Hugh Jackman

Hugh Jackman premieres "Logan" at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival

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A mother who left her family to live somewhere else, a father who has multiple jobs, and a family of six that constantly needs help to be taken care of; there is a boy who’s determined to find his purpose for being on this world (“Hugh Jackman”). These immense struggles would normally break a person’s spirit to live, so who would've thought that the boy would become one of the most successful, kind, and philosophical actors of his generation? Hugh Jackman is an eminently well-known actor. He’s a charming person who gives intense performances. People might know him best as Wolverine from the X-Men franchise; however, this is not his only big role, movie-wise, and reality-wise. Hugh Jackman was born and raised in Sydney, Australia. His mother abandoned his family to live in England when he was young, so his father had to look after a family of five boys alone (“Hugh Jackman”). Jackman, when he was old enough, would support them any way possible. With aiding his father and being there for his brothers, he had a huge part in his family's life (“Hugh Jackman”). Once all of his siblings left home, Jackman tried to follow the career of journalism. After a while, Jackman realized this was not the right path, so he enrolled in a one-year course at the Actor’s Centre in Sydney (“Hugh Jackman”). Not instantly liked by his teachers; he was constantly told he didn't have the looks to become an actor (Galloway). Turning out to be quite wrong, he got important roles in popular Australian TV shows during the ’90s, such as Corelli (“Hugh Jackman”). In 2003, though, he starred in the hit Broadway musical, “The Boy from Oz.” This musical is what made Hugh Jackman absolutely sure that he was meant to be an actor (Winfrey). Being his calling to acting, this opened a pathway for more musicals and movies. He performed in things like the Broadway, “Beauty and the Beast,” and the newer musical movie, The Greatest Showman. Over Jackman's adventure of becoming an actor, he went through events that would make people classify him a hero. A hero is a person who is selfless and can influence the community. Even though he’s an actor, Hugh Jackman has the selfless mindset that the people matter more than the movie, or even himself. His beliefs and the events he has gone through influence others to live their lives in a better manner. Hugh Jackman is fully worthy of the title of hero.

Other than giving us great performances, Hugh Jackman teaches us amazing life lessons and fundamentally great morals, making him an influence to all who have the pleasure of knowing him. Jackman started from almost nothing, and now one he’s of the most famous people in America and, possibly, the world: “One early low point in his career was a job with the National Park and Wildlife Foundation in Australia, which required dressing up in a giant koala suit and handing out leaflets”(“Hugh Jackman”). Hugh Jackman started out with nothing to his name; he was dressing as animals and passing paper just to obtain a small amount of money. Even still, he never gave up on his dreams, working as hard as possible to make something of his life. Now he’s an extremely famous actor and Broadway star. Jackman started out as a small caterpillar with nothing but then transformed into a great butterfly who has an amazing lifus amazing messages: “JACKMAN: I went into acting because I was interested in working out: What’s the meaning of life?... Storytelling is simply trying to understand the world we live and putting it in some mythological form so that we can open our hearts to understand”(Galloway). Hugh Jackman is a person who truly believes the way best to live is openheartedly; loving everything that has happened, everything he’s doing, and what will be coming. The concept of life that Jackman follows is a way to dispel the negativity of bad moments and to understand those moments by using or hearts. This way, the purpose of one’s life will become clear, and enjoying the adventure will become easier. These lessons influence society to put more work into finding or fulfilling our purposes, and to enjoy every step along the path. Jackman’s philosophical morals can help anyone to get past struggling moments in life: “If you love something, you don't just read about; you hug it, you mess with it, you play with it, you argue with it”(Winfrey). Illustrating Hugh Jackman’s philosophical beliefs, he gives out messages that could apply to anyone. His beliefs are what make him a better person and push him forward to keep living the best life possible. The manner of Jackman’s thoughts about living, and how he goes through life, teach us the importance of our existence while showing us how to grasp onto the things we genuinely love. People are influenced by this because this shows us how to love our time. Hugh Jackman influences the people by teaching us ways to get through the obstacles of life and giving us hope for the future.

Hugh Jackman isn't comparable to one those stereotypical, wealthy, egotistical actors; he has a psyche that is completely selfless. His psyche is shown when he refuses to do a scene of a movie because it jeopardizes the life of an innocent horse: “‘I don't feel right about it. You're asking me to ride a horse across these metal gratings and cobblestone that are wet. I'm not a good enough rider to help the horse if it slips’”(Zimmerman). Exemplifying that Hugh Jackman is a man that worries about the consequences that could occur to others when doing a certain action, this proves that he thinks deeper. Hugh Jackman knows that he isn't a good horse rider and, doing this dangerous scene, could put the horse’s life in danger. He was thinking more about the animal than the movie and himself, showing his selfless instincts, and because of this, he is a hero, in the very least, to the horse. Animals aren't the only thing that Jackman would think is more important than the movie. He learns that the people behind making movies are essential and should be respected: “'The moment was totally indulgent, all about me. Totally selfish. And that’s what I felt bad about. So I learned a lot that day. The film is important. The people making the film are more important'”(Zimmerman). Hugh Jackman is a normal man who does have selfish acts from time to time, and this proves it. The difference is that when moments come where he does do selfish things, he is filled with regret. He learns from his experiences in acting and realizes that the people helping with the movie are what’s important and that they deserve the best. These realizations are what allow Jackman to have a mindset where others come first, and he comes next; teaching us a humane and kind way to think. Hugh Jackman does not only show his selflessness on the set. When citizens and his son were caught in a bad riptide at the beach, he instantly jumped in to save them: “A video obtained by Australia’s Nine News shows the 47-year-old in the water grabbing the arm of a man and pulling him along”(Ap). Hugh Jackman didn't care about his age or even the safety of his own life; all he cared about was getting the people and his son out of the dangerous water. This is an incredibly selfless act as he put his own life in danger just so others could swim another day. If he did not help, multiple civilians would have drowned and he would have lost his son, so this makes him an actual hero to the people and his family. Hugh Jackman is an inspiration to us for putting anyone and anything first when it matters, teaching us what it means to be human.

Stereotypically, someone in Hugh Jackman’s position would be selfish and would only love their wealth, but Jackman’s not like that. He once said in an interview, “For me, because of my upbringing, the focus has always been my family… The film is important. The people making the film are more important” (Zimmerman). The way he thinks and acts, everything he does embodies the word “selfless.” This is how he influences others, teaching them a way to live life generously. Hugh Jackman is an altruistic soul. He will put animals before him, people before his career and the safety of others before his own well-being. That alone can influence a person, but the philosophical messages he says on interviews is another great source of his influential power. He gives the lessons of how to gain and hold onto love, how to view one’s purpose and self, and how to look at the meaning of life. Jackman is an inspiration to the people for many reasons. He was able to reach a very high point, even though he started at a place where mediocre would have been an overstatement. He worked hard, not giving up until he was able to fulfill his dream. He puts everyone and everything before his own life. Hugh Jackman has even saved the lives of many people in danger, making him an actual hero (Ap). These are all great justifications for him to be an inspiration to others, but it’s different for me. The reason he’s an inspiration to me is for his devotion, willingness, and the fact that he doesn't let anything get in his way. During the production of The Greatest Showman, which is one of my most favorite musicals, Jackman had to go through numerous surgeries because of his throat cancer (“Hugh Jackman: ‘Sorry Not (Sorry) to My Surgeon’”). Even still, he would sing and dance with the crew to not only further the production so the movie would come out sooner, but so the film cast, his co-actors, and his fans would not feel down for his diagnosis (“Hugh Jackman: ‘Sorry Not (Sorry) to My Surgeon’”). Him doing this, and various other actions inspire me to be more like him. Hugh Jackman is a good actor, but he’s a bigger inspiration because he will always put the people first, he will continue to influence generations, and he will never let anyone down, trying his best to brighten their soul. There is no other way to describe Hugh Jackman but as a hero.   

Works Cited

Ap, Tiffany. “Hugh Jackman to the Rescue at Bondi Beach.” CNN, Cable News Network, 30 Mar. 2016, www.cnn.com/2016/03/27/asia/australia-hugh-jackman-rescue/index.html.

Best-Life-Editors. “Hugh Jackman's Most Important Life Lessons.” Best Life, Best Life, 7 Apr. 2017,

bestlifeonline.com/hugh-jackman-life-lessons/

Galloway, Stephen. "'You Look Too Weird to Be an Actor'." Hollywood Reporter, 5 Dec. 2018, p. 54+. Biography In Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A566559602/BIC?u=powa9245&sid=BIC&xid=0b35d0c1

"Hugh Jackman." Newsmakers, Gale, 2004. Biography In Context,  

https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1618003976/BIC?u=powa9245&sid=BIC&xid=7e72ac4f.

“Hugh Jackman: 'Sorry (Not Sorry) to My Surgeon'.” BBC News, BBC, 19 Dec. 2017, www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-42413678.

"Oprah talks to Hugh Jackman: he's an X-Man, the Boy from Oz, and, in real life, a crazy-in-love husband, besotted dad, down-to-earth spiritual seeker. The incredibly talented Mr. Jackman tells Oprah about his Australian boyhood (raised by a single father), when he knew for sure he belonged onstage (only recently), and the joy of living--and acting--in the moment." O, The Oprah Magazine, June 2006, p. 242+. Biography In Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A148958537/BIC?u=powa9245&sid=BIC&xid=a2f0f399