Measuring body weight on a scale

Dieting is the practice of eating food in a regulated fashion to achieve or maintain a controlled weight. In most cases dieting is used in combination with physical exercise to lose weight in those who are overweight or obese. ^[1] Some athletes, however, follow a diet to gain weight (usually in the form of muscle). Diets can also be used to maintain a stable body weight.

Diets to promote weight loss are generally divided into four categories: low-fat, low-carbohydrate, low-calorie, and very low calorie.^[2] A meta-analysis of six randomized controlled trials found no difference between the main diet types (low calorie, low carbohydrate, and low fat), with a 2–4 kilogram weight loss in all studies.^[2] At two years, all calorie-reduced diet types cause equal weight loss irrespective of the macronutrients emphasized.^[3]

The first popular diet was "Banting", named after William Banting. In his 1863 pamphlet, Letter on Corpulence, Addressed to the Public, he outlined the details of a particular low-carbohydrate, low-calorie diet that had led to his own dramatic weight loss.^[4]

Types of diets[link]

Low-fat diets[link]

Low-fat diets involve the reduction of the percentage of fat in one's diet. Calorie consumption is reduced because less fat is consumed. Diets of this type include NCEP Step I and II. A meta-analysis of 16 trials of 2–12 months' duration found that low-fat diets (without intentional restriction of caloric intake) resulted in average weight loss of 3.2 kg (7.1 lb) over habitual eating.^[2]

Low-carbohydrate diets[link]

Low carbohydrate diets such as Atkins and Protein Power are relatively high in protein. Low-carbohydrate diets are sometimes ketogenic (i.e. they restrict carbohydrate intake sufficiently to cause ketosis).

Low-calorie diets[link]

Low-calorie diets usually produce an energy deficit of 500–1,000 calories per day, which can result in a 0.5 kilogram (1.1 lb) to 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) weight loss per week. Amongst some of the most commonly used low-calorie diets include DASH diet, Diet to Go, and Weight Watchers. The National Institutes of Health reviewed 34 randomized controlled trials to determine the effectiveness of low-calorie diets. They found that these diets lowered total body mass by 8% in the short term, over 3–12 months.^[2]

Very low-calorie diets[link]

Very low calorie diets provide 200–800 calories per day, maintaining protein intake but limiting calories from both fat and carbohydrates. They subject the body to starvation and produce an average weekly weight loss of 1.5–2.5 kilograms (3.3–5.5 lb). "2-4-6-8", a popular diet of this variety, follows a four-day cycle in which only 200 calories are consumed the first day, 400 the second day, 600 the third day, 800 the fourth day, 1,000 the fifth day, and then the cycle repeats. These diets are not recommended for general use as they are associated with adverse side effects such as loss of lean muscle mass, increased risks of gout, and electrolyte imbalances. People attempting these diets must be monitored closely by a physician to prevent complications.^[2]

Calorie Counting[link]

Each pound of body fat is maintained by less than one extra calorie per hour. In general, obesity is not a condition maintained by overeating; obesity is a condition brought about and maintained by eating more calories than the body uses, consistently. As a practical example, eating twenty-five hamburgers a year that are Burger King Whoppers rather than twenty-five McDonald Quarter Pounders can cause a weight gain of more than one and one-half pounds in that year. Twenty-five hamburgers represent 2% of yearly allotment of three meals a day. Making comparable choices at every meal for one year could yield an eighty-two-pound difference in body weight.^[5]

Detox diets[link]

Detox diets claim to eliminate undesirable "toxins" from the human body rather than claiming to cause weight loss. Many of these use herbs and other homeopathic remedies, such as dandelion root (for liver filtering) and celery and other juicy low-calorie vegetables (for salt absorption).

Fat loss versus muscle loss[link]

Weight loss typically involves the loss of fat, water and muscle. Overweight people, or people suffering from obesity, typically aim to reduce the percentage of body fat. Additionally, as muscle tissue is denser than fat, fat loss results in increased loss of body volume compared with muscle loss. Reducing even 10% body fat can therefore have a dramatic effect on a person's body shape. To determine the proportion of weight loss that is due to decreased fat tissue, various methods of measuring body fat percentage have been developed.

Muscle loss during weight loss can be restricted by regularly lifting weights (or doing push-ups and other strength-oriented calisthenics) and by maintaining sufficient protein intake. Those on low-carbohydrate diets, and those doing particularly strenuous exercise, may wish to increase their protein intake. According to the National Academy of Sciences, the Dietary Reference Intake for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight for adults.

Excessive protein intake, though not connected to declined kidney functioning in healthy individuals,^[6][7] may be harmful to those with certain kidney diseases.^[8] There is no conclusive evidence that moderately high protein diets in healthy individuals are dangerous; it has only been shown that these diets are dangerous in individuals already suffering from kidney and liver problems.

The Basal Metabolic Rate, which is the amount of calories the body expends at rest, meaning without performing any physical activity, is influenced by the person's total weight and total amount of muscle. The more muscle, the more calories a person can burn naturally. When the amount of muscle is increased, then more calories can be ingested without gaining weight. Conversely, if the amount of fat is increased, increasing the number of calories ingested will only add weight.^[9]

Normally, when people lose weight, they lose a combination of fat and muscle. If the diet plan includes a daily caloric intake greater than the basal metabolic rate (BMR), the person will most likely lose fat. In contrast, if the person follows a diet that includes a lower caloric intake than the BMR, this person will lose fat but also a higher percentage of muscle.^{[citation needed]} Severe diets may make people lose 50% fat and 50% muscle weight thus affecting their metabolism because by losing muscle the BMR is affected.

Maintaining muscle mass while losing fat is therefore a key factor to reach both the ideal weight and body composition.

Energy obtained from food[link]

The energy intake from food is limited by the efficiency of digestion and the efficiency of utilization. The efficiency of digestion is largely dependent on the type of food being eaten, while efficiency of utilization is affected by a variety of factors, including age, gender, body weight, hormone levels, and many more.

Chewing, especially in the elderly, has been shown to increase the intake of micronutrients. However, the effect of chewing on the intake of macronutrients, such as sugars, fats, and proteins has not been observed.^[10]

Proper nutrition[link]

Food provides nutrients from six broad classes: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, dietary minerals, and water. Carbohydrates are metabolized to provide energy. Proteins provide amino acids, which are required for cell construction, especially for the construction of muscle cells. Essential fatty acids are required for brain and cell membrane construction. Vitamins and trace minerals helps to keep good electrolyte balance and are used for metabolic processes. Dietary fiber also affects one's health, although it's not digested into the body.

The National Academy of Sciences and the World Health Organization publish guidelines for dietary intakes of all known essential nutrients.

Sometimes dieters will ingest excessive amounts of vitamin and mineral supplements. While this is usually harmless, some nutrients are dangerous. Men (and women who don't menstruate) need to be wary of iron poisoning.^{[citation needed]} Retinol (oil-soluble vitamin A) is toxic in large doses. Vitamin E supplements have been found in some studies to increase mortality, congenital heart defects in offspring and an increased risk of stroke (see the corresponding article).^{[citation needed]} Most people can obtain their nutritional needs from their diet. In any event, a multivitamin taken once a day will suffice for the majority of the population.

Weight loss diets that manipulate the proportion of macronutrients (low-fat, low-carbohydrate, etc.) have not been shown to be any more effective than diets that maintain a typical mix of foods with smaller portions and perhaps some substitutions (e.g. low-fat milk, or less salad dressing).^[11] Extreme diets may, in some cases, lead to malnutrition.

Besides the importance of eating a balanced diet that includes all the necessary nutrients, other factors also contribute to healthy nutrition. As well, drinking sufficient amounts of water can help eliminate toxins and fat.^{[citation needed]} Heavily processed and fried foods as well as sweets, junk foods, and alcohol should also be avoided in a healthy diet.^[12]

Also a topic of great importance discussed among nutritionists as well as psychologists is the attitude to weight-loss and the consumption of food in general. Voicing ideas such as "it's just one burger" during and after weight loss regimes is discouraged, and often is said on the part of an insecure individual who has reached the unfortunate conclusion that nothing can be done any longer and that any effort to do so is futile. The advice given is, avoid reaching such a conclusion, as not only does it change one's perception of the effect of excessive amounts of food on the body, but also encourages a 'lacklustre' lifestyle and approach to life as a whole.

Nutritionists also agree on the importance of avoiding fats, especially saturated fats, to reduce weight and to be healthier. They also agree on the importance of reducing salt intake because commercial foods such as snacks, biscuits, and bread, among others, already contain salt, thus contributing to an excess of salt daily intake.^[13]

MyPyramid Food Guidance System is the result of extensive research performed by the United States Department of Agriculture to revise the original Food Guide Pyramid. It offers a wide array of personalized options to help individuals make healthy food choices. It also provides advice on physical activity.^[14]

How the body eliminates fat[link]

All body processes require energy in order to function properly. When the body is expending more energy than it is consuming (e.g. when exercising), the body's cells rely on internally stored energy sources, such as complex carbohydrates and fats, for energy. The first source to which the body turns is glycogen (by glycogenolysis). Glycogen is a complex carbohydrate, 65% of which is stored in skeletal muscles and the remainder, in the liver (totaling about 2,000 kcal in the whole body). It is created from the excess of ingested macronutrients, mainly carbohydrates. When glycogen is nearly depleted, the body begins lipolysis, the mobilization and catabolism of fat stores for energy. In this process, fats, obtained from adipose tissue, or fat cells, are broken down into glycerol and fatty acids, which can be used to generate energy. The primary by-products of metabolism are carbon dioxide and water; carbon dioxide is expelled through the respiratory system.

Fats are also secreted by the sebaceous glands (in the skin).

Psychological aspects of weight loss[link]

Cognitive Behavior Therapy has been effective in producing long term weight loss.^[15]

Weight loss groups[link]

Some weight loss groups aim to make money, others work as charities. The former include Weight Watchers and Peertrainer. The latter include, Overeaters Anonymous, also several groups run by local churches, hospitals, and like-minded individuals.

These organizations' customs and practices differ widely. Some groups are modelled on twelve-step programs, while others are quite informal. Some groups advocate certain prepared foods or special menus, while others train dieters to make healthy choices from restaurant menus and while grocery-shopping and cooking.^[16]

Food diary[link]

A 2008 study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine showed that dieters who kept a daily food diary (or diet journal), lost twice as much weight as those who did not keep a food log, suggesting that if you write your food down, you wouldn't eat as many calories.^[17] Accordingly, diet journal software and websites have gained significant popularity, and help people track calorie consumption, calorie burning, weight loss goals, and nutritional balance.

Medications[link]

Certain medications can be prescribed to assist in weight loss. The most recent prescription weight loss medication released is Acomplia (generic name Rimonabant), manufactured by Sanofi Aventis. Used to treat obesity in persons with a BMI (body mass index) of 30 or above, as well as for smoking cessation treatments, Acomplia is still pending FDA approval for use in the United States. Other weight loss medications, like amphetamines, are dangerous and are now banned for casual weight loss. Some supplements, including those containing vitamins and minerals, may not be effective for weight loss.

Diuretics[link]

Diuretics induce weight loss through the excretion of water. Diuretics, which can be used in the forms of medications, supplements, or herbs, reduce overall body weight, but have no effect on an individual's total body fat content. Diuretics can thicken the blood, cause cramping, kidney and liver damage. In a single report, the death of Jacqueline Henson was found to be related to swelling in her brain, which was associated with excessive water consumption over a short period of time, while she was on a special water diet.^[18]

Stimulants[link]

Stimulants such as ephedrine, green tea, caffeine or synephrine work to increase the basal metabolic rate.^{[citation needed]}

Dangers of fasting[link]

Lengthy fasting can be dangerous due to the risk of malnutrition and should be carried out under medical supervision. During prolonged fasting or very low calorie diets, the reduction of blood glucose, the preferred energy source of the brain, causes the body to deplete its glycogen stores. Once glycogen is depleted the body begins to fuel the brain using ketones, while also metabolizing body protein (including but not limited to skeletal muscle) to be used to synthesize sugars for use as energy by the rest of the body. Most experts believe that a prolonged fast can lead to muscle wasting although some dispute this. The use of short-term fasting, or various forms of intermittent fasting have been used as a form of dieting to circumvent this issue.

Side effects[link]

Dieting, especially extreme food-intake reduction and rapid weight loss, can have the following side effects and consequences:

• Subsequent weight re-gain
• Lowered metabolism, causing future attempts at weight loss to become more difficult, and making weight gain easier
• Muscle atrophy
• Risk of developing Eating Disorders, especially Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa, even if initial intentions of dieting were health-wise
• Prolonged hunger
• Depression
• Reduced sex drive
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Fainting
• Sinus problems (especially post-nasal drip)
• Rashes
• Acidosis
• Bloodshot eyes
• Gallbladder disease
• Seizures
• Malnutrition, possibly leading to death
• Constipation, due to lack of food-intake
• Dehydration, due to lack of fluid-intake

Low carbohydrate versus low fat[link]

Many studies have focused on diets that reduce calories via a low-carbohydrate (Atkins diet, Scarsdale diet, Zone diet) diet versus a low-fat diet (LEARN diet, Ornish diet). The Nurses' Health Study, an observational cohort study, found that low carbohydrate diets based on vegetable sources of fat and protein are associated with less coronary heart disease.^[19] The same study also found no correlation (with multivariate adjustment) between animal fat intake and coronary heart disease (table 4).

A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials by the international Cochrane Collaboration in 2002 concluded^[20] that fat-restricted diets are no better than calorie restricted diets in achieving long term weight loss in overweight or obese people. A more recent meta-analysis that included randomized controlled trials published after the Cochrane review^[21][22][23] found that "low-carbohydrate, non-energy-restricted diets appear to be at least as effective as low-fat, energy-restricted diets in inducing weight loss for up to 1 year. However, potential favorable changes in triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol values should be weighed against potential unfavorable changes in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol values when low-carbohydrate diets to induce weight loss are considered."^[24]

The Women's Health Initiative Randomized Controlled Dietary Modification Trial^[25] found that a diet of total fat to 20% of energy and increasing consumption of vegetables and fruit to at least 5 servings daily and grains to at least 6 servings daily resulted in:

• no reduction in cardiovascular disease^[26]
• no statistically significant reduction in invasive breast cancer^[27]
• no reductions in colorectal cancer^[28]

Additional recent randomized controlled trials have found that:

• A comparison of Atkins, Zone diet, Ornish diet, and LEARN diet in premenopausal women found the greatest benefit from the Atkins diet.^[29]

• The choice of diet for a specific person may be influenced by measuring the individual's insulin secretion:

In young adults "Reducing glycemic [carbohydrate] load may be especially important to achieve weight loss among individuals with high insulin secretion."^[30] This is consistent with prior studies of diabetic patients in which low carbohydrate diets were more beneficial.^[31][32]

The American Diabetes Association released for the first time a recommendation (in its January 2008 Clinical Practice Recommendations) for a low carbohydrate diet to reduce weight for those with or at risk of Type 2 diabetes.^[33]

Low glycemic index[link]

"The glycemic index (GI) factor is a ranking of foods based on their overall effect on blood sugar levels. The diet based around this research is called the Low GI diet. Low glycemic index foods, such as lentils, provide a slower, more consistent source of glucose to the bloodstream, thereby stimulating less insulin release than high glycemic index foods, such as white bread."^[34][35]

The glycemic load is "the mathematical product of the glycemic index and the carbohydrate amount".^[36]

In a randomized controlled trial that compared four diets that varied in carbohydrate amount and glycemic index found complicated results^[37]:

• Diet 1 and 2 were high carbohydrate (55% of total energy intake)
  • Diet 1 was high-glycemic index
  • Diet 2 was low-glycemic index
• Diet 3 and 4 were high protein (25% of total energy intake)
  • Diet 3 was high-glycemic index
  • Diet 4 was low-glycemic index

Diets 2 and 3 lost the most weight and fat mass; however, low density lipoprotein fell in Diet 2 and rose in Diet 3. Thus the authors concluded that the high-carbohydrate, low-glycemic index diet was the most favorable.

A meta-analysis by the Cochrane Collaboration concluded that low glycemic index or low glycemic load diets led to more weight loss and better lipid profiles. However, the Cochrane Collaboration grouped low glycemic index and low glycemic load diets together and did not try to separate the effects of the load versus the index.^[34]

See also[link]

Body image Eating disorder Carbon footprint Crash diet Dietitian Fasting Food Balance Wheel Food faddism

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Diet Healthy diet Intermittent fasting List of diets National Weight Control Registry Nutrigenomics Nutritional rating systems Nutrition scale High residue diet Underweight Online weight loss plans

References[link]

External links[link]

• Dieting at the Open Directory Project
• The food pyramid: Video lectures at the Harvard School of public health
• US News and World Report, Health: Eat Like Our Ancestors. An Interview with Harvard Psychology’s Deirdre Barrett 6/29/07
• A PBS Frontline interview with Prof. Walter Willett, Chair of Harvard's nutrition department
• "Not All Calories Are Created Equal, Author Says". Excerpt from Good Calories, Bad Calories and NPR interview with Gary Taubes and Dr. Ronald Krauss (November 2, 2007).

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