, and they want me to go and party with them right now.”
Now I had a crush on Deb, but I’m a massive Rolling Stones fan. The idea of Mick Jagger being outside my house in Melbourne, Australia, was just so surreal, and I was like: “If you don’t get in that car now, I’m gonna kill you. That is unbelievable!”
And she listened to me and she said: “Tell Mick Jagger I’m having dinner with Hugh Jackman.” And she hung up the phone! That was a good pickup line! Haha!
X-Men Origins: Wolverine opens in cinemas Wednesday.
- TODAY/yb
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