Hugh Jackman is well-known in the Marvel Universe as X-Men’s Wolverine. This gave him a signature role that everyone knows him by, but the actor didn’t actually know that wolverines were actual animals until he started preparing for this role. It wasn’t until he was filming the show for the career-creating role that he learned wolverines were real animals and that “wolverine” wasn’t just a way to make “wolf” sound cooler or more comic-book-like.
Hugh Jackman Didn’t Know About Wolverine
During an interview on HBO, Hugh Jackman answered questions that led to him squishing rumors about him taking steroids to easily bulk up to play as Logan. Hugh Jackman then talked about the negative sides of steroid use, then stating that he didn’t love it “that much” playing Wolverine. He also shared having studied wolves when he was first cast for the role.
“I had never read the comic book… I didn’t, in Australia, we don’t have wolverines. I didn’t know that was a real animal. I’d never heard of a wolverine. I thought it was a made-up animal.” He also went on to say, “so I went (to set) with all these wolf moves and I was doing these moves, and the director said, ‘what are you doing?’ And I said, ‘well, I was just thinking wolves are always looking like this because they’re actually smelling, they’ve got their nose to the ground…’ and he goes, ‘What do you mean a wolf?’ And I said, ‘well, you know, Wolverine—I’m part wolf so…’ and he goes, ‘no, you’re a wolverine.’”
Hugh Jackman also stated he had never read a comic book: “I had never read the comic book…I didn’t, in Australia, we don’t have wolverines. I didn’t know that was a real animal. I’d never heard of a wolverine. I thought it was a made-up animal.” It is kinda funny to think about the actor who plays Wolverine not knowing the animal exist…but at least he knows now!
