• May 13, 2002
• Vol. 57
• No. 18

Hugh Jackman: Actor

• 

From PEOPLE Magazine

Most men would envy Hugh Jackman. And not just for the obvious reasons. The 33-year-old Aussie is again preparing to play Wolverine—in the X-Men sequel X-Men 2—a role for which he must gain weight. His mission: to break 200 lbs. "I hate it!" says the normally lanky 6'2" actor of his current protein-rich, vitamin-supplemented diet. "My body just doesn't want to go there." As a teenager back home in Sydney, Jackman, the youngest of five, was so gangly he was nicknamed Worm. Fortunately, the only reminders of that awkward phase are his long legs. "I should have been a showgirl," he says. After studying drama at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Jackman won a starring role on the Australian TV series Correlli, where he met his wife of six years, actress Deborra-lee Furness. Along with son Oscar, 2, the couple are now based in London. There, most mornings after a 90-minute workout, Jackman relies on Physique Amplifying Shampoo to fluff his locks and Kiehl's moisturizer to soften his skin. For style advice he turns to his wife. "I tell him what to wear," she says. "But he does have very good taste. He's a Libra; they like things of beauty."