The XMEN Men!

[jo]

In 2000, Bryan Singer introduced the theme of superhero/comicbook stories which have dark and serious cinematic treatment. He was well applauded for that...and he made a few more movies in the franchise ( XMen-2/XMen:The Last Stand/Days of Future Past/Age of Apocalypse).

But not always remembered was that the movie and the succeeding movies in the franchise were launched under the watch of Tom Rothman and Jim Gianopulos.

Tom Rothman eventually left FOX, but under the cloud of accusations of being a micro manager...and XMen fans loved to hate him.

Hugh has not forgotten the debt of gratitude.


When the Producers Guild Award held its ceremonies during the weekend, Hugh Jackman introduced the year's honoree Tom Rothman for the Milestone Award --

www.indiewire.com/2017/01/producers-guild-awards-la-la-land-best-motion-picture-game-of-thrones-1201775128/

Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Motion Picture Group chairman Tom Rothman accepted the Milestone Award, presented by Hugh Jackman, who praised him for telling him to “step up” on the set of “X-Men,” as well as his two pink-hat wearing daughters. “Let’s fight for originality,” said Rothman. “Integrity is what counts.” His clip reel reminds what great risks Rothman took at Fox on such films as “Master and Commander” and “Romeo + Juliet.” Let’s hope he finds his stride at Sony and steps up.

Anne Thompson who reported the above failed to cite his most important contributions --

Prior to that, he was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fox Filmed Entertainment with Jim Gianopulos until his resignation on September 14, 2012, effective January 1.[3][4] Rothman began at Fox in 1994 as the founder and President of Fox Searchlight and served the company for 18 years.[5] Under his leadership, Fox had the best profit margins of any film studio.[6]

During Rothman's tenure, Fox films were nominated for over 150 Oscars and won three Best Picture Awards.[7] The company also earned over $30 billion in the box office and made the two highest grossing films of all time, Titanic and Avatar.[8][9][10][11] Rothman also hosted Fox Legacy, a television series in which he provided background and behind-the-scenes information regarding the making of films.[6]

Included in his list of accomplishments at FOX is of course the XMen franchise until he left the studio in 2012.



In the past year, Hugh has also paid a personal tribute to Bryan Singer by commissioning a copy of the Original Cover of the XMen comics, with Bryan featured on it, drawn by the original artists.

Also last year, he paid a tribute to Jim Gianopulos during the MPTF charity event in Hollywood.



Jo

[jo]

More coverage of the PGA Awards, specifically re Hugh's introductory speech for Rothman --

www.eonline.com/uk/news/825075/hugh-jackman-makes-a-surprising-confession-about-playing-wolverine

Hugh Jackman Makes a Surprising Confession About Playing Wolverine
by Marc Malkin | Sun, Jan 29, 2017 11:57 PM


We can't imagine anyone else but Hugh Jackman playing Wolverine in the X-Men movies.

And that's why we were shocked by the Aussie actor's startling confession last night at the Producers Guild Awards—he admitted that the studio wasn't exactly thrilled with his acting when the first movie began shooting about 18 years ago.

"I was kind of struggling, to be honest," Jackman said. "It was the first movie I had ever done in America. I was pretty tight. I was nervous. I was average, to be honest, at best. No one was saying anything and I sort of thought I was getting away with it, but I wasn't."



Studio executive Tom Rothman sat down with Jackman during a visit to the set about a month into filming.
"He told me that he believed in me, that from the moment he'd seen my tape he had a gut feeling I was the guy, but watching my dailies was like watching someone put a lampshade over a light," Jackman admitted.
Ouch.


As we now know, Jackman turned things around. After a franchise that has spanned almost two decades, Jackman will make his final appearance as Wolverine later this month in Logan.

Jackman was at the PGAs last night to present this year's Milestone Award to Rothman.

LOL!

The story is consistent with what Hugh had previously said about Bryan Singer telling him that he had to be more badass and even suggested that he behaved as if he was arguing with Deb...

But Hugh came up with something else -- taking extremely cold morning showers before reporting to the film set


Btw, the MILESTONE award is the most prestigious of all the PGA awards for the evening!



Jo

[jo]

And while on the West Coast --

http://instagram.com/p/BP29-a-jW_7

[hughmanity]

With producer Lauren Shuler Donner

http://instagram.com/p/BP2p_I8FP6V

[jo]

She is the one! The very first XMen Men/Women!! Lauren Shuler Donner was the real talent scout of Hugh Jackman as an XMan! She saw Hugh in OKLAHOMA! in London and as a key producer for the movie, she recommended Hugh for the role of Wolverine. Bryan Singer chose Dougray Scott initially but when DS failed to meet the filming schedule, it must have been Lauren's recommendation ( plus Hugh's audition results, of course) which probably gave Hugh the career-making role!

Hope she has fully recovered from her battle with cancer!


Jo

[jo]

[jo]

His relationship with Rothman started from his very first chance to play role of Wolverine, released in 2000!

Seventeen years later, Hugh Jackman is able to acknowledge that encouragement from Tom Rothman to make the role career-making, and as Hugh is now prepared to move on from that iconic role and explore his other career options more strongly!

A retrospective in a different way!


Jo

[jo]

He was struggling with his acting on this ??



That was a scary scene! He was acting perfectly badass!

[mamaleh]

Since he was rushed into X-MEN after filming had already begun and he was unfamiliar with the comic book, it's quite possible he hadn't yet achieved a full understanding of the character when they began filming his scenes. That came with time.

Ellen

[jo]

Someone who has a drama course degree (with the class's most outstanding graduate award at that time) and has performed in various plays, including a Vaclav Havel play and a Shakespeare play, and who was awarded for his outstanding portrayal of a badass role in the gritty ERSKINEVILLE KINGS -- I can't quite believe that he really had problems with the acting part. Maybe he was not too sure how "flamboyantly badass"  Singer and Rothman wanted him to portray a comicbook anti-hero who was conflicted about his character. I thought Hugh's more low-key but credible interpretation went well with the low-key but masterful acting from Patrick Stewart and Ian Mckellen, two acting giants of British theatre. I guess he learned to be more SNIKT-y eventually to satisfy Singer's acting requirements for the role.

I wonder -- did Singer complain to Rothman about how his replacement actor was not meeting with his requirements for the role? It is well-known that BS did talk to Hugh and asked him to be more badass...resulting in those extremely cold morning showers. I wonder if Singer was not too happy taking Hugh as the replacement actor? I doubt that it was Singer's masterful direction which has inspired Hugh's growth as an actor ... definitely not in the same way that Denis Villeneuve drew out that portrayal in Prisoners)

I have seen Dougray Scott in one or two movies - one was a thriller...and I did not see how much a better actor he was in the context of the Wolverine role ( if he was the standard by which Singer was comparing Hugh with) *eyeroll*

Ironically, Hugh's detractors point out how too showy his acting is ( including all those screaming scenes in his Wolverine roles and in The Fountain) *eyeroll*


Jo

[jo]

On the other hand, look at how his portrayal has been viewed through the 17 years.

www.india.com/buzz/logan-trailer-2-dafne-keen-matches-hugh-jackmans-charisma-in-new-x-men-franchise-watch-video-1770777/


Excerpts:

Credited as one of the most iconic performances of 21st century Hugh Jackman has owned the role of Wolverine and has dominated the role that he started out doing 17 years ago in the first movie X-Men. The films have never been a masterpiece but Hugh Jackman’s performance has always catapulted the film and the storyline to immense status. Hugh Jackman’s performance has always been par excellence and one of the most human and endearing aspects of the franchise. This time around Hugh Jackman is finally getting a film that does him justice. The movie titled Logan will be his last outing as Wolverine and is sure to bring tears to the fans’ eyes as this will be the last time they see their favourite actor and character onscreen. Dafne Keen features as one of the main character X-23 or Laura Kinney in the movie....=

"Hugh Jackman’s performance has always been par excellence and one of the most human and endearing aspects of the franchise."

This aspect of Hugh's screen chemistry has never been highlighted much -- but this must be a major reason why Wolverine fans love him!


And there has always been Hugh's charisma... right from the very beginning!

[mamaleh]

Nice!

Ellen

[jo]

Many actors are not natural public speakers -- where would some be without the ubiquitous teleprompters?


Hugh Jackman who is such a natural for it and is so much at ease with the task ( one of the reasons why he gets those hosting jobs) has grown so much as someone who talks to the audience both to entertain and to inform ( remember his speech at a UN meeting in NYC re climate change?).

[jo]

At the same time, he is not one who will not show his emotions in public -- that hug must embody the years of a close professional between him and Tom Rothman!