Was Hugh Jackman brutalized as Wolverine in Marvel’s ‘X Men’ franchise?
Comic book movies are sort of the only movies these days. The Marvel Comic Universe has reached massive heights over the last decade, and it’s to say there’ll be at least one DC or MCU movie playing when you head to the theaters. However, when comic book films started emerging in the mainstream during the early 2000s, they were a different beast entirely.
X-Men dropped in 2000, and when the film came to audiences, Hugh Jackman gave fans a first contemporary glimpse at the adamantium-clawed tough guy we all know & love, Wolverine. Headlines lit up this week when details of the first X-Men series came to surface, and they showed Jackman’s journey on set in a whole new light.
Lovely & gracious
The Hollywood Reporter dropped a story about Hugh Jackman’s time filming the first few Marvel X-Men movies, as told by co-star Anna Paquin. Paquin & Jackman met on the set of the first X-Men movie, and the two became fast friends which they remain to this day. From what Paquin says, Jackman was about as tough as his character during the filming of the first Marvel X-Men series, although his obstacles weren’t other mutants.
The info from today’s story has its roots in radio, as Paquin was a guest on SiriusXM’s The Jess Cagle Show Wednesday, where she opened up about her time with Jackman when they first met on the X-Men set. She is quoted telling Cagle & co-host Julia Cunningham, “Hugh was the person I was always closest with because I had all my scenes with him . . . he is still a lovely, gracious human being”.
Paquin said as the series went on, the production behind the first X-Men movies would bring in more actors closer to Anna’s age at the time, and she became closer friends with them. However, before youngsters were put on set, she says she was closest with Jackman not only because they had most of their scenes together, but also because he was a great guy.
Through the wringer
The two’s fast friendship no doubt garnered great empathy on Paquin’s part, as she told Cagle Jackman was pushed to the limit during the filming of the first installment of the Marvel franchise.
She’s quoted saying, “He got put through the wringer on that first one and never ever complained . . . it’s minus 40 [degrees] and he’s being dropped off some building onto his back over and over and over again. And still has all the time in the world to be a nice, normal person”.
Considering this description, Jackman would appear to have performed, at least partially, his own stunts during the filming of the first Marvel X-Men film. However, Paquin explained there were still times on set Jackman managed to relax & build his friendship with his new co-star.
Flossin’
Paquin, who played Rogue in the first X-Men series, recalls in her interview helping Jackman pick out bits of Wolverine’s signature cigar out of Hugh’s teeth in between scenes.
Anyone who knows even cursory knowledge of the classic X-Men character knows he is equipped with razor-sharp claws. When Jackman had his fake ones on for the role, we imagine picking your teeth could be somewhat dangerous. Paquin says he couldn’t do it without “causing personal damage”. Sounds about right to us.
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While we can’t say whether or not Hugh Jackman was brutalized on the X-Men set, he sure sounds like a trooper according to co-star Anna Paquin. Now we’ll have to sit & wonder if the newly surfaced info means we’ll see Hugh put on the claws once more anytime in the future. If you’re anything like us, you hope so too.
