Hugh Jackman is now a household name, especially for his iconic role as Wolverine in the X-Men franchise, and the latest Deadpool & Wolverine.
But what if I told you that before he became the claw-wielding mutant we all know and love, Jackman had a brush with the law that almost kept him from playing the part?
Let’s get into the story of how Hugh Jackman nearly ended up behind bars while pursuing the role that would define his career.
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A Rocky Start in Toronto
Back in 2000, when Hugh Jackman was cast as Wolverine in the first X-Men movie, his career was just beginning to take off.
After nailing his audition in Toronto, Jackman had to return to Los Angeles to gather his belongings before starting the shoot.
The production team needed him back in Canada immediately, but there was a small hitch: his visa hadn’t been processed yet.
The solution? Jackman was advised to return to Canada and tell customs officials he was there for an audition, even though he had already secured the role.
The logic was simple – claiming he was still in the audition phase would buy him some time until the visa was sorted out. But as we’ll see, this plan didn’t go quite as smoothly as intended.
Sweating It Out at Customs
Jackman was understandably nervous as he prepared to go through customs again, repeating to himself that it was “just an audition.”
But things quickly went south when the customs officer began questioning him.
The officer pointed out that Jackman had already been in Canada the previous week and asked him what he was doing there then.
Sweating bullets, Jackman panicked and blurted out the truth: “No, no, it’s not an audition. I’ve got the part.”
The officer, unimpressed by Jackman’s confession, sent him to the dreaded “secondary inspection” room, where travelers face further scrutiny.
For Jackman, this was the moment when he thought everything might fall apart.
A Tense Hour and a Half
In the holding room, Jackman was forced to wait for over an hour, his anxiety growing by the minute.
At one point, he tried to make a phone call, only to be sternly reprimanded by a customs officer who told him, “You have no rights in here! You have no phone calls!”
Jackman began to fear the worst: not only might he lose the role of Wolverine, but he could also be sent back to Australia or even end up in jail.
As he sat there, the weight of the situation pressed down on him. Jackman thought he had blown his chance at the biggest break of his life.
Finally, Jackman was called up for questioning.
The customs officer sternly informed him that they were considering putting him on a plane back home.
Desperate, Jackman explained his situation, mentioning that he had been cast in a movie that hadn’t finalized his visa yet.
When asked what the movie was, Jackman explained it was X-Men, a live-action version of the popular comic book series.
The officer, who was initially dismissive, suddenly became intrigued. When Jackman mentioned that he was playing a character called Wolverine, the officer’s attitude shifted dramatically.
“Wolverine?!” the officer exclaimed, his demeanor softening. He then called over his colleagues, excitedly announcing, “Hey, Jimmy, it’s Wolverine! This is Wolverine!”
In a surprising turn of events, the customs officers turned out to be huge X-Men fans.
Instead of sending Jackman back, they asked for autographs and escorted him out of the airport with a police escort, ensuring he could get to the set on time.
From Almost Jail to Superstardom
What started as a potential disaster ended in a fan-filled encounter that probably saved Jackman’s role in the movie.
Had things gone differently, we might never have seen him don the claws as Wolverine.
Thankfully, a couple of Canadian customs officers who loved comic books helped pave the way for one of the most iconic portrayals in superhero movie history.
So, while Hugh Jackman’s journey to becoming Wolverine had a few unexpected twists, it’s these behind-the-scenes stories that make his rise to stardom all the more fascinating.
From nearly being jailed to signing autographs for airport officers, Jackman’s path to playing Wolverine was anything but ordinary – much like the character he would go on to define.
