Due to the original Wolverine actor dropping out, Jackman earned the role that defined his career.
The narrative around Hugh Jackman claiming the role of Wolverine in the 2000 film “X-Men” is well-known lore at this point. As the story goes, Scottish actor Dougray Scott was already cast, but Tom Cruise refused to let Scott be both the villain in “Mission: Impossible 2” and Wolverine, so Scott dropped out, forcing the team behind “X-Men” into a mad dash to find a replacement before production was set to begin. Kevin Feige, an assistant to producer Lauren Shuler Donner at the time, recently shared in an interview with Entertainment Weekly some behind-the-scenes details on what went on.
“There was a scramble to get our Wolverine,” Feige said. “Lauren was very excited about this Australian guy, who had been rejected initially. In my memory, one of the main reasons was that he was too tall. Wolverine in the comics is called ‘Lil’ Fireplugs’ sometimes. He’s a short guy. But they were desperate.”
Jackman, who is 6’3”, was flown into Toronto for another audition, but after the reading he did with screenwriter Tom DeSanto and director Bryan Singer, he thought there was no chance he’d get the part. Not wanting to send Jackman “out into the cold,” Feige bought him dinner before taking him to the airport.
“I said, ‘Kevin, we all know I’m not getting the part. You don’t have to do dinner,’” Jackman said to EW. “But no, he sat in there and had a steak dinner with me and then drove me to the airport. I’ll never forget it. That was the nicest thing. I thought, I’ll never see him again.”
It may have been just a brief, innocuous meal back then, but looking back now, it might as well have been a meeting-of-the-minds as both have been huge elements in defining the Marvel brand over the last two decades. To add even more meaning to the narrative, Jackman and Feige finally got to reunite years later for the upcoming “Deadpool & Wolverine.”
“The notion that, all these years later, we’re in a world where [Jackman] is Wolverine, and Deadpool and all of those X-Men characters are together under the same roof, is a pretty amazing quarter-of-a-century experience,” said Feige.
“Deadpool & Wolverine” will be in theaters July 26.
News
Jennifer Lopez made ‘huge compromise’ on $68M mansion; it was Ben Affleck’s idea to…
Bennifer’s mansion is back on the market for $68M. Sources reveal the purchase was primarily Affleck’s idea, despite Lopez’s discontent with its modern design Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s $60 million marital mansion in Beverly Hills made headlines when the…
Michael Keaton Isn’t Alone: Gigi Hadid, Tina Fey and Tom Cruise’s real names revealed
Many celebrity icons, including Michael Keaton and Gigi Hadid, have ditched their real names for stage names. Keep reading to find out which of your favorite celebs are using an alias. Do you actually know the name of your favorite…
DID YOU HEAR THAT! Jennifer Lopez tells Ben Affleck fan: “Back off, bitch!”
In the ever-evolving landscape of celebrity culture, where the lines between public and private often blur, interactions between celebrities and their fans can become intensely personal and sometimes contentious. This was exemplified recently in a widely circulated video involving Jennifer…
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are actually NOT DIVORCE? A series of hits are clear as day
Sebastian Soto is a YouTuber who shares his thoughts on pop culture and other topics with his viewers. In this video, he discusses his thoughts on Jennifer Lopez’s recent engagement ring. Sebastian believes that Jennifer Lopez is wearing the ring…
Video of Jennifer Lopez CHEATING on Ben Affleck with his assistant goes viral
The video discusses the recent separation of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck. It is rumored that Lopez is cheating on Affleck with her assistant. Affleck is reportedly devastated by the news and has moved out of their home. The video…
Jennifer Lopez’s text messages to Ben Affleck after divorce revealed
The video discusses the aftermath of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s divorce. Lopez is reportedly using her outfits to send a message to Affleck. She has been seen wearing shirts with quotes like “She’s In Bloom and unbothered” and “Everything…
End of content
No more pages to load