In a wide ranging interview in Parade, stage and film actor Hugh Jackman — soon to be seen as the pirate Blackbeard in “Pan,” due out Oct. 9 — talks about his rough childhood (his mother left when he was 8), his marriage, the joys of adopting two children, and his Christian faith.
Here are some excerpts:
On “Pan,” which portrays 12-year-old Peter Pan as a London orphan:
In scenes at the orphanage in the beginning of the movie, the nun talks harshly: “Your mums are not waiting for you. You’re not going to see them again.” I actually read this to my wife and talked to [director] Joe Wright about it. I went, “Hang on. This is dealing with adoption and orphans. I want to make sure that this movie is not something my kids are going to feel weird about.” Every movie I do, I think, My kids are going to see this.
On the anger that came from the realization his parents weren’t going to get back together:
In playing rugby my rage would come out, rage that I identify as Wolverine rage. I’d be somewhere in a ruck in rugby, get punched in the face and I’d just go into a white rage.
On how acting gives the self-described Christian the peace of Christ:
I’m a religious person. This is going to sound weird to you. In Chariots of Fire the runner Eric Liddell says, “When I run, I feel His pleasure.” And I feel that pleasure when I act and it’s going well, particularly onstage. I feel what everyone’s searching for, the feeling that unites us all. Call it “God.”
On adopting after being unable to have biological children:
So we adopted, and it has been the greatest, most fulfilling and challenging role of our lives.
Click here to read the rest.
Here’s a peek at “Pan”:
Image: Wikimedia Commons
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