Hugh Jackman talks summits and sideburns
Claire Sutherland
April 24, 2008 12:00am
HUGH Jackman may have the film industry clout that goes with being one of Australia's biggest movie stars, but even he knows when to put his hand up and say he's failed.
Hugh Jackman had plenty of good ideas for the future of Australia when he attended last weekend's 2020 Summit.
Among them was the encouragement of creativity, support for scriptwriters, and mutton-chop sideburns for all.
Jackman laughs when asked if he thinks his spectacular Wolverine facial hair might start a parliamentary trend.
‘‘I noticed the Prime Minister's chops do on occasion err south,'' he says. ‘‘Have you noticed that?
Maybe if he gets re-elected for a second term he might make an even bolder choice there.
‘‘Though I don't think it would garner any more votes, or certainly any more attention at home. Not if my experience at home is any reflection.''
Joking aside, Jackman relished the opportunity to have his say at 2020 and was spewing (literally) that he missed Sunday's session, the ‘‘business end'', due to a bout of food poisoning.
‘‘I think it was exactly as it was billed, a genuine chance to start a conversation, bring forth ideas,'' he says.
‘‘I loved it. Held in Canberra, the home of politics, but it was not a overtly political event.''
He dismisses criticism of co-chairwoman Cate Blanchett's decision to attend with her five-day-old son.
‘‘If that's the kind of thing outraging people, they need to get a little bit of a life,'' he says.
‘‘What she does as a mother is her business. What I applaud entirely, 100 per cent, is her commitment to doing something and making a difference in the community.
‘‘If you're spending all your time looking for possible flaws -- if there are any -- in Cate Blanchett, then you really have far too much time on your hands. To me she's nothing but admirable in every way.''
Jackman's passion at 2020 was his belief Australia should nurture a supportive atmosphere for homegrown creative types. His own Seed production house, based in Sydney and LA, is an attempt to foster projects here and overseas.
The latest, Deception, is a snaky thriller starring Jackman, Ewan McGregor and Michelle Williams. Jackman plays a conman who befriends a lonely corporate auditor (McGregor) and draws him into a convoluted plot involving illegal money transfers and a high-end sex club.
Jackman is profoundly relaxed about the picture's prospects. The film had broken even before filming started, thanks to a canny policy of keeping the budget low and the international sales high.
‘‘That took a lot of pressure off, financially,'' Jackman says. ‘‘The film is not a massive film budget-wise. We thought it unrealistic to put that kind of pressure on us as a young company, to make a film that had financial pressures of having to break even was too much to take in. So we had this amazing situation of being in the black before we'd even shot a frame.''
The fact Deception was financed outside the studio system meant Seed could take a chance on a first-time director, Swiss Marcel Langenegger, and on casting decisions.
‘‘We really got to make some interesting choices,'' Jackman says.
‘‘Even the sex montage. If we had a studio, if there was more pressure on us box office-wise, every one of those women would be a Victoria's Secret model probably. We could be far more eclectic.
Having someone like Charlotte Rampling play that little cameo, I think, gives the film an unexpected richness that people who go to see it are not expecting.''
Also unexpected is a rare outing as a bad guy for the irrepressibly likable Jackman.
‘‘It's a universal law. Every actor wants to play the bad guy and I really, really enjoyed it,'' he says.
‘‘It's really a frightening thing, but there has to be some empathy at some level in order to play it.
‘‘The worst thing you can do as an actor is judge your character. And let's face it, my job is being a conman.''
The late Heath Ledger was a regular visitor to the New York set and his then partner Michelle Williams.
‘‘At the time of shooting, beginning of last year, the situation was very different, those guys were together and both very committed parents and Michelle obviously still is,'' Jackman says.
‘‘I just really feel for her. It's an incredibly difficult time and she's an unbelievably committed mother. As a working actress, a year ago her focus was very much on (daughter) Matilda and looking after her. Nothing has changed there.''
Jackman is unashamedly pleased with Deception, its clever financial underpinnings and Williams' performance in particular after a baptism of fire in the producing department when one of Seed's first projects, the US TV show Viva Laughlin, crashed and burned, dumped by CBS after two episodes.
Ask if he thinks the show -- like so many in TV history -- wasn't given a chance and deserves a new life on DVD, and Jackman refuses to grasp the face-saving lifeline.
‘‘You know I'm always happy to stand up when something's done well and tell people about it, and I don't mind admitting we failed pretty spectacularly on that gig,'' he says.
‘‘But you can't win them all, and we've moved on. I don't think there will be much effort put into the DVD. I'm proud we did it. People didn't watch it and that's OK. It's time to move on.''
It's 8pm and Jackman is only halfway through his interview commitments, but he affably dismisses the idea he's being worked hard by his publicists.
‘‘Not really, because if it wasn't this I'd be doing a night shoot at Cockatoo Island and finishing at 6am. I get off at 1am so it's not so bad.''
Jackman is deep into shooting an X-Men spinoff and new Seed project Wolverine in Sydney with co-stars Liev Schreiber and Ryan Reynolds.
‘‘I'm used to these movies now,'' he says. ‘‘They're big and there's a lot involved, a lot at stake, so it's always high pressure. But Gavin Hood, our director, is a real force. He's an Oscar-winning director (for Tsotsi) and he's used to working under different kinds of pressure and stresses.''
Jackman hand-picked Melbourne youngster Kodi Smit-McPhee (Romulus, My Father) to play Wolverine as a young man.
‘‘He's one of those kids who's fearless,'' Jackman says. ‘‘I hope he doesn't read this article because yes, there is pressure on him because of who he's playing and the expectations of fans. I was lucky to be completely ignorant of fans' expectations and the whole world before X-Men came out. I just hope he doesn't read too much or go on the internet because he naturally has the goods I know the fans will love.''
It's indicative of Jackman's clout that he arranged for Wolverine to be shot in Sydney.
‘‘As the Baz (Luhrmann) movie went a little longer, as producer I needed to be around for pre-production,'' he says. ‘‘I couldn't just sit around and let that all go. Also, it was a strong choice because of my family situation and schooling and the kids. Our son's almost eight, so the gypsy lifestyle isn't as convenient as it used to be.''
Almost as anticipated as Wolverine is Luhrmann's Australia, which Jackman shot with Nicole Kidman until earlier this year.
‘‘I have seen snippets, a fantastic 12-minute piece Baz put together before we finished,'' he says.
‘‘Recently I saw another five minutes, and I just pinch myself I'm a part of it. It's an amazing moment for Australian film. Fingers crossed we can pull off the ambitions being set.''
Deception opens today
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