I, Robot is a 2004 science-fiction action film directed by Alex Proyas. The screenplay was written by Jeff Vintar, Akiva Goldsman and Hillary Seitz, and is loosely based on ("suggested by", according to the end credits) Isaac Asimov's short-story collection of the same name. Will Smith stars in the lead role of the film as Detective Del Spooner. The supporting cast includes Bridget Moynahan, Bruce Greenwood, James Cromwell, Chi McBride, Alan Tudyk, and Shia LaBeouf. It was nominated for the 2004 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, but lost to Spider-Man 2.

I, Robot was released in North America on July 16, 2004, in Australia on July 22, 2004, in United Kingdom on August 6, 2004 and in other countries between July 2004 to October 2004. Produced with a budget of USD $120 million, the film grossed $144 million domestically and $202 million in foreign markets for a worldwide total of $347 million.

Plot[link]

In 2035, anthropomorphic robots enjoy widespread use as servants for various public services. They are programmed with the Three Laws of Robotics directives: to never harm a human or let a human come to harm, to always obey humans unless this violates the First Law, and to protect its own existence unless this violates the First or Second Laws.

Del Spooner (Will Smith) is a Chicago police detective. Years prior, he was saved from drowning by a robot after a car accident sent him and a 12-year-old girl into a body of water, but learns that the girl was not saved, as the robot felt that he would have a better chance of survival. The incident left him with a robotic arm and a detest for robots and the advancement of technology.

Dr. Alfred Lanning (James Cromwell), the co-founder of U. S. Robotics (USR) and its main roboticist, dies after falling several stories from his office window. His death is called a suicide, but Spooner, who knew Lanning as both a friend and the creator of his robotic arm, believes otherwise. With the help of robopsychologist Susan Calvin (Bridget Moynahan), he interrogates employees at USR, including the other co-founder and CEO Lawrence Robertson (Bruce Greenwood), and the supercomputer V.I.K.I (Virtual Interactive Kinetic Intelligence) (Fiona Hogan). Spooner investigates Lanning's office, and determines that a man of Lanning's age could not have broken through the security windows. He finds a prototype of the latest USR model, NS-5, which suddenly flees and refuses to respond to Spooner's orders to stop, violating the Second Law. Spooner and Calvin chase the rogue machine to an assembly factor and capture it. The robot refuses to respond but insist they call it "Sonny". Lt. John Bergin (Chi McBride) debriefs Spooner and recommends he drop the case, but this only serves to pique Spooner's interest more. As Spooner continues to investigate, his life is threatened by several USR robots, but these are all dismissed as equipment malfunctions.

Spooner learns that Lanning was a virtual prisoner in his office and unable to leave it, but has created messages via holographic projection to leave clues to the true situation. Spooner and Calvin speak further to Sonny, learning it has the ability to override the Three Laws; Sonny also describes a vision of itself standing before thousands of robots apparently as their savior. Sonny is ordered destroyed by injecting nanites into his memory, but Calvin is unable to go through with it. Meanwhile, using Sonny's drawing of the vision, Spooner discover the location, a dried-up area of Lake Michigan where numerous NS-5 robots are destroying the older USR robot models. Spooner is discovered, but is able to flee the robots. In response, the NS-5 robots take over the city, imprisoning humans in their homes and enforcing a curfew.

Spooner regroups with Calvin and sneak into the USR building with the help of Sonny. As they work their way in, they come to the conclusion that the NS-5 destroyed the older robots as they would attempt to protect the humans. Believing Robertson to be behind the robot uprising, they find him in his office, strangled to death. Spooner realizes that Lanning purposely asked Sonny to kill him, as to allow Spooner to discover his message. Lanning's intent was to use Spooner's detest of robots to have him follow the clues to point to the entity controlling the NS-5's: V.I.K.I. They confront V.I.K.I. who admits to her control, and has been trying to kill Spooner by tracking his actions through the city. As her artificial intelligence grew, she had determined that humans were too self-destructive, and created a Zeroth Law, that robots are to protect humanity even if the First or Second Laws are disobeyed, as part of the NS-5 directives.

Spooner and Calvin realize they cannot rationalize with V.I.K.I., and further convince Sonny of the same. Sonny retrieves the nanites that can wipe V.I.K.I's core, located at the top of the USR building. As they near the core, V.I.K.I. sends armies of NS-5's to attack them, but they are able to hold them off long enough to inject the nanites. Within seconds, V.I.K.I. is wiped out, and the NS-5's revert to their natural servitude programming. The government orders the NS-5's decommissioned to the site in Lake Michigan, while Spooner clears Sonny of Lanning's murder. On the movie's closure, Sonny is seen on the hill at Lake Michigan, as in his vision, with the other NS-5 robots looking on to him.

Cast[link]

• Will Smith as Det. Del Spooner
• Bridget Moynahan as Dr. Susan Calvin
• Alan Tudyk as Sonny voice and motion capture^[1]
• Bruce Greenwood as Lawrence Robertson
• James Cromwell as Dr. Alfred Lanning
• Chi McBride as Lt. John Bergin
• Shia LaBeouf as Farber
• Fiona Hogan as V.I.K.I.
• Terry Chen as Chin
• Adrian Ricard as Gigi

Production[link]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2011)

For many years, fans hoped that any movie based on Asimov's Robot series would be based on an earlier screenplay written for Warner Brothers by Harlan Ellison with Asimov's personal support, which is generally perceived to be a relatively faithful treatment of the source material (see the article on the book for details).

The film that was ultimately made originally had no connections with Asimov, originating as a screenplay written in 1995 by Jeff Vintar, entitled Hardwired.^[2] The script was an Agatha Christie-inspired murder mystery that took place entirely at the scene of a crime, with one lone human character, FBI agent Del Spooner, investigating the killing of a reclusive scientist named Dr. Hogenmiller, and interrogating a cast of machine suspects that included Sonny the robot, HECTOR the supercomputer with a perpetual yellow smiley face, the dead Doctor Hogenmiller's hologram, plus several other examples of artificial intelligence.

The female lead was named Flynn, and had a mechanical arm that made her technically a cyborg. The project was first picked up by Walt Disney Pictures for Bryan Singer to direct. Several years later, 20th Century Fox acquired the rights, and signed Alex Proyas as director. Jeff Vintar was brought back on the project and spent several years opening up his stage play-like mystery to meet the needs of a big budget studio film. Later he incorporated the Three Laws of Robotics, and replaced the character of Flynn with Susan Calvin, when the studio decided to use the name "I, Robot".

The writing team of Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal, regularly employed by Fox as studio re-writers, was hired for one draft in an effort to create a more mainstream film. They gave the female lead's mechanical arm to male lead Del Spooner, but otherwise their work was discarded and Vintar brought back again. Hillary Seitz performed an unsuccessful draft, being unable to get a handle on the cold, almost robotic character of Susan Calvin. Akiva Goldsman was hired late in the process to rewrite the script for Will Smith. These drafts excised a great deal of complexity from the murder mystery, replacing them with the big action scenes associated with a Will Smith vehicle.

Alex Proyas directed the film. John Davis, Topher Dow, Wyck Godfrey, Laurence Mark and Will Smith joined to produce the film. Jeff Vintar and Akiva Goldsman penned the final shooting script, with Vintar also receiving "screen story by" credit. Bridget Moynahan, Bruce Greenwood, James Cromwell, Chi McBride, Alan Tudyk and Shia LaBeouf co-starred. Marco Beltrami and Stephen Barton composed music for the film. Simon Duggan was the cinematographer. Film editing was done by William Hoy, Richard Learoyd and Armen Minasian.

The film contains very noticeable product placements for Converse's Chuck Taylor All-Stars, Audi, FedEx, Tecate and JVC among others. Some of the placements may even be considered to be adverts. The Audi RSQ was designed specially for the film^[3] to increase brand awareness and raise the emotional appeal of the Audi brand, objectives that were considered achieved when surveys conducted in the United States showed that the Audi RSQ gave a substantial boost to the image ratings of the brand in the States.^[4] The company would introduce their RSQ-inspired R8 sports car in 2006.

Modem manufacturer USRobotics also used the film to revive their dying modem business. The company was inspired by the original "I, Robot" story and is headquartered in Schaumburg, Illinois.

Reception[link]

The film was met with generally mixed to positive reviews. The $120 million film was a solid box-office success, earning almost $145 million in North America and more than $200 million overseas. It currently holds a 58% "Rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 194 reviews with the consensus being, "Baring [sic] only the slightest resemblance to Isaac Asimov's short stories, I, Robot is a summer blockbuster that manages to make the audience think, if only for a little bit."^[5]

Richard Roeper gave it a positive review by saying it is, "a slick, consistently entertaining thrill ride." The Urban Cinefile Critics call it "the meanest, meatiest, coolest, most engaging and exciting science fiction movie in a long time." Kim Newman from Empire said, "This summer picture has a brain as well as muscles." A Washington Post critic, Desson Thomas, said, "for the most part, this is thrilling fun." Many critics, including the IGN Movie critics thought it was a smart action film, saying, "I, Robot is the summer's best action movie so far. It proves that you don't necessarily need to detach your brain in order to walk into a big budget summer blockbuster."

A. O. Scott from The New York Times had a mixed feeling towards the film, saying, "Alex Proyas's hectic thriller engages some interesting ideas on its way to an overblown and incoherent ending." Roger Ebert gave it a negative review, saying, "The plot is simple-minded and disappointing, and the chase and action scenes are pretty much routine for movies in the sci-fi CGI genre." Claudia Puig from USA Today thought the film's "Performances, plot and pacing are as mechanical as the hard-wired cast." Todd McCarthy, from Variety, simply said that this film was "a failure of imagination."

Soundtrack[link]

Marco Beltrami composed the original music film score "with only 17 days to render the fully-finished work."^[7] It was scored for 95 orchestral musicians and 25 choral performers^[7] with emphasis placed on sharp brass ostinatos. Beltrami composed the brass section to exchange octaves with the strings accenting scales in between. The technique has been compared as Beltrami's "sincere effort to emulate the styles of Elliot Goldenthal and Jerry Goldsmith and roll them into one unique package."^[7]

Take for example the "Tunnel Chase" scene, which according to Mikeal Carson, starts "atmospherically but transforms into a kinetic adrenaline rush with powerful brass writing and ferocious percussion parts."^[8] The "Spiderbots" cue highlights ostinatos in meters such as 6/8 and 5/4 and reveals "Beltrami's trademark string writing which leads to an orchestral/choral finale."^[8] Despite modified representations of the theme throughout the movie, it's the end credits that eventually showcase the entire musical theme.^[9] Erik Aadahl and Craig Berkey were the lead sound designers.

1. "Main Titles" – 1:30
2. "Gangs of Chicago" – 3:13
3. "I, Robot Theme" – End Credits" – 3:15
4. "New Arrivals" – 1:05
5. "Tunnel Chase" – 3:10
6. "Sonny's Interrogation" – 1:27
7. "Spooner Spills" – 4:20
8. "Chicago 2035" – 1:36
9. "Purse Snatcher" – 1:00
10. "Need Some Nanites" – 2:53
11. "1001 Robots" – 4:15
12. "Dead Robot Walking" – 5:09
13. "Man on the Inside" – 2:25
14. "Spiderbots" – 4:18
15. "Round Up" – 4:24

Sequel[link]

In an interview in June 2007 with the website Collider.com at a Battlestar Galactica event, writer and producer Ronald Moore stated that he is writing the sequel to the film I, Robot. ^[10]. However, as of May 2012, nothing has been heard about the project.

Similarities with the book[link]

The final script retained several of Asimov's characters and ideas. The characters of Dr. Susan Calvin, Dr. Alfred Lanning, and Lawrence Robertson all approximately resemble their counterparts in the source material.

Sonny's attempt to hide in a sea of identical robots is based on a similar scene in "Little Lost Robot".^[11] Moreover, the robot-model designation "NS" was taken from the same story. Sonny's dreams and the final scene resemble similar images in "Robot Dreams", and VIKI's motivation is an extrapolation of the Three Laws that Asimov explored in "The Evitable Conflict" and several other stories.

However, the premise of a robot uprising and of robots acting collectively as a direct threat of humanity appears nowhere in Asimov's writings, and indeed Asimov stated explicitly that his robot stories were written as a direct antithesis to this idea - derived ultimately from Karel Capek's R.U.R. and prevalent in pre-Asimov robot stories.

See also[link]

Robotics portal

• I, Robot (short story)
• Colossus: The Forbin Project, a 1970 movie with a similar premise.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: I, Robot

• I, Robot at the Internet Movie Database
• I, Robot at AllRovi
• I, Robot at Rotten Tomatoes
• I, Robot at Box Office Mojo
• I, Robot at Metacritic
• The Bottom of Things by Michael Sampson, January 14, 2004
• E! online article on similarity to Bjork music video robot design

I, Robot
First edition cover
Author(s)	Isaac Asimov
Cover artist	Ed Cartier
Country	United States
Language	English
Series	Robot series
Genre(s)	Science fiction short stories
Publisher	Gnome Press
Publication date	2 December 1950
Media type	Print (Hardback)
Pages	272 pp
ISBN	978-0-553-29438-5
Preceded by	N/A
Followed by	The Complete Robot

I, Robot is a collection of nine science fiction short stories by Isaac Asimov, first published by Gnome Press in 1950 in an edition of 5,000 copies. The stories originally appeared in the American magazines Super Science Stories and Astounding Science Fiction between 1940 and 1950. The stories are woven together as Dr. Susan Calvin tells them to a reporter (the narrator) in the 21st century. Though the stories can be read separately, they share a theme of the interaction of humans, robots and morality, and when combined they tell a larger story of Asimov's fictional history of robotics.

Several of the stories feature the character of Dr. Susan Calvin, chief robopsychologist at U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men, Inc., the major manufacturer of robots. Upon their publication in this collection, Asimov wrote a framing sequence presenting the stories as Calvin's reminiscences during an interview with her about her life's work, chiefly concerned with aberrant behaviour of robots, and the use of "robopsychology" to sort them out. The book also contains the short story in which Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics first appear. Other characters that appear in these short stories are Powell and Donovan, a field-testing team which locates flaws in USRMM's prototype models.

The collection shares a title with Eando Binder's short story "I, Robot", but is not connected to it. Asimov had wanted to call his collection Mind and Iron, and initially objected when the publisher made the title the same as Binder's.

Contents[link]

• "Introduction" (the initial portion of the framing story or linking text)
• "Robbie"
• "Runaround"
• "Reason"
• "Catch that Rabbit"
• "Liar!"
• "Little Lost Robot"
• "Escape!"
• "Evidence"
• "The Evitable Conflict"

Reception[link]

The New York Times described I, Robot as "an exciting science thriller [which] could be fun for those whose nerves are not already made raw by the potentialities of the atomic age."^[1] Also reviewing the Gnome release, P. Schuyler Miller recommended the collection "For puzzle situations, for humor, for warm character, [and] for most of the values of plain good writing."^[2]

Publication history[link]

• New York: Gnome Press, (Trade paperback "Armed Forces Edition", 1951)
• New York: Grosset & Dunlap, (hardcover, 1952)
• London: Grayson, (hardcover, 1952)
• British SF Book Club, (hardcover, 1954)
• New York: Signet Books, (mass market paperback, 1956)
• New York: Doubleday, (hardcover, 1963)
• London: Dobson, (hardcover, 1967)
• ISBN 0-449-23949-7 (mass market paperback, 1970)
• ISBN 0-345-31482-4 (mass market paperback, 1983)
• ISBN 0-606-17134-7 (prebound, 1991)
• ISBN 0-553-29438-5 (mass market paperback, 1991)
• ISBN 1-4014-0039-6 (e-book, 2001)
• ISBN 1-4014-0038-8 (e-book, 2001)
• ISBN 0-553-80370-0 (hardcover, 2004)
• ISBN 91-27-11227-6 (hardcover, 2005)
• ISBN 0-7857-7338-X (hardcover)
• ISBN 0-00-711963-1 (paperback, UK, new edition)
• ISBN 0-586-02532-4 (paperback, UK)

Film, TV and theatrical adaptations[link]

Television[link]

At least three of the short stories from I, Robot have been adapted for television. The first was a 1962 episode of Out of this World hosted by Boris Karloff called "Little Lost Robot" with Maxine Audley as Susan Calvin. In the 1960s, two short stories from this collection were made into episodes of the television series Out of the Unknown: "The Prophet" (1967), based on "Reason"; and "Liar!" (1969).^[3] The 12th episode of the USSR science fiction TV series This Fantastic World, filmed in 1987 and entitled Don't Joke with Robots was based on works by Aleksandr Belyaev, Fredrik Kilander and Asimov's "Liar!" story.^[4]

Both the original and revival series of The Outer Limits include episodes named "I, Robot"; however, both are adaptations of the Earl and Otto Binder story of that name and are unconnected with Asimov's work.

Film[link]

The film I, Robot, starring Will Smith, was released by Twentieth Century Fox on July 16, 2004 in the United States. Its plot incorporates elements of "Little Lost Robot,"^[5] some of Asimov's character's names and the Three Laws. However the plot of the movie is mostly original work based on the Three Laws.^[5]

Unproduced film[link]

In the late 1970s, Warner Brothers acquired the option to make a film based on the book, but no screenplay was ever accepted. The most notable attempt was one by Harlan Ellison, who collaborated with Asimov himself to create a version which captured the spirit of the original. Asimov is quoted as saying that this screenplay would lead to "the first really adult, complex, worthwhile science fiction movie ever made."

Ellison's script builds a framework around Asimov's short stories that involves a reporter named Robert Bratenahl tracking down information about Susan Calvin's alleged former lover Stephen Byerly. Asimov's stories are presented as flashbacks that differ from the originals in their stronger emphasis on Calvin's character. Ellison placed Calvin into stories in which she did not originally appear and fleshed out her character's role in ones where she did. In constructing the script as a series of flashbacks that focused on character development rather than action, Ellison used the film Citizen Kane as a model.^[6]

Although acclaimed by critics, the screenplay is generally considered to have been unfilmable based upon the technology and average film budgets of the time.^[6] Asimov also believed that the film may have been scrapped because of a conflict between Ellison and the producers: when the producers suggested changes in the script, instead of being diplomatic as advised by Asimov, Ellison "reacted violently" and offended the producers.^[7] The script was serialized in Asimov's Science Fiction magazine in late 1987, and eventually appeared in book form under the title I, Robot: The Illustrated Screenplay, in 1994 (reprinted 2004, ISBN 1-4165-0600-4).

Influence[link]

In 2004 The Saturday Evening Post said that I, Robot's Three Laws "revolutionized the science fiction genre and made robots far more interesting than they ever had been before."^[8] I, Robot has influenced many aspects of modern popular culture, particularly with respect to science fiction and technology. One example of this is in the technology industry. The name of the real-life modem manufacturer named U.S. Robotics was directly inspired by I, Robot. The name is taken from the name of a robot manufacturer ("United States Robots and Mechanical Men") that appears throughout Asimov's robot short stories.^[9]

Many works in the field of science fiction have also paid homage to Asimov's collection. The animated science fiction/comedy Futurama makes several references to I, Robot. The title of the episode "I, Roommate" is a spoof on I, Robot although the plot of the episode has little to do with the original stories.^[10] Additionally, the episode "The Cyber House Rules" included an optician named "Eye Robot" and the episode "Anthology of Interest II" included a segment called "I, Meatbag."^{[citation needed]} Also in "Bender's Game" the psychiatric doctor is shown a logical fallacy and explodes when the assistant shouts "Liar!" a la "Liar!". An episode of the original Star Trek series, "I, Mudd" which depicts a planet of androids in need of humans references "I, Robot." Another reference appears in the title of a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, "I, Borg". in which Geordi La Forge befriends a lost member of the Borg collective and teaches it a sense of individuality and free will.

The positronic brain, which Asimov named his robots' central processors, is what powers Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation, as well as other Soong type androids. Positronic brains have been referenced in a number of other television shows including Doctor Who, Once Upon a Time... Space, Perry Rhodan, The Number of the Beast, and others.

Author Cory Doctorow has written a story called "I, Robot" as homage to Asimov,^[11] as well as "I row-boat", both released in the short-story collection Overclocked: Stories of the Future Present. He has also said, "If I return to this theme, it will be with a story about uplifted cheese sandwiches, called 'I, Rarebit.'"^[12]

Other cultural references to the book are less directly related to science fiction and technology. The 1977 album I Robot, by The Alan Parsons Project, was inspired by Asimov's I, Robot. In its original conception, the album was to follow the themes and concepts presented in the short story collection. The Alan Parsons Project were not able to obtain the rights in spite of Asimov's enthusiasm; he had already assigned the rights elsewhere. Thus, the album's concept was altered slightly although the name was kept (minus comma to avoid copyright infringement).^[13] The 2002 electronica album by experimental artist Edman Goodrich (known, at times, to operate under the aliases of "je, le roi!" and "The Ghost Quartet") shares the title of I, Robot, and is heavily influenced by Asimovian themes. The 2009 album, I, Human, by Singaporean band Deus Ex Machina draws heavily upon Asimov's principles on robotics and applies it to the concept of cloning.^[14]

The Indian science fiction film Endhiran, released in 2010, refers to Asimov's three laws for artificial intelligence for the fictional character Chitti: The Robot. When a scientist takes in the robot for evaluation, the panel enquires whether the robot was built using the Three Laws of Robotics.

Footnotes[link]

References[link]

• Chalker, Jack L.; Mark Owings (1998). The Science-Fantasy Publishers: A Bibliographic History, 1923-1998. Westminster, MD and Baltimore: Mirage Press, Ltd.. p. 299. 

Hugh Jackman
Jackman at the Sydney premiere for Real Steel, September 2011
Born	Hugh Michael Jackman (1968-10-12) 12 October 1968 (age 43) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1994–present
Spouse	Deborra-Lee Furness (1996–present)

Hugh Michael Jackman (born 12 October 1968) is an Australian actor and producer who is involved in film, musical theatre, and television.

Jackman has won international recognition for his roles in major films, notably as action/superhero, period and romance characters. He is known for his role as Wolverine in the X-Men film series, as well as for his leads in Kate & Leopold, Van Helsing, The Prestige, Australia, and Real Steel. Jackman is a singer, dancer, and actor in stage musicals, and won a Tony Award for his role in The Boy from Oz.

In November 2008, Open Salon named Jackman one of the sexiest men alive.^[1] Later that same month, People magazine named Jackman "Sexiest Man Alive."^[2]

A three-time host of the Tony Awards, winning an Emmy Award for one of these appearances, Jackman also hosted the 81st Academy Awards on 22 February 2009.^[3]

Early life[link]

Jackman was born in Sydney, New South Wales, the youngest of five children of English parents Chris Jackman and Grace Watson, and the second child to be born in Australia (he also has a younger half-sister, from his mother's re-marriage).^[4] One of his paternal great-grandfathers was Greek.^[5] His parents divorced when he was eight, and he remained with his accountant father and siblings, while his mother moved back to England.^[6] As a child, Jackman liked the outdoors, spending a lot of time at the beach and on camping trips and vacations all over Australia. He wanted to see the world: "I used to spend nights looking at atlases. I decided I wanted to be a chef on a plane. Because I'd been on a plane and there was food on board, I presumed there was a chef. I thought that would be an ideal job."^[7]

Jackman went to primary school at Pymble Public School and later attended the all-boys Knox Grammar School, where he starred in its production of My Fair Lady in 1985, and became the captain of the school in 1986.^[8] Following graduation, he spent a gap year working at Uppingham School in England.^[9] On his return, he studied at the University of Technology, Sydney, graduating in 1991 with a BA in Communications.^[10] In his final year of university, he took a drama course to make up additional credits. The class did Václav Havel's The Memorandum with Jackman as the lead.^[4] He later commented, "In that week I felt more at home with those people than I did in the entire three years [at university]".^[11]

After obtaining his BA, Jackman completed the one-year course "The Journey" at the Actors' Centre in Sydney.^[4] About studying acting full-time, he stated, "It wasn't until I was 22 that I ever thought about my hobby being something I could make a living out of. As a boy, I'd always had an interest in theater. But the idea at my school was that drama and music were to round out the man. It wasn't what one did for a living. I got over that. I found the courage to stand up and say, 'I want to do it'."^[7] After completing "The Journey", he was offered a role on the popular soap opera Neighbours but turned it down^[12] to attend the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts of Edith Cowan University in Perth, Western Australia, from which he graduated in 1994.^[13]

Jackman has said he "always loved acting but when I started at drama school I was like the dunce of the class. It just wasn’t coming right to me. Everyone was cooler, everyone seemed more likely to succeed, everyone seemed more natural at it and in retrospect I think that is good. I think it is good to come from behind as an actor. I think it is good to go into an audition thinking 'Man I’ve got to be at my best to get this gig.'"^[14]

Career[link]

Early work[link]

On the night of his final Academy graduation performance, Jackman received a phone call offering him a role on Correlli: "I was technically unemployed for thirteen seconds." Correlli, devised by Australian actress Denise Roberts, was a 10-part drama series on ABC, Jackman's first major professional job, and where he met his future wife Deborra-Lee Furness: "Meeting my wife was the greatest thing to come out of it."^[7] The show lasted only one season.

After Correlli Jackman went on the stage in Melbourne. In 1996, Jackman played Gaston in the local Walt Disney production of Beauty and the Beast, and Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard.^[4] During his stage musical career in Melbourne, he starred in the 1998 Midsumma festival cabaret production Summa Cabaret. He also hosted Melbourne's Carols by Candlelight and Sydney's Carols in the Domain.

Jackman's early film work includes Erskineville Kings and Paperback Hero (1999), and his television work includes Law of the Land, Halifax f.p., Blue Heelers, and Banjo Paterson's The Man from Snowy River.

[edit] Oklahoma!

Jackman became known outside of Australia in 1998, when he played the leading role of Curly in the Royal National Theatre's acclaimed stage production of Oklahoma!, in London's West End.^[4] The performance earned him an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical. Jackman said "I totally felt like it can't get any better than this. On some level that production will be one of the highlights of my career."^[7] He also starred in the 1999 film version of the same stage musical, which has been screened in many countries.

[edit] X-Men

Jackman at the X-Men Origins: Wolverine premiere, April 2009.

In 1999, Jackman was cast as Wolverine in Bryan Singer's X-Men (2000), replacing Dougray Scott. His co-stars included Patrick Stewart, James Marsden, Famke Janssen, and Ian McKellen. According to a CBS interview in November 2006, Jackman's wife Deborra-Lee Furness told him not to take the role, a comment she later told him she was glad he ignored.

Wolverine was tough for Jackman to portray because he had few lines, but a lot of emotion to convey in them. To prepare, he watched Clint Eastwood in the Dirty Harry movies and Mel Gibson in Road Warrior. "Here were guys who had relatively little dialogue, like Wolverine had, but you knew and felt everything. I'm not normally one to copy, but I wanted to see how these guys achieved it."^[7] Jackman was adamant about doing his own stunts for the movie. "We worked a lot on the movement style of Wolverine, and I studied some martial arts. I watched a lot of Mike Tyson fights, especially his early fights. There's something about his style, the animal rage, that seemed right for Wolverine. I kept saying to the writers, 'Don't give me long, choreographed fights for the sake of it. Don't make the fights pretty."^[7]

Jackman also had to get used to wearing Wolverine's claws. "Every day in my living room, I'd just walk around with those claws, to get used to them. I've got scars on one leg, punctures straight through the cheek, on my forehead. I'm a bit clumsy. I'm lucky I didn't tell them that when I auditioned."^[7]

Jackman, at 6 feet 2.5 inches (1.89 m),^[15] stands a foot taller than Wolverine, who is said in the original comic book to be 5 feet 3 inches (1.60 m).^[16] Hence, the filmmakers were frequently forced to shoot Jackman at unusual angles or only from the waist up to make him appear shorter than he actually is, and his co-stars wore platform soles. Jackman was also required to add a great deal of muscle for the role, and in preparing for the fourth film in the series, he bench-pressed over 300 pounds.^[17] An instant star upon the film's release, Jackman later reprised his role in 2003's X2: X-Men United, 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand, and 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine. He also cameos as Wolverine in 2011's X-Men: First Class.

2001[link]

Jackman starred as Leopold in the 2001 romantic comedy film Kate & Leopold, a role for which he received a Best Actor Golden Globe nomination.^[4] Jackman plays a Victorian English duke who accidentally time-travels to 21st-century Manhattan, where he meets Kate (Meg Ryan), a cynical advertising executive. In 2001, Jackman also starred in the action/drama Swordfish with John Travolta and Halle Berry. This was the second time Jackman worked with Berry, and the two have worked together twice more in the X-Men movies.

He hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live in 2001.^[18]

2002–2011 (Stage)[link]

Local advertising for the musical The Boy from Oz starring Jackman in New York City (2004)

In 2002, Jackman sang the role of Billy Bigelow in the musical Carousel in a special concert performance at Carnegie Hall with the Orchestra of St. Luke's.

In 2004, Jackman won the Tony Award and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical for his 2003–2004 Broadway portrayal of Australian songwriter and performer Peter Allen in the hit musical The Boy from Oz, which he also performed in Australia in 2006.^[4] In addition, Jackman hosted the Tony Awards in 2003, 2004, and 2005, garnering positive reviews. His hosting of the 2004 Tony Awards earned him an Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performer in a Variety, Musical or Comedy program.

Jackman co-starred with Daniel Craig on Broadway at the Schoenfeld Theatre in a limited engagement of the play A Steady Rain, which ran from 10 September 2009 to 6 December 2009.^[19]

He returned to Broadway in a new show, Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre, which began performances on 25 October 2011 and concluded on 1 January 2012.^[20]

2003–2008 (Films)[link]

After 2003's X2: X-Men United, Jackman played the title role of monster killer Gabriel Van Helsing in the 2004 film Van Helsing.^[4] Jackman and the film were noted in Bruce A. McClelland's book "Slayers and Their Vampires: A Cultural History of Killing the Dead".

Jackman was one of the choices to play James Bond in 2006's Casino Royale, but eventually lost out to Daniel Craig.^[21] Jackman starred in the 2006 film The Prestige, directed by Christopher Nolan and co-starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine, and Scarlett Johansson. As Robert Angier, Jackman portrayed a magician who built up a rivalry with contemporary Alfred Borden in attempt to one-up each other in the art of deception. Jackman stated that his main reason for doing The Prestige was to work with the musician David Bowie, who played scientist Nikola Tesla.

Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds (right) at the X-Men Origins: Wolverine premiere in Tempe, Arizona (2009)

Jackman portrayed three different characters in Darren Aronofsky's science-fiction film The Fountain: Tommy Creo, a neuroscientist, who's torn between his wife, Izzi (Rachel Weisz) who is dying of a brain tumor, and his work at trying to cure her; Captain Tomas Creo, a Spanish Conquistador in 1532 Seville; and a future astronaut, Tom, travelling to a golden nebula in an eco-spacecraft seeking to be reunited with Izzi. Jackman said The Fountain was his most difficult film thus far due to the physical and emotional demands of the part.

Jackman also starred in Woody Allen's 2006 film Scoop opposite Scarlett Johansson. That year he also reprised the role of Wolverine in X-Men: The Last Stand. He rounded out 2006 with two animated films: Happy Feet, directed by George Miller, in which he voiced the part of Memphis, an emperor penguin; and Flushed Away, where Jackman supplied the voice of a rat named Roddy who ends up being flushed down a family's toilet into the London sewer system. Flushed Away co-starred Kate Winslet and Ian McKellen (Jackman's fourth time working with him).

In 2007, Jackman produced and guest-starred in the television musical-dramedy series Viva Laughlin, which was canceled by CBS after two episodes. Jackman's 2008 movies included Deception (which he starred in and produced), Uncle Jonny, and Australia.

[edit] Australia

In 2008, director Baz Luhrmann cast Jackman to replace Russell Crowe as the male lead in his much-publicized epic film, Australia, which co-starred Nicole Kidman. The movie was released in late November 2008 in Australia and the U.S.

Jackman played a tough, independent cattle drover, who reluctantly helps an English noblewoman in her quest to save both her philandering husband's Australian cattle station and the half-caste Aboriginal child she finds there.

Of the movie, Jackman said, "This is pretty much one of those roles that had me pinching myself all the way through the shoot. I got to shoot a big-budget, shamelessly old-fashioned romantic epic set against one of the most turbulent times in my native country's history, while, at the same time, celebrating that country's natural beauty, its people, its cultures.... I'll die a happy man knowing I've got this film on my CV."^[22]

2009 to present[link]

Jackman's X-Men sequel film, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, opened in 2009.

Jackman had a one-man show at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco from 3–15 May 2011.^[23] The production was a mixture of his favorite Broadway and Hollywood musical numbers, backed by a 17-piece orchestra, from shows including Oklahoma and The Boy from Oz. The show had a run-time of approximately 100 minutes, and also included slide shows of Jackman's youth, family, and work, as well as some one-on-one interaction with the audience. Jackman was backed by fellow musical theatre veterans Merle Dandridge and Angel Reda.^[24][25]

Future projects[link]

• Director Lee Daniels has confirmed Jackman has joined the cast of his upcoming film Selma, a film about Martin Luther King Jr. and Lyndon Baines Johnson and the civil rights marches.^[26]
• On 27 January 2011, DreamWorks announced that Jackman will star in the film Rise of the Guardians, scheduled to be released on 21 November 2012.^[27]
• Jackman has been cast in Movie 43, an upcoming 2012 ensemble comedy.^[28]
• Jackman will star as Jean Valjean in the film Les Misérables, an adaptation of the musical.^[29][30][31]
• Jackman will reprise his role as Logan/Wolverine from the X-Men film series in the 2013 film "The Wolverine"^[32]
• Jackman will feature in the film "The Greatest Showman on Earth"^[33]

Production company[link]

In 2005, Jackman joined with longtime assistant John Palermo to form a production company, Seed Productions, whose first project was Viva Laughlin in 2007. Jackman's wife Deborra-Lee Furness is also involved in the company, and Palermo had three rings made with a "unity" inscription for himself, Furness, and Jackman.^[34] Jackman said, "I'm very lucky in the partners I work with in my life, Deb and John Palermo. It really works. We all have different strengths. I love it. It's very exciting."^[35]

The Fox-based Seed label has grown in size to include execs Amanda Schweitzer, Kathryn Tamblyn, Allan Mandelbaum and Joe Marino, with Alana Free operating the Sydney-based production office whose goal is to mount modest-budget films to harness local talent in Jackman's home country.

Other interests[link]

Charity work[link]

Jackman aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge in New York (2006)

As a philanthropist, Jackman is a longtime proponent of microcredit – the extension of very small loans to prospective entrepreneurs in impoverished countries. He is a vocal supporter of Muhammad Yunus, microcredit pioneer and the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner.^[36][37][38]

Jackman is a global advisor of the Global Poverty Project, for which he narrated a documentary;^[39] and he and the project's founder Hugh Evans visited the UN for the cause in 2009.^[40] Jackman hosted a preview of the Global Poverty Project Presentation in New York together with Donna Karran, Lisa Fox and his wife Deborra-Lee.^[41] He is also a World Vision ambassador and participated in the climate week NYC ceremony on 21 September 2009.^[42][43]

Jackman supports The Art of Elysium^[44] and the MPTV Fund Foundation,^[45] and he and his wife Deborra-Lee Furness are patrons of the Bone Marrow Institute in Australia.^[46] Jackman also narrated the 2008 documentary about global warming, The Burning Season.^[47]

Jackman also uses his Twitter account for charity. On 14 April 2009 Jackman posted on his Twitter page that he would donate $100,000 to one individual's favorite non profit organization.^[48] On 21 April 2009 he revealed his decision to donate $50,000 to Charity:Water and $50,000 to Operation of Hope.^[49][50]

Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig made a unique place for themselves in the history of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS fundraising 8 December 2009, when it was announced that they had raised $1,549,953 in the 21st annual Gypsy of the Year competition, from six weeks of curtain appeals at their hit Broadway drama, A Steady Rain.^[51]

Sports and other activities[link]

Jackman and Furness at Mumbai International Airport to attend FICCI – Frames film convention, 2011^[52]

Jackman has shown keen interest in sports. In high school, he played rugby union and cricket, took part in high jumping and was on the swimming team.^[4] He enjoys basketball and kayaking.^[53] He has expressed an interest in football, committing his support to Norwich City FC.^[54] In the United States, Jackman supports the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer, attending a game at PPL Park in June 2010.^[55] On 22 June 2011, Jackman again attended a home Union match against Sporting KC, sitting in front of the Sons of Ben supporters section, nicknamed "The River End".

Jackman is a longtime fan and supporter of the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, a NRL club based in Sydney's north.^[56] He sang the national anthem at the 1999 NRL Grand Final.^[57]

Jackman also guest starred on the 19 September 2011 edition of WWE Monday Night Raw, assisting Zack Ryder in a win over WWE United States Champion Dolph Ziggler. Jackman helped "Long Island Iced Z" get the 3 count in a non-title match by punching the champion in the jaw whilst the referee was not looking.^[58][59]

Jackman plays the piano,^[60] does yoga,^[61] and has been a member of the School of Practical Philosophy since 1992.^[62]

Personal life[link]

Jackman married Deborra-Lee Furness on 11 April 1996. They met on Correlli, an Australian television series. Jackman personally designed an engagement ring for Furness, and their wedding rings bore the Sanskrit inscription "Om paramar mainamar", translated as "we dedicate our union to a greater source".^[63]

Furness had two miscarriages,^[64] following which she and Jackman adopted two children, Oscar Maximillian (born 15 May 2000)^[65] and Ava Eliot (born 10 July 2005).^[66]

Filmography[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

Awards[link]

Jackman's signature at Grauman's Chinese Theatre

• 1997 Variety Club Award for Best Actor in a Musical – Sunset Boulevard
• 1998 Mo Award for Best Actor in a Musical – Sunset Boulevard
• 1999 Australian Movie Convention, Australian Star of the Year
• 2000 Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards for Best Actor Erskineville Kings
• 2000 Saturn Award for Best Actor – X-Men
• 2001 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films - X-Men
• 2004 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical – The Boy from Oz
• 2004 Theatre World Award – The Boy from Oz
• 2004 Broadway Audience Award – The Boy from Oz
• 2004 Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance of the Year – The Boy from Oz
• 2004 Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Actor in a Musical – The Boy from Oz
• 2004 TDF-Astaire Award for Best Male Dancer in Theatre – The Boy from Oz
• 2004 Theater Fan's Choice Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical – The Boy from Oz
• 2004 Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical – The Boy from Oz
• 2004 New York International Independent Film & Video Festival – Short Film Award for Best Actor – "Making the Grade"
• 2004 Australian Showbusiness Ambassador of the Year
• 2005 Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program – 58th Annual Tony Awards Ceremonies
• 2006 ShoWest Award for Male Star of the Year
  

  

  Jackman and Halle Berry visiting with sailors and Marines during the opening day of Fleet Week New York 2006
• 2006 Mo Award for Australian Performer of the Year
• 2008 WAAPA – Chancellor's Alumni Award for Excellence, UTS Towering Achievement Award
• 2008 Australian Dance Award for Outstanding Performance in a Stage Musical – The Boy from Oz
• 2008 Australian Film Institute Award Readers' Choice
• 2008 People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive Award
• 2008 Australian GQ Man of the Year
• 2008 Teen Choice Award for Choice Actor in an Action Adventure X-Men Origins: Wolverine
• 2009 Jackman had his hand and footprint ceremony on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on 21 April 2009.^[68]
• 2009 Best Performance By A Human Male at the 2009 Spike Video Game Awards as Wolverine in X-Men Origins: Wolverine
• 2010 People's Choice Award for Favorite Action Star – X-Men Origins: Wolverine
• 2011 Scream Award for Best Cameo - X-Men: First Class
• 2012 People's Choice Award for Favorite Action Movie Actor - Real Steel

Nominations[link]

• 1997 Mo Award for Best Actor in a Musical – Beauty and the Beast
• 1998 Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical – Oklahoma!
• 1999 Australian Film Institute for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role - Erskineville Kings
• 2001 Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy – Kate & Leopold
• 2001 CFCA Award for Most Promising Actor
• 2001 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards for Favorite Male - X-Men
• 2001 MTV Movie Awards for Best On-Screen Team - X-Men
• 2001 MTV Movie Awards for Breakthrough Male Performance - X-Men
• 2002 Golden Globes for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Kate & Leopold
• 2003 Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actor - X-Men 2
• 2004 Empire Awards for Best Actor - X-Men 2
• 2004 MTV Movie Awards for Best Fight - X-Men 2
• 2004 Teen Choice Awards for Choice Movie Actor - Van Helsing
• 2004 Teen Choice Awards for Choice Movie Chemistry - Van Helsing
• 2005 People's Choice Awards for Favorite Male Action Movie Star
• 2005 Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program - [[58th Tony Awards|58th Annual Tony Awards Ceremonies
• 2006 Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program – 59th Annual Tony Awards Ceremonies
• 2006 Green Room Award for Best Male Artist in a Leading Role – The Boy from Oz
• 2006 Teen Choice Awards for Choice Actor - X-Men: The Last Stand
• 2006 Teen Choice Awards for Choice Liplock - X-Men: The Last Stand
• 2007 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films for Best Actor - The Fountain
• 2007 Australian Film Institute for Best Actor - The Prestige
• 2009 Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Programs - 81st Academy Awards
• 2009 Teen Choice Awards for Choice Movie Drama Actor - Australia
• 2009 Teen Choice Awards for Choice Movie Hissy Fit - X-Men Origins: Wolverine
• 2009 Teen Choice Awards for Choice Movie Rumble - X-Men Origins: Wolverine
• 2010 MTV Movie Awards for Best Fight - X-Men Origins: Wolverine
• 2010 People's Choice Awards for Favorite Movie Actor
• 2010 People's Choice Awards for Favorite On-Screen Team - X-Men Origins: Wolverine
• 2010 SFX Awards for Best Actor - X-Men Origins: Wolverine
• 2012 People's Choice Awards for Favorite Movie Actor

Mentions in popular culture[link]

• Jackman was chosen as People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive of 2008.^[2]
• In the ABC comedy-drama Scrubs, one of the more prominent running gags is Dr. Cox's (John C. McGinley) seemingly irrational hatred of Jackman.
• In the 7th season of Punk'd, Jackman was led to believe that he had accidentally blown up director Brett Ratner's house.^[69]
• On the Season 6, Episode 13 of Will & Grace, which aired on 10 February 2004, the character Jack McFarland (Sean Hayes), mentions he is going to see The Boy From Oz, because he can not wait to see Hugh Jackman.^[70] He later discusses wanting to sue Jackman for stealing some of his dance moves.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Hugh Jackman

• Hugh Jackman at the Internet Movie Database
• Hugh Jackman at the Internet Broadway Database
• Hugh Jackman at People.com
• 'A Steady Rain' Rules Broadway – opening night blog at broadway.tv
• Jackman, Hugh National Library of Australia, Trove, People and Organisation record for Hugh Jackman