The only source of concern from Fox was the rating. In the end the film was edited to bring its US R rating (meaning audience members under 17 would have to be accompanied by an adult) down to a PG-13. Director Bryan Singer talked a bit about the changes. ‘Originally we got an R rating, and then just a few minor things about intensity that were trimmed. But very little. I was very pleased. There’s very little blood in the movie. There’s some intensity in it, but it’s not a gory picture by any means and we kind of solved those problems in the story, and it’s kind of fun and the audience realises it is not a terrifying threat, and this is not a massacre.’
The fight between Hugh and the character Yuriko Oyama (Kelly Hu), which actually took three weeks of shooting, was one that got slashed quite a bit in the final cut. In spite of this, the fight scene itself became extremely intense during filming. ‘I got a bit of a concussion during one scene, and Hu is such a pro, man.’ Hugh recalled. ‘If she’d hit me, it would just touch me. It would look like she’d whacked me, but she’s a black belt, so she knew how to do it.’
Not so Hugh himself. In one scene, he was on the ground when Hu ran up to him. He was supposed to turn and punch her in the stomach. ‘She kept saying, “Harder, harder, harder, harder. I can take it,”’ and I said, “Okay, but just do me a favour. Will you wear a pad there?” So she put on a black pad, and he turned around and banged her straight in the breast. He couldn’t believe it – he had done four takes without the pad and each had been perfect, and as soon as she gave him the target, he missed and hit her full force. He stopped and asked, ‘Did I get you?’ Grimacing, she whispered, ‘Yep. Next time just a little lower. Thanks, Hugh.’
There were lighter moments on the set as well. While they were shooting quite an intense scene in a tunnel, Hugh came out in a G-string and flip-flops. Jokingly, he yelled to Lee, the assistant director, ‘Lee, this is a disgrace – I want a closed set!’ Lee replied, ‘I’m very sorry, Mr Jackman, when we’re ready to go everyone will be gone.’ And so, at the end of first take, Hugh ran through the tunnel and as he rounded the corner, 30 women from the set, including Jimmy Marsden’s mum, were waiting for him. They all stood there, wearing huge grins and waving five-dollar notes. Although Hugh found it funny, it proved a real dilemma for him as he tried to cover himself up while wearing a set of fake claws.
Other lighter moments included several gags played on Bryan Singer, the director. One included Hugh pretending to be a gay Wolverine character: ‘It was the moment where I walk into Cerebro. I walked in and went, “Oh I love what you’ve done with Cerebro! It’s fantastic!” and I sat in Patrick Stewart’s lap and of course, he got right into it and we played out the whole thing, and then I walked off. Bryan’s face was ashen for about two hours. It was like, “If this gets out, Wolverine’s absolutely gone.” And then, of course, for weeks after he proceeded to tell everyone who came on set, “You’ve got to see Hugh doing Wolverine as a gay guy!” I doubt it will be on the out-takes.’
Any rumours of tension on the set of the X-men sequel were certainly unfounded. Everyone agreed that this time around, it was definitely more relaxed, including Singer himself. With the success of the first instalment, Fox alleviated the pressure they had applied. ‘Let’s have a little more fun with it, let’s have a little more fun with the characters and the making of the movie,’ Singer kept saying, and Hugh remembered how the director got the fans involved, too. ‘There were always fans wherever we were, and he’d go out almost every day, pick a fan and say, “Do you want to come and have a look on the set?” then take them around. There we were, going from our trailers and trying to hide from paparazzi, and Bryan’s just taking people through: “Come have a look. Welcome to our set.”’
Singer also believed that the additional pressure of making the sequel was alleviated due to the hardcore fan support. ‘There was more time and money this time around, and I had a better sense of what I was doing, because I’d already established these characters and already cut my teeth in the genre. So, I felt a little less pressure and actually a little more freedom, and it was great to bring in new characters. They all knew that with the first film, they were stepping into the unknown. “Do people really know X-Men? How big is the fan base?” Then when it opened, it was so huge. I think everyone in the film is proud of it; I think everyone was really into it and loved it. We generally all got on well together.’
Singer was very intuitive, which Hugh didn’t mind, although this sometimes drove the rest of the studio mad because it often led to delays in shooting. What Hugh liked about his director was that he didn’t have an ego and was open to change: ‘Bryan is nervous about things being cheesy, which is why he makes such good movies and why he’s such a great director for this kind of film. It’s great as an actor because even if you feel you have some dialogue that’s a little on the nose, it’ll either get cut or it’ll come off fine or he’ll change it. I think he’s found a good balance in this movie. I think he did a great job.’
And the respect was mutual. The two became close; close enough for the director to talk honestly to him about how he could improve his performance. ‘I’ll always respect him for that,’ said Hugh. ‘I think that it was that talk that kind of really woke me up and took me out of this whirlwind of, “I’m in Hollywood and it’s all new and everything.” I just got back into the acting to find it, and I think that’s when I really found the character and he kind of had faith in me, so we’ve always had a good relationship.’
So much so that Hugh began to get involved in changes to the script if he felt he could add something to it. ‘By the time we got back to X2, it was my sixth film in America. So, I was a little more used to it and I was not afraid to say, “Listen, I think that this in the script needs to be changed.” I wasn’t thinking, “Oh, I’m gonna get fired.” Or I wasn’t thinking so much that I’ve got to please the director. When you first start, you just feel like, please don’t fire me, but then your confidence gets better.’
‘That stuff in the mansion, I loved all that stuff,’ he said, referring to a scene at the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. ‘I like the whole idea of Wolverine being the reluctant babysitter and having 50 people coming. In this one there was more of an example of his berserker rage, which was one thing I think was missing from the first.’
Most of the other actors were also encouraged to get more involved and expected to ad-lib, unlike the first film. Ian McKellen, for example, actually worked with screenwriters to make the scene in which Bobby Drake (who plays Iceman) tells his parents that he is a mutant look more like a gay ‘coming-out’ scene.
When the movie wrapped and the director was asked if he would work on any more X-Men films, Singer said he wasn’t sure. He had established ideas and elements in the sequel that would lend themselves to future pictures but at the same time, he stressed, he would probably like to do something in between. ‘I don’t know if it’s to get back to my roots, smaller films, or go and make another event picture. I’m not sure yet. I’m developing things.’
X2: X-Men United was released in the US on 2 May 2003, accumulating $85 million in its opening weekend. The film grossed $214 million in North America alone, while earning another $192 million worldwide, coming at a total of $406 million. X2 was a financial success since it recouped its production budget three times over. It debuted simultaneously in 93 countries, the largest North American and international opening ever at the time. In addition, it was the fifth highest grossing film based on a Marvel comic, and was the sixth highest of 2003, also earning $107 million in its first five days of DVD release. It entered The Guinness Book of World Records as the Widest Film Release, having opened on 3,741 screens on the same day. The film was considered by most critics to be even better than the original, with Hugh again being given a lot of the credit even though he was just one of an ensemble cast.
X2 won the Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film. In addition, Bryan Singer (direction), Dan Harris and Michael Dougherty (writing) an
d John Ottman (music) all received nominations. It also received other nominations, with its costumes, make-up, special effects and DVD release coming to a total of eight altogether. The Political Film Society honoured X2 in categories of Human Rights and Peace, while the movie was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation (Long Form).
A successful video game was also released shortly after the film. ‘I don’t know if they’ve used my voice or not, they probably have,’ Hugh remarked. ‘I did a lot of recordings on the first movie for dolls and videogames, so they probably just used the same stuff.’
‘Hugh’s a down-to-earth guy, a well-grounded guy, a zero-ego guy, with none of the bullshit that a lot of people have in this town.’
Tom DeSanto, executive producer of X2: X-Men United
CHAPTER NINE
The ‘Queen’ of New York
What does a relatively new, but very successful, actor from Down Under who’s just finished filming the second in the series of one of the biggest action-movie franchise hits of the century do for an encore? Does he find a similar role quickly? Wait for the next instalment, which is bound to come? Take the money and relax in the sun? Or spend long hours in the gym to build up his already hard body even more?
The answer is none of the above. Instead, Hugh traded in his tight-fitting white vest, retractable steel claws and side-burns for a pair of tight-fitting trousers, a set of maracas and a floral shirt to transform himself into the flamboyant Peter Allen in the Broadway musical, The Boy From Oz.
The sensational hit told the dazzling, funny and heartbreaking story of the great entertainer, Peter Allen, from humble beginnings growing up in the Australian outback, through his meteoric rise to fame as an international star, selling out week-long engagements at Radio City Music Hall.
Singing in the country pubs from the age of eleven, Peter Richard Woolnough survived family tragedy to become a local TV star at sixteen. Later discovered by Judy Garland, went on to marry her daughter Liza Minnelli, he became a well-loved performer plus Oscar-winning songwriter. He also appeared in New York City with the Rockettes. However, he was infamous for burning the candle at both ends and as time progressed, he developed a homosexual relationship and his marriage subsequently ended. He passed away in 1992 due to AIDS-related throat cancer soon after being diagnosed.
Peter Allen had an amazing life and his story made for one hell of a show. It had already been a massive triumph in Australia, where it was first performed in 1998 at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Sydney. The Boy From Oz became so successful that it played to packed houses across the country and ran for a total of 766 performances over two years, starring Todd McKenney in the lead role.
It was almost inevitable that the one-man show portraying the life of the flamboyant, openly gay Peter would eventually make its way to Broadway. On 16 September 2003 it previewed at the Imperial Theatre in New York, officially opening a month later and running up until Hugh’s contract ended on 12 September 2004. Over that time period, the show played 32 previews and 365 performances. Directed by Philip William McKinley, with choreography by Joey McKneely, it starred Hugh as Allen and Isabel Keating as Judy Garland. Stephanie J Block played Liza Minnelli, Beth Fowler was Marion Woolnough, Jarrod Emick starred as Peter’s AIDS-stricken lover Greg Connell, while John Hill was Mark Herron (Judy’s husband).
Hugh spoke about the show when it opened on Broadway: ‘For those of you who didn’t know, Peter Allen first became famous in America for marrying Liza Minnelli. He used to be the opening act for Judy Garland, who he met drunk in a club in Hong Kong many years before. He then became kind of a prolific songwriter. He won an Oscar for “Arthur’s Theme” and he wrote many hit songs that you would know, but his life story was truly amazing.
‘This boy from the outback in Australia was the polar opposite of Wolverine, and I’m really not exaggerating. He was very flamboyant, was our Peter. Famous for his Hawaiian shirts, gold tap-dancing shoes, jumping on top of the piano, making out with pretty much anyone and everyone who stepped across his path, and dancing with the Rockettes. He was a pretty outrageous character. He was great.’
When Hugh signed up to do the show, there were those who thought the star from X-Men had gone insane to even consider giving up the bright lights of Hollywood at such a lucrative stage in his career to take a gamble on such a controversial show.
‘So when I was first offered The Boy from Oz, I turned it down. I said to my wife, “Deb, this sounds like a great idea. But I want to do movies.” So I went off and did movies. The show was a big hit in Australia, and I went to see it. That’s when I turned to Deb and said, “I made a big mistake. I should’ve done the show.” Later, when my agent rang me and said, “There’s something for The Boy from Oz on Broadway,” I said, “I’m doing it.” I didn’t care what part.’
It was still a big gamble for the rising star. ‘Aside from the fact that it was a gay character who was not that famous, not the greatest singer, piano player or dancer in the world, I was going to take 12 months out of my film career and I was in mid-30s. Some may have said I made a bad decision,’ Hugh observed. However, Hugh knew that playing Tenterfield in New South Wales’s most famous export in New York was not only going to be extremely challenging and would stretch him to the limit, but it would also be the role of a lifetime, fulfilling another of his personal ambitions to perform on Broadway. He said, ‘Peter was the consummate showman and his music was so honest. When he sang “Tenterfield Saddler”, he would break your heart.’
Conversely, it wasn’t as though Hugh was turning his back on the film world entirely. There was a new film coming out the same year called Van Helsing, which he hoped would keep him in the Hollywood spotlight until he re-emerged.
Interestingly, the decision to move from movie set to centre stage actually helped to boost his career later on down the line, with priceless exposure to several directors who came to see the performance. Darren Aronofsky was one such director; he thought Hugh would be great for a role in his movie, The Fountain. He went backstage after the show and gave Hugh the script to read, as did Christopher Nolan, who directed Jackman in the 2006 film The Prestige, a drama about two 19th-century rival magicians. Allegedly, people representing Woody Allen also saw the show, which later led to him being cast in Scoop. His performance was also key to him being selected to host the Oscars later on, when Steven Spielberg apparently put his name forward.
Aside from the career opportunities, the prospect of spending time living and working in the Big Apple excited both Hugh and his wife. ‘I think it’s the best city in the world. As far as cities go, everything’s there. I think it’s so vibrant. I love the people. I think they’re honest, in your face. If they don’t like you, they’ll say, “Get out of my way!” If they like you, they’ll slap you on the back and support you. It’s a very intoxicating environment to be in. In terms of theatre, there’s not a more supportive theatre community than in New York. It’s really kind of a real thrill to go there. I mean, don’t forget, I’m a boy from the suburbs of Sydney, so getting to New York is a huge, huge thrill,’ he said.
As for his transition from film back to stage work, he didn’t seem to miss a single beat. His aim was never to be off the stage for more than five years. He didn’t know if his agent was particularly thrilled about the 12-month contract he had just signed, but it was still exhilarating for him. It was a dream to star in the first Australian musical ever to be performed on Broadway and to play a character for whom he had such great admiration.
Indeed, his growing reputation as a Hollywood superstar in the making proved to be a real bonus. His fame attracted a lot of people who didn’t typically frequent the bright lights of Broadway, boosting sales considerably for the show itself and other productions on the famous strip. And he must have realised he was hitting the right notes because he was even immortalised as a caricature at New York’s famous restaurant, Sardi’s – a big honour in the city that never sleeps.
Hugh had never se
en Peter perform live but had watched footage of the star on television and listened to his music while growing up. To prepare for his role as the star performer, Hugh watched all the Peter Allen videos and read everything he could get his hands on. He also spent hours talking to people about what the man himself, an icon in his homeland, was really like: ‘He was an incredible performer for one thing, and he’s written some songs that are very loved by Australians. But his story really struck a chord with me. He was incredibly brave as a performer. He had a go at everything. His ambitions were limitless, and he had the courage to match it. He had this sort of joie de vivre throughout all the ups and downs in his life and he just lit up the stage. He was one of those rare individuals who could have the audience in the palm of his hand from the moment he walked onstage.’
In September 2003, Hugh took on the extravagant new persona of Allen, singing, dancing and bounding out into the audience to flirt with both men and women. His performance lit up the stage, and he revelled in all the showmanship and glitz. He sang 21 songs per show, eight shows per week. ‘Yeah, I’m sure I should have been a showgirl!’ he said, laughing out loud at the thought.
Portraying Peter was a daunting task, especially as he hadn’t so far played a real person in either stage or film before. Peter Allen was not a fictitious figure and Hugh knew there would be extreme pressure to portray the character exactly as he was in real life. And he did an amazing job of overcoming all doubts or expectations.
Being a true professional, Hugh tried his hardest to get his portrayal of Allen exactly right and after a few weeks of rehearsals he thought he had cracked it. However the director, Philip McKinley, was more concerned with capturing Allen’s spirit and less interested in capturing his physical mannerisms: ‘Around the fifth week, I thought I had found out who Peter was and the next thing was to put on the outer crust and walk and talk and all that. As I began doing that I noticed Phillip was getting a little perturbed. Finally, he said to me, “You know, it’s strange, the effect is not as strong as before. It actually works better if you give little hints of Allen and incorporate his signature moves rather than give a literal impersonation of him.” And he was right. People who knew Peter came up to me after the first few performances and said, “Oh, my God, I thought that was Peter up there onstage!”’
Hugh Jackman Page 12