Oktoberfest for Hugh Jackman's Birthday ; October 12, 2024!

[jo]

Another year, another birthday!

This year we will have a special Oktoberfest to celebrate your 56Th birthday!

We will drink to your health!! To your happiness!! And to a bright future!!




And may the day be a happy one for you!






HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HUGH JACKMAN!!

[jo]

He posts this recommendation on a book-memoir from one of his good friends ( GinaChick) --a book written by her -- on his birthday!

x.com/i/status/1845067251138822433



This is her book --

http://instagram.com/p/C_ezDCkBud9

[jo]

http://instagram.com/p/DBBhiYfhOL_

[jo]

A beautiful tribute --

Fabulous Tales
@fabtales
Unstoppable Grace: Hugh Jackman
From Wolverine's claws to *The Greatest Showman*'s golden pipes, Hugh Jackman has crossed genres like no other. And what an actor he is: transformational and constantly on a journey of emotion-sharing, singing on stage, and fighting demons on television. Hugh Jackman is strong, graceful, and talented and turns another year old today.

His personality, not just his acting, makes him stand out. Gentle, humble, and full of life, Jackman says true greatness comes from staying grounded, being courteous, and giving back.

More than an actor, Jackman is an inspiration. He is a loving father, a philanthropist, and an activist. Outside the screen, his irrepressible joy and limitless energy illuminate the globe yearly.
#HughJackman #Wolverine #Birthday

[jo]

Hugh Jackman Jukebox --

[jo]

From longtime fan (since Oklahoma! in London) and NYTimes critic Ben Brantley --

Ben Brantley
@benjbrantley
·
4m
Happy birthday to Hugh Jackman, who connects with his audience with a direct, personal warmth that recalls descriptions of the musical stars of the early 20th century. Equally at home onstage playing a robust cowboy; a shimmying Peter Allen and his own ecstatic showman self.

JoAB
@joab46466753

Replying to
@benjbrantley
Best display of his exuberance as a performing artist!

[njr]

Hard to believe when I first discovered Hugh he was 31 (July 2000 in X-Men), when I met him he was 35 (Mar. 17, 2004) and now he’s 56! How time flies!

Nancy

[jo]

Benjamin Ryan
and
Ben Brantley
liked your reply

Best display of his exuberance as a performing artist!

[jo]

So many birthday wishes from colleagues, friends, and fans.

Hugh Jackman is truly well-loved!

Jo

[jo]

[jo]

Oct 12, 2024 14:12:04 GMT -5 jo said:

Benjamin Ryan
and
Ben Brantley
liked your reply

Best display of his exuberance as a performing artist!

Aug 22, 2017 1:00:28 GMT -5 jo said:

And we need to reprint the review by NYTimes's Ben Brantley --

www.nytimes.com/2011/11/11/theater/reviews/hugh-jackman-back-on-broadway-at-broadhurst-review.html?mcubz=0

'Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway'
A Master of Mass Flirtation

Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway Broadway, Broadway, Solo Performance, Pop, Musical, Revue Closing Date: January 1, 2012 Broadhurst Theatre, 235 W 44th St. 212-239-6200

By BEN BRANTLEY
NOV. 10, 2011



Hugh Jackman practices safe sex like nobody else. His sweet-and-hot new show “Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway,” which opened on Thursday night at the Broadhurst Theater, is a great, guilt-free platonic one-night stand. O.K., so maybe the guy tends to run on about himself (his dreams, his job, his family, you know the drill) and cracks a few too many hokey jokes.


But when he gets down to business, this dream date delivers. And even when he’s grinding his hips before front-row patrons at eye level, you know that with Mr. Jackman there’ll be no morning-after regrets or feelings of sleaziness. He is, in his gold lamé way, as perfect a gentleman as anyone your grandmother swooned over at the Roxy. You half expect him to send you (and everyone else in the theater) flowers the next day.

The impossibly talented, impossibly energetic Mr. Jackman is a glorious dinosaur among live entertainers of the 21st century: an honest-to-gosh old-fashioned matinee idol who connects to his audiences without a hint of contempt for them or for himself. A movie star with a major action franchise (as Wolverine in the “X-Men” series), Mr. Jackman says he’s happiest as a song-and-dance man, the kind who conducts mass flirtation with a wink, a wriggle, a firmly handled melody and maybe a cane and some tap shoes.

This hot-ticket concert, previously seen in San Francisco and Toronto, has had writers comparing Mr. Jackman to fabled entertainers like Judy Garland and Frank Sinatra (in his pre-chairman-of-the-board days). If Mr. Jackman isn’t in that league (and I wouldn’t dare try convincing the audiences at the Broadhurst that he isn’t), it’s only because he’s too nice, too sane.




"Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway," and impossibly energetic, at the Broadhurst Theater.
Credit
Sara Krulwich/The New York Times


There’s never that lurid, dangerous threat in the air that he might just fall apart (as there was with Garland) or turn nasty (as with Sinatra and the rawer rock ‘n’ roll idols of the last third of the 20th century). On the other hand, you never think that he’s some synthetic, airbrushed illusion — like many of the stadium-playing chart toppers of today — held together by smoke, mirrors and synthesizers.



No, Mr. Jackman is palpably present and in his own skin. You feel you could reach out and touch him, and you may well have occasion to as he works the aisles of the Broadhurst, where his show runs through Jan. 1. That’s what he’s there for: to connect, to love and to be loved. And he makes it clear from his first entrance — striding across the stage, hitching up his pants over his lean hips and raising his eyebrows companionably as a fan emits a passionate squeal — that he’d be oh so easy to love.

That’s love in a major key. Mr. Jackman sings the occasional ballad, but he’s more in his element in sunlight than in shadows. Born in Sydney, he makes much of being a game-for-anything Aussie, always up for a drink, an adventure, a good time. This is not to suggest that there’s anything remotely slapdash about his performance in this show, which is directed and choreographed by Warren Carlyle. Mr. Jackman dances with a Rockette’s precision and makes sure that his lyrics (sung with a hint of an outback twang) land with clarity and meaning.

Of course those moves and words wouldn’t count for nearly as much if Mr. Jackman didn’t inflect them with infectious affection for what he’s doing. He is as much of a classic musical-comedy nerd as any character on “Glee” and a lot more authentic.




Hugh Jackman on Broadway with, from left, Kearran Giovanni, Lara Seibert and Emily Tyra.
Credit
Sara Krulwich/The New York Times


He establishes his Broadway bona fides in his opening number. His voice, a capella, precedes him onstage, singing “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’,” from “Oklahoma!,” the show that established Mr. Jackman as a musical star to reckon with when he appeared in it 13 years ago at the National Theater in London. And he concludes the first act with a beguilingly sincere version of Billy Bigelow’s “Soliloquy,” from another Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, “Carousel.”

In between he croons, belts, twirls and shimmies through several high-powered medleys — tributes to New York City and the irrepressible urge to dance (in which “I Won’t Dance” segues into “gotta dance!”). He has smooth assistance from a terrific onstage orchestra (with musical direction by Patrick Vaccariello) and a comely sextet of dancing backup singers. The second act finds him blissfully reincarnating a man who has become an alter ego for him (and the opposite of the manly mutant Wolverine).


That’s the pansexual, endlessly insinuating Peter Allen, whom Mr. Jackman portrayed to Tony-winning perfection in the 2003 bio-musical “The Boy From Oz.” (Channeling Allen provides the chance for Mr. Jackman to get as close to down and dirty as he allows himself in this show.) There is also a sprightly homage to the Hollywood movie musicals Mr. Jackman says he watched on television on Sunday afternoons in his boyhood (after finishing rugby practice, mind you) and an earnest novelty rendition of “Over the Rainbow,” performed by Mr. Jackman and aboriginal musicians from Australia.
The topical jokes and misty reminiscences that mark time between musical numbers are standard issue at best. And you should know that there are (oh dear) perky video montage sequences. (Mr. Jackman as a lad, Mr. Jackman with his son, Mr. Jackman in various movies).

nyti.ms/2vkllbb
Hugh Jackman sings “Steppin’ Out With My Baby” in his 2011 concert on Broadway.

I usually wince when performers truck out self-celebrating scrapbook stuff. But Mr. Jackman presents this material with a deflating air of not humility exactly or self-mockery, but rather an ingratiating sense of how absurd, silly and wonderful it is to be a real-live star who can make grown women (and men) tremble just by smiling.

For that’s what this show is all about, finally: the erotically charged, two-way relationship between a star and his fans. The Playbill for “Back on Broadway” makes it clear that sex is what this production is selling. It shows Mr. Jackman looking surly with a two-day stubble and a large-headed microphone rising straight up his chest.

The Hugh Jackman that awaits you inside is friendlier than that, not to mention clean-shaven. And I promise you he won’t do anything untoward with his microphone. All he asks is that you love him loving you loving him. And it’s pretty close to impossible to deny him that.

[jo]

[jo]

Hugh Jackman
@realhughjackman
Thank you all for incredible birthday love. Feeling so grateful. #thisis56

[jo]

A tribute from Variety on Hugh Jackman's birthday --

Clayton Davis
@byclaytondavis
·
21m
Happy Belated Birthday to Hugh Jackman (
@realhughjackman
)

Hugh Jackman’s 12 Best Performances: From ‘The Greatest Showman’ to ‘Logan’ variety.com/lists/hugh-jackman-best-movies-performances-ranked/ via
@variety

The following is dated October 12, 2022 ( a previous article) --

Home
Awards
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Oct 12, 2022 7:15am PT
Hugh Jackman’s 12 Best Performances: From ‘The Greatest Showman’ to ‘Logan’


By Clayton Davis

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Hugh Jackman - The Son - The Greatest Showman - Les Miserables - Logan - Prisoners
The depth of Hugh Jackman, the Australian leading man whose multi-talented arsenal has graced the screen and stages over the last three decades, is one of the entertainment industry’s most versatile actors. His movies have a collective gross of more than $5 billion worldwide, placing him in the top 25 earners of all time.

To celebrate Jackman’s birthday, Variety ranks his 12 best film performances of his career so far.

His big break came when he landed the superhero Wolverine in 20th Century Fox’s inaugural “X-Men” (2000), which was followed by several sequels and spin-offs, most notably “Logan” (2017).

An actor’s actor, he’s worked alongside some of the industry’s finest actors such as Nicole Kidman (“Australia”) and Meg Ryan (“Kate and Leopold”) and visionary directors like Christopher Nolan (“The Prestige”) and Denis Villeneuve (“Prisoners”).

After hosting the 81st Academy Awards in 2009, his personal invitation to the Oscars when he took on the famous role of Frenchman and former prisoner Jean Valjean in Tom Hooper’s “Les Misérables” (2012), which earned him a best actor nomination, in addition to a Golden Globe prize for lead actor (comedy/musical). The film went on to gross over $440 million worldwide.

A profound career is not complete without an Oscar snub or two, and Jackman has those on his resume. Some were charmed by his 19th-century time traveler in James Mangold’s “Kate & Leopold” (2001), which earned him his first Golden Globe nom for lead actor (comedy/musical).

There are large pockets of cinephiles that adore his work in Darren Aronofsky’s romantic fantasy epic “The Fountain” (2006) opposite Rachel Weisz, while mainstream audiences will always love his P.T. Barnum in the musical “The Greatest Showman” (2017).

His turn as a father, desperate to find his kidnapped daughter in Denis Villeneuve’s “Prisoners” (2013) has the actor going to places he’s very rarely explored.

In 2022, Jackman stars in Academy Award winner Florian Zeller’s sophomore film “The Son” from Sony Pictures Classics, playing a remarried father who attempts to connect with his estranged teenage son. His work has received positive word from critics and could earn him his second Oscar nomination this awards season. He’s also set to reprise his beloved Wolverine in the next installment of “Deadpool,” due out in 2024.

Read Variety’s list of Jackman’s 12 best performances below, along with the best scene from each movie.

Honorable mentions: “The Fountain” (2006); “Real Steel” (2011); “X-Men: Days of Future Past (2013)

12
Swordfish (2000)
SWORDFISH, from left: John Travolta, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, 2001, © Warner Brothers/courtesy Everett Collection
Photo : ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
Role: Stanley Jobson

Director: Dominic Sena
Writer(s): Skip Woods
Distributor: Warner Bros.

The scene that proves it: “Kill me and you’ll never see a dollar.”

Jackman is electric alongside Halle Berry (one year before her Oscar win) and an entertaining and villainous John Travolta in Dominic Sena’s thriller. So kick back, relax and watch Jackman be a different type of hero.

11
X2: X-Men United (2003)
X2: X-Men United
Role: Logan / Wolverine

Director: Bryan Singer
Writer(s): Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris, David Hayter, Zak Penn (based on “X-Men” created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby)
Distributor: 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios)

The scene that proves it: Wolverine vs. Lady Deathstrike

Once was not enough. The ambitious scope of the anticipated sequel to the 2000 hit set a benchmark for all superhero sequels that would come afterward. Jackman’s return to Wolverine is even more committed, getting some outstanding fight scenes and impressive dramatic moments.

10
Kate & Leopold (2001)
Kate and Leopold - Hugh Jackman - Meg Ryan
Role: His Grace Leopold Alexis Elijah Walker Thomas Gareth Mountbatten, 3rd Duke of Albany

Director: James Mangold
Writer(s): James Mangold, Steven Rogers
Distributor: Miramax Films

The scene that proves it: “I’ve been warned about you.”

Opposite the rom-com queen Meg Ryan, Jackman plays a 19th-century duke transported to the 21st century in James Mangold’s fantasy flick. While the film doesn’t come together fully, it boasts some tender and joyful moments, cementing Jackman’s dreamy leading man into the Hollywood echo chamber.

9
Australia (2008)
AUSTRALIA, Hugh Jackman (left), Brandon Walters (right), 2008. TM & ©Copyright 20th Century Fox. All rights reserved/courtesy Everett Collection
Photo : ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Role: The Drover

Director: Baz Luhrmann
Writer(s): Baz Luhrmann, Ronald Harwood, Stuart Beattie, Richard Flanagan
Distributor: 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios)

The scene that proves it: “We like to bunk up together.”

Baz Luhrmann’s lavish epic is as divided as they come. I stand on the side of “love” when it reaches the large set pieces, the charm of young Brandon Walters, and the swooning chemistry between Jackman’s Drover and his English aristocrat lady, played by Nicole Kidman. Whether bathing himself with a large bucket or saving his child-like figure, Jackman’s celebrity spark has never been brighter.

8
Bad Education (2019)
Hugh Jackman - Bad Education
Role: Frank Tassone

Director: Cory Finley
Writer(s): Mike Makowsky (based on “The Bad Superintendent” by Robert Kolker)
Distributor: HBO / Warner Bros. Television

The scene that proves it: “I would kill somebody for a carb.”

Starting its journey at the 2019 Toronto Film Festival, Cory Finley’s crime drama looking at the largest public school embezzlement in American history was acquired by HBO and went on to win the Emmy for outstanding television movie, with Jackman receiving a nom for lead actor a limited series or tv movie. If a major studio had picked the film up, I believe Jackman’s second Oscar nom might have come much sooner, considering the technique he brings to his crooked superintendent.

7
The Prestige (2006)
THE PRESTIGE, Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, 2006. ©Touchstone Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection
Photo : ©Touchstone Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Role: Robert “The Great Danton” Angier / Lord Caldlow

Director: Christopher Nolan
Writer(s): Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan (based on “The Prestige” by Christopher Priest)
Distributor: Warner Bros.

The scene that proves it: “He had a new trick – it was the greatest magic trick I’d ever seen.”

Under the guidance of Christopher Nolan, Jackman’s Angier, who professionally duels with another magician (played incredibly by Christian Bale), has the actor showing his sinister nature of himself. With an all-star cast that includes Scarlett Johansson and Michael Caine, he keeps the mystery epic grounded with emotion and suspense.

6
The Greatest Showman (2017)
The Greatest Showman
Photo : Fox
Role: P.T. Barnum

Director: Michael Gracey
Writer(s): Jenny Bicks, Bill Condon
Distributor: 20th Century Fox (20th Century Studio)

The scene that proves it: “The Greatest Show”

If Wolverine belongs to Millennials and Superhero Fanboys, then P.T. Barnum belongs to Gen Y and Musical Theatre Kids. The bombastic musical that boasts incredible songs and memorable turns from Jackman’s co-stars Zendaya and Rebecca Ferguson stands comfortably on the list and will likely be among his most revered decades from now.


5
X-Men (2000)
X-MEN, Hugh Jackman, 2000, TM and Copyright (c)20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved.
Photo : ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Role: Logan

Director: Bryan Singer
Writer(s): David Hayter, Tom DeSanto, Bryan Singer (based on “X-Men” created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby)
Distributor: 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios)

The scene that proves it: “What do they call you, wheels?”

There’s no time like the first time. That’s the case with Jackman’s inaugural outing as the famed comic book superhero with a slick mouth and an eye for Jean Grey. Possibly one of the best casting choices of the aughts, there’s a reason that 22 years later, we’ll always ask for more.


4
Les Misérables (2012)
LES MISERABLES, Hugh Jackman, 2012. ph: Laurie Sparham/©Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Photo : ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection
Role: Jean Valjean

Director: Tom Hooper
Writer(s): William Nicholson, Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schönberg, Herbert Kretzmer (based on the stage musical by Boublil and Schönberg and the novel by Victor Hugo)
Distributor: Universal Pictures

The scene that proves it: “What Have I Done?”

A trained actor on the theater stage, Jackman’s capturing of Frenchman Jean Valjean, who is imprisoned and then redeemed through the love of his orphaned daughter is beautifully alive. He fit into it like a glove. His efforts were recognized with a Golden Globe for best actor (comedy or musical) and later with his first Oscar nom, losing out to Daniel Day-Lewis for “Lincoln.” He was likely the runner-up.


3
The Son (2022)
The Son Movie Hugh Jackman
Photo : Courtesy of Jessica Kourkounis
Role: Peter Miller

Director: Florian Zeller
Writer(s): Florian Zeller, Christopher Hampton (based on the play “Le Fils” by Florian Zeller)
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics

The scene that proves it: “I have the right to reinvent my life.”

Jackman, one of the most beloved performers in the entertainment industry, only has a single Oscar nomination to his credit. His work in “The Son” could bring the overlooked star his overdue second Oscar nom. What makes his performance even more impressive is that for most of “The Son,” Jackman is meticulously reserved, internalizing the frustration of a man seeking a quick fix for his son’s deeply rooted mental health issues. It’s a performance imbued with the kind of roiling frustration and mounting desperation that hawks back to recent best actor nominees and winners


2
Logan (2017)
LOGAN, l-r: Dafnee Keen, Hugh Jackman, 2017. ph: Ben Rothstein/TM & copyright © 20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved./courtesy Everett Collection
Photo : ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Role: Logan / Wolverine

Director: James Mangold
Writer(s): Scott Frank, James Mangold, Michael Green (based on “Wolverine” by Roy Thomas, Len Wein and John Romita Sr.)
Distributor: 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios)

The scene that proves it: “Death”

The creative elevation of the superhero genre is shown with James Mangold’s semi-western take on one of the beloved X-Men characters. Anchored by its central performer, Jackman’s rugged and regenerating mutant during his final days are near his brightest acting moments.

1
Prisoners (2013)
PRISONERS, from left: Hugh Jackman, Terrence Howard, 2013. ph: Wilson Webb/©Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett Collection
Photo : ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
Role: Keller Dover

Director: Denis Villeneuve
Writer(s): Aaron Guzikowski
Distributor: Warner Bros.

The scene that proves it: “Where’s my daughter?”

An underrated career-best performance. The morality thriller gives its all-star cast plenty to chew on, especially Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano and Melissa Leo. Jackman’s desperation keeps the audience bouncing back and forth between consent and disapproval as he throws out the rule book to save his daughter’s life. In addition, Jackman’s bubbling rage against the cinematography by Roger Deakins pops in every frame and comes alive in every word.