Honors to Hugh Jackman

[jo]

[jo]

That choked me up!


Jo

[jo]

Hugh is in truly well-respected company --

Since 2006, the annual Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film has been awarded to a lifelong contributor to cinema through their work in front of the camera, behind, or both. Past honorees include Dame Judi Dench, Warren Beatty, Jane Fonda, Jessica Lange, Forest Whitaker, Robert DeNiro, Michael Douglas, Harrison Ford, Quentin Tarantino, Ed Harris, and John Travolta.

It is not just for one particular film project but points to the honoree's body of work!

Congratulations, Hugh Jackman!


Jo

[jo]

[jo]

An acceptance speech that drew a full feature from VARIETY!


variety.com/2018/film/news/hugh-jackman-santa-barbara-film-festival-honor-1203033302/

HOME Film Awards

November 20, 2018 6:26AM PT

Hugh Jackman Gives Teary-Eyed Tribute to His Wife During Santa Barbara Film Festival Honor

By Marc Malkin
Marc Malkin
Senior Events & Lifestyle Editor


CREDIT: Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP/REX

Hugh Jackman may have been praised and gushed over every which way on Monday while being honored for his movie career with the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film, but there was only one person in the room who moved him to tears.

The “Front Runner” star teared up while talking about his wife of 22 years Deborra-lee Furness, saying she taught him that life is “not defined” by highlight reels, like the ones shown throughout the night’s tribute.


“Life actually happens in between that. Life happens when the camera is not going,” Jackman said. “You believed in me when I couldn’t. You’ve loved me with a passion and a depth that I didn’t even know existed — and I don’t think I felt that I deserved. You have pushed and encouraged me when I was scared to venture out. You have smiled me into smiling. You have sung me into singing. You have loved me into loving and like everything I do in my life, I share this with you. I love you.”



The evening at the Ritz Carlton Bacara in Santa Barbara, Calif., began with remarks by Ben Mendelsohn followed by J.K. Simmons, who recalled watching Jackman learn how to throw an axe for his starring role as embattled presidential candidate Gary Hart in “The Front Runner.” The scene required Jackman to hit a bullseye from about 75 feet. “He throws the axe and hits the bullseye on the first take!” Simmons said, adding, “There’s evidence of that preparation in every film that Hugh Jackman does.”

“Front Runner” director Jason Reitman imagined that is “required to be Hugh Jackman.


“You must dance — and not just a little bit of choreography stitched together with your body double,” Reitman said. “Recently Hugh texted me a video of him tap dancing on stairs and I said, ‘What is this for?’ and he said, ‘I don’t know, I just wanted to see if I could do it.’


Jackman began his remarks by thanking SBIFF executive director Roger Durling and the fest’s board of directors president Lynda Weinman, along with an additional nod to the victims and first responders of the California wildfires.

“My heart goes out to all those families that have been so deeply affected by the loss of life and the loss of homes and just the first responders who right now as we sit here are dealing with these things. We want to thank them,” he said.

One of the funnier, if not slightly awkward, moments of the night came when a clip was shown from “Eddie the Eagle” in which Jackman demonstrates how ski jumping is like making love to Bo Derek.

Derek was actually sitting at Jackman’s table at the gala.

“I’m sitting next to my wife at a table opposite from the Bo Derek, who taught me about fictitiously making out,” Jackman said. “There’s some fantasy in there that I could cross off the list.”

Spoken from the heart!

[jo]

A full account of the tribute to Hugh Jackman at the Santa Barbara Film Festival --

www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/hugh-jackman-feted-kirk-douglas-award-at-santa-barbara-film-fest-1162995

The Hollywood Reporter
Awards Chatter


November 20, 2018 12:08pm PT by Scott Feinberg
Santa Barbara Film Fest: 'The Front Runner' Star Hugh Jackman Feted With Kirk Douglas Award

Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images
Hugh Jackman

Douglas, the 101-year-old legend after whom the award is name, taped a special message to the 50-year-old actor, a current Oscar contender for 'The Front Runner,' whose career was celebrated at the award dinner.

"It’s an overwhelming night," Hugh Jackman said Monday evening as he collected the Santa Barbara International Film Festival's 13th annual Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film — named after the 101-year-old legend of Golden Age Hollywood who has a home in town, and with whom Jackman and his wife had tea earlier in the day — inside a packed Ritz-Carlton Bacara ballroom.


Indeed, for the twice Oscar-nominated Australian movie star, it must have felt akin to watching his life flash before his eyes: There were well-produced montages and extended clips of his varied film work, including X-Men, Swordfish, The Fountain, The Prestige, Australia, Les Miserables, Prisoners, Logan and The Greatest Showman; onstage toasts from colleagues who joined him in making the drive up the coast, including Jason Reitman and J.K. Simmons, the co-writer/director and fellow actor, respectively, with whom Jackman collaborated on the film for which he is currently generating awards heat, The Front Runner, plus fellow Aussie Ben Mendelsohn; and even one of his childhood crushes, Bo Derek, a Santa Barbara local who, to Jackman's surprise and delight, was seated with Jackman, Reitman, Simmons and Mendelsohn at the head table.


The audience burst out in laughter, and Jackman blushed, when the fest ran a scene from the 2015 comedic film Eddie the Eagle in which Jackman's ski instructor character likens ski-jumping to having sex with Derek, and simulates that act. An amused Derek then turned to Jackman and mouthed, "I had no idea," apparently regarding the fact that she was referenced in the film. "Bo Derek, you're in the room," SBIFF chief Roger Durling said from the podium at one point. "How would you rate Hugh Jackman? A 5? A 7?" On cue, the 10 star shouted back, "A perfect 10!"


Recipients of the Kirk Douglas Award are almost always men or women currently in contention for an Oscar. (Collecting it in years past were Douglas himself, John Travolta, Ed Harris, Quentin Tarantino, Harrison Ford, Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Forest Whitaker, Jessica Lange, Jane Fonda, Warren Beatty and, last year, Judi Dench.) And why not? Santa Barbara, on top of being a gorgeous spot only two hours north of Los Angeles (traffic permitting), is also a hotbed of Academy members, a number of whom — such as actor Christopher Lloyd and former MGM chief Jeff Barbakow — are regulars at Durling's late January/early February event, its year-round screening-and-Q&A series and the Douglas event, a black-tie gala dinner that raises funds for the fest's free year-round educational programs. So what better an audience to be praised in front of this time of year?

"There is certainly no man that has ever had the length and type of career that Hugh Jackman has had," Mendelsohn said of his longtime friend. "In 25 years, I have never, ever heard someone say a bad word about him." On a more personal note, the actor, who struggled to break through for many years, added of his countryman, "That man was fighting in my corner well, well before it was fashionable to do so."

Watch
Kirk Douglas Presents Kirk Douglas Award to Hugh Jackman


Simmons, who had never met Jackman before The Front Runner, says he was immediately struck by the actor's humility and work ethic. "He behaves like he’s the third guy from the left in the chorus of a high school," the Whiplash Oscar winner observed, emphasizing, "I've never worked with a movie star who is harder working." By way of example, Simmons noted that there is a scene in The Front Runner in which Jackman needs to throw an ax and hit a bullseye — and did so on the first take, evoking a genuine reaction of amazement from his co-stars. "There’s evidence of that kind of preparation in virtually every film Hugh Jackman’s done," he said. "Because he’s so good, people tend to take it for granted."

Reitman, for his part, marveled at the number of things at which Jackman is exemplary. Among those he referenced: acting, singing (live, in the case of Les Mis), dancing and being kind to others — fellow actors (Jackman stays to act in takes when the camera is on others), crew (every Friday during the making of a movie, Jackman buys scratch-off lottery tickets and gives one to each crewmember along with a word of thanks for their efforts) and his family. "I never want to feel like I could have done more," Reitman said Jackman told him.


When Reitman called Jackman up to the stage to accept the award, the audience gave the actor a standing ovation. Jackman began by acknowledging Douglas, who will turn 102 on Dec. 9 (he could not be in attendance at the dinner, but taped a message, which appears at the bottom of this post). Jackman noted that they first met several years ago after Douglas attended a performance of a Broadway show in which Jackman was starring, and then asked Jackman's agent if his client would join the Douglases for dinner. Jackman's agent, familiar with Jackman's policy of never going out after a show with anyone, politely declined on his behalf — but when Jackman learned about this, he scrambled and located Douglas, because if anyone merited an exception to his rule, it was the man who was Spartacus onscreen and broke the blacklist in real life, and whose memoir Jackman recalled listening to on audio cassette, deriving much inspiration from, as a young man commuting to acting school.

Jackman also thanked Durling; Derek ("There’s some fantasy in there I'm checking off the list"); Mendelsohn and Simmons, "two of the greatest actors alive"; Reitman ("You have taught me so much on so many levels ... you saw a performance in me and believed in me in a way even I was not sure of") and Reitman's producer Helen Estabrook; and the table full of his longtime representatives, including his lawyer, his West Coast publicist Alan Nierob and his agent Patrick Whitesell (even drawing tears from the WME co-CEO by recounting the story, which he said he had never shared before, of the classy way in which Whitesell, when they first started working together, handled a scheduling dilemma that arose after Jackman had committed to play a supporting part in a tiny movie made by the man who had given him his first screen role — and then landed the part of Wolverine in the first X-Men film).

Jackman saved Deborra-lee Furness, his wife of 22 years, for last. Paraphrasing a 2001 commencement speech given by the late Fred Rogers that is featured in Morgan Neville's blockbuster Oscar-contending documentary feature Won't You Be My Neighbor? — "I wept like a baby watching that documentary," he noted — the actor thanked her for "smiling me into smiling, talking me into talking, singing me into singing and loving me into loving," adding, "Like everything I do in my life, I share this with you."



Scott Feinberg
[e-mail]
ScottFeinberg

Do check out the link for the photo of Hugh at the podium...and the video clip of Kirk Douglas talking about Hugh.

He also mentioned the dinner with Hugh after a performance of BACK ON BROADWAY...and mentions The Greatest Showman.


LOL- Veteran movie press Scott Feinberg ( who wrote the article) calls Hugh a twice-Oscar-nominated actor -- a mistake or is he already assuming Hugh will get another one for THE FRONT RUNNER


In a sense, the Kirk Douglas Award for Film Excellence is even more meaningful because it honors an actor's body of work rather than one brilliant performance...And this one talks only of his film career!


Jo

[jo]

Check out the PHOTO GALLERY published in BroadwayWorld --


www.broadwayworld.com/article/Photo-Flash-Hugh-Jackman-Receives-the-Kirk-Douglas-Award-for-Excellence-in-Film-20181120

Jackman jokingly began his speech noting, "the best part about this evening not being televised, there is no music to rush me off the stage. I'm going to do everything wrong in speechmaking. This is going to be long and I'm going to thank everyone. Just warning you." Many laughs and heartfelt stories later, also known as "the best speech I've ever heard," and mentioning his tea with Kirk Douglas on Monday, Jackman wrapped up the evening thanking the Santa Barbara International Film Festival for bestowing the honor upon him.

Did you spot Bo Derek among the photos-- still as gorgeous as ever- Ms 10 herself!

Jo

[jo]

http://instagram.com/p/BqasJxYANyU

[jo]

The tribute speech from JKSimmons at the Santa Barbara Film Festival --

[jo]

And Hugh's acceptance speech!





Hugh always sounds so sincere because he talks from the heart!

The Deb tribute is as heartfelt as when he sings to her in his show ( "The Way You Look Tonight") or cites something about their life together in interviews or when he shows her off at the red carpet!


But the Patrick Whitesell tribute was also as touching -- because he talked of the core of the man who has helped him the most in his career. I remember Hugh narrating how people warned him off from taking the Broadway role in The Boy From Oz, as he was on the cusp of a fast-rising film career -- but Patrick actually encouraged him to do what Hugh felt he would like to do for artistic fulfillment. And when he sang " Mack The Knife" about sharks at Patrick's wedding, he was actually singing praises to an agent who was not acting like an agent - sometimes they are referred to as "sharks"

I had seen Patrick in person watch his protégé/friend in two Hugh shows -- at the closing show of TBFO... and at a tryout show in San Francisco for BACK ON BROADWAY!

And Patrick was one of those two people in Hugh's career who saw him in OKLAHOMA! in London! The other one was XMen producer (and incidentally former boss of Kevin Feige who heads Marvel Studios) Lauren Shuler Donnen!

Hugh has kept his team since forever...maybe partly because they also like working for such a humble and nice person!


Jo

[jo]

And here are Hugh and Patrick --

This was taken when they watched a sports event (pro mixed martial arts) at Madison Sq Garden. That was after WME acquired rights to the sports entertainment event.


Btw, Patrick has also gone a long way since he was an agent for Hugh and other top stars. He is now co-chairman of WME and Endeavor, arguably the largest talent and entertainment agency in the USA. Maybe someone assists him ( Hugh has mentioned another name working as his agent, too)but they seem to have remained very good friends all this time.


Jo

[jo]

[jo]

[jo]

Reuters likewise reports on Hugh Jackman's award for Excellence in Film, following other famous Kirk Douglas Award recipients.

www.reuters.com/video/2018/11/21/hugh-jackman-honored-with-kirk-douglas-a?videoId=484249627&videoChannel=3&channelName=Entertainment

Hope this also helps the publicity for THE FRONT RUNNER in its international run.

[jo]

Jason Reitman presents KIRK DOUGLAS AWARD FOR FILM EXCELLENCE to Hugh Jackman --

[jo]

Festival organizer Roger Durling talks about his admiration for Hugh Jackman. He sounds like an Ozalot





That's true-- for those who have never seen Hugh perform in a musical show live -- the best is yet to come!

Jo

[jo]

Hugh'S tribute to his wife has touched people --

www.earlyintime.com/2018/11/21/feeling-the-love-of-hugh-jackman-on-his-wife/

[jo]

Rewatching Hugh's acceptance speech brings on some memories he shared with us in the past -- how Deb has been his north star in life!


*When he was filming LES MISERABLES, he found himself having difficulties with a particular scene, enough for him to consider quitting the role. If I am not mistaken, that was the finale scene ( it was that time when they were filming in rather difficult circumstances) and he felt he couldn't quite get it right. He called Deb ( the family did not join him for the entire time in England during filming) and told her that he was thinking of quitting because he did not believe he could do it justice. Deb, in all her wisdom, told him that if he did not have doubts, then he would not be able to render the best performance! Magic words -- because that scene was arguably one of his best 2 scenes from the movie ( the other being Valjean's Soliloquy).


*When he was doing the yearlong run of THE BOY FROM OZ, he found himself unsettled and felt grumpy that time before a performance. He called Deb and told her about his not being in the right mood to give a good performance. Deb assured him that it would be alright and that he can play Peter grumpy if he wanted to.


Those are just 2 of the things that I recall which Hugh have shared publicly and shows the bond that links them together. So, when he talked of how he values her in his speech, I couldn't help but nod my head as I recalled those instances in his career.


And one other thing - Hugh has shared how Deb sacrificed her career so they can be together moving to England for a full year's run of OKLAHOMA!...And even there, Maureen Lipmann shared in her book how Deb was loved by the cast.


And how many husbands would share their great love for their wives in the way Hugh sang to Deb ( "The Way You Look Tonight") in front of a Broadway crowd on BackOnBroadway!


Jo

[jo]

Fun fact --

Did you know that one of Kirk Douglas's movies was MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER ( also a story based in Australia), released in 1962?

And some 34 (or so) years later, Hugh Jackman will portray a character in the Australian TV Series called MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER.


Jo

[jo]

I've also thought of this -- Hugh carries a second passport ( UK) and is from the Commonwealth (Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, etc)...so being recommended and approved for The Queen's Honors List is not remote. His artistic accomplishments and advocacies are very noteworthy.

Jo

[njr]

Nov 21, 2018 19:05:59 GMT -5 jo said:

I've also thought of this -- Hugh carries a second passport ( UK) and is from the Commonwealth (Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, etc)...so being recommended and approved for The Queen's Honors List is not remote. His artistic accomplishments and advocacies are very noteworthy.

Jo

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_knights_and_dames

Nancy

[jo]

Thanks. However, it does not include discussion of Australians who also carry a UK passport ( in Hugh's case, it is because he has British parentage).

metro.co.uk/2013/01/13/golden-globes-star-hugh-jackman-im-actually-british-3349895/

Jo

[jo]

Nov 19, 2017 9:11:19 GMT -5 jo said:

Re the BAFTA career retrospective on Hugh Jackman -- tickets now available:

www.bafta.org/whats-on


Oops! It is already SOLD OUT!

Sold out

A Life in Pictures: Hugh Jackman - in partnership with Audi

BAFTA-nominated actor Hugh Jackman shares his expertise and knowledge gleaned from his longstanding career, ranging from BAFTA-winning Les Misérables , to playing Wolverine in the X-Men series, and his upcoming musical release The Greatest Showman.

Sunday, 3 December 2017 - 7:00pm
Princess Anne Theatre, BAFTA, 195 Piccadilly

[jo]

Hugh Jackman wins a GRAMMY as principal vocalist for THE GREATEST SHOWMAN ( which won as Best Compilation Album for Visual Media)!



One award short ( Oscar) … on the way to EGOT stature!


www.goldderby.com/article/2019/hugh-jackman-the-greatest-showman-grammys-egot-oscars-news/

EGOT watch: Hugh Jackman wins Grammy for ‘The Greatest Showman,’ is just an Oscar away from grand slam

Daniel Montgomery
dan_something
Music
February 10, 2019 4:23PM

“The Greatest Showman” won the Grammy for Best Visual Media Compilation during Sunday afternoon’s Premiere Ceremony. That meant the second Grammys for songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, but it also meant a victory for Hugh Jackman as the lead vocalist on the album. For awards-watchers paying close attention, that means Jackman is three-quarters of the way to the EGOT grand slam of showbiz awards.


After his career breakthrough as an action hero in the “X-Men” movies, he crossed the first award off his list in a way we might not have initially expected. The erstwhile Wolverine won Best Actor in a Musical at the 2004 Tonys for playing Australian songwriter Peter Allen in “The Boy from Oz.” And Jackman didn’t only win at those awards, he also hosted the telecast, so the next year he won an Emmy for Best Individual Variety Performance for his emceeing duties.


Given his musicality, it may be surprising that it took Jackman until now to even earn a Grammy nomination. But “The Greatest Showman” did the trick. Though the film received mixed reviews, Jackman earned a Golden Globe nomination for his performance and the soundtrack became a crossover hit on the pop charts, certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Now that Jackman is a Tony, Emmy and Grammy winner, all he needs is an Oscar. That’s one of the highest bars to clear when it comes to achieving the grand slam, but Jackman has already gotten in the motion picture academy’s good graces. He was nominated for Best Actor for “Les Miserables” (2012), and he has appeared in other Oscar-nominated films including “The Prestige” (2006), “Prisoners” (2013) and “Logan” (2017). In 2018 he earned early Oscar buzz for playing real-life disgraced politician Gary Hart in “The Front Runner,” but that film wasn’t able to get him over the finish line.
SEE2019 Grammys: Full list of winners at the 61st Grammy Awards


Do you think Jackman will be the next actor to EGOT? If so, when?
Who needs an Oscar to reach EGOT?

His wins are gold standard -- he has won in separate categories for different facets of a performer's talent!

*He won a TONY for work on stage ( musical theatre) -- The Boy from Oz

*He won an Emmy for hosting a major event -- The TONYs

*He won a Grammy for being principal singerfor The Greatest Showman



Let's hope the acting honors for an Oscar will not be too far away!


CONGRATULATIONS to The Greatest Showman ( aka Hugh Jackman)!!


Jo

[jo]

Official confirmation - from the Official Grammy website!

www.grammy.com/grammys/news/2019-grammy-awards-complete-nominees-and-winners-list#20

59. Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media


Award to the artist(s) and/or ‘in studio' producer(s) of a majority of the tracks on the album. In the absence of both, award to the one or two individuals proactively responsible for the concept and musical direction of the album and for the selection of artists, songs and producers, as applicable. Award also goes to appropriately credited music supervisor(s).


CALL ME BY YOUR NAME
(Various Artists)
Luca Guadagnino, compilation producer; Robin Urdang, music supervisor

DEADPOOL 2
(Various Artists)
David Leitch & Ryan Reynolds, compilation producers; John Houlihan, music supervisor


THE GREATEST SHOWMAN - WINNER
Hugh Jackman (& Various Artists)
Alex Lacamoire, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul & Greg Wells, compilation producers



LADY BIRD
(Various Artists)