He is the international superstar responsible for breathing life into the iconic comic book hero Wolverine. Her movies have earned more than $2 billion worldwide, including the entire "X-Men" franchise.
Actor Hugh Jackman and film producer Lauren Shuler Donner recently sat down for a candid conversation about their new film, “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.” Specifically, the pair talked about the scene in which Jackman’s character is transformed from a simple mutant with bony claws that periodically protrude from the back of his hands to an invincible mutant filled with an indestructible metal called adamantium. This scene represents the ultimate birth of a comic legend as the character is transformed from Logan to Wolverine. Watch the scene in which Wolverine is unleashed ยป Hugh Jackman: I knew this was the birth of the character; this is where we see him in full flight. It’s called in the comic book “berserker rage.” It’s not really in the English language, but it may be now! But, this idea that this complete animal [has been] unleashed, which is obviously the entire story — this battle between the animal and human is something we all relate to. Lauren Shuler Donner: There were many things he had to do in the tank, you know. One of them was he had to be lowered, and then the needles had to come towards him. Now, most of those were CGI, so he had to look in certain places where the needles were. But, he couldn’t hear [director] Gavin [Hood]. So they … tried all kinds of sounds, speakers, everything. … They finally devised this toe method where, if Gavin pulled on Hugh’s big toe, it meant the things are coming, the second toe is this, the last toe is rise up, very sophisticated. (laughter)
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Jackman: I had in my head that I’ve got to be in much better shape — not better shape, different shape, kind of ridiculous shape because I wanted it to be uncomfortable. I wanted it to feel like I felt when I saw Robert De Niro in “Cape Fear,” that — whoa, this guy is dangerous, he’s powerful, he’s dangerous, and he can snap at any point.
Donner: There’s an iconic drawing of Wolverine coming out of the tank in the comics with the things popping out of him and his hair all over him in a rage, and we wanted to be that image. That’s the image we wanted for the fans. Jackman: I was a little frightened when I watched it, like, “Is that me” [My wife] Deb was like, “Hugh, this is ridiculous. I don’t even know who that is.”
