Hugh Jackman is set to return to his iconic Wolverine role alongside Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool & Wolverine. Given that audiences have been appreciating his chiseled look for the upcoming movie, it is clear that achieving this was far from an easy task.
To reclaim his X-Men role, he went into an extremely hard work mode, which stands in stark contrast to his Broadway days, as reflected by his on-screen buddy in a recent interview.
Hugh Jackman Was Nothing Like Wolverine During His Broadway Days
The upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine brings an action-packed adventure, with Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman uniting on-screen to portray their iconic X-Men roles.
Given that both the actors have already been into how challenging superhero movies can be, Jackman was recently asked whether it was easier for him to reprise his Wolverine role after 2017’s Logan. In a recent interview with The Project, he reflected on reprising his role stating,
No, no, it certainly does not get easier. I think both of us share something in common, in that I used to work at a gym before I was an actor. But I used to make fun of all the guys in the gym. They would make fun of me. I didn’t understand this, but now I get it.
He emphasized the importance of working out, which makes one disciplined. However, he added that reclaiming his Wolverine physique was surely a challenging task.
This prompted his co-star to recount Jackman’s Broadway days, pointing out the intensity of his daily schedule and the muscular build required for his iconic role as Wolverine.
Reynolds added,
What he did after coming off of Broadway, eight shows a week, which I saw what he did up there—I mean, just the sheer cardiovascular, athletic event. So his body was already in shape, but his physicality, he looked like…he was so thin and so much smaller.
The Merc with a Mouth actor praised the actor for making such a great difference by going from a lean physique to developing a muscular physique for the role. Since his taxing schedule left him physically thin, Reynolds called the ultra-jacked transformation “astonishing,” admiring the X-Men actor’s dedication to his craft.
Hugh Jackman’s Incredible Transition to Wolverine!
As Jackman prepared to return in the upcoming film, the transition from his lean Broadway form to the muscular superhero demanded a significant body transformation.
While he has updated fans about his fitness regime on social media, it generally includes a combination of weightlifting, cardiovascular exercises, and a strict diet. He worked closely with a personal trainer to ensure that he was on the right track.
As for his diet plan, he consumes sirloin steaks, chicken burgers, and fat slabs of fish. In a conversation with Stephen Colbert on The Late Show in January, he reflected that he was building up to 6,000 daily calories (via Men’s Health) ahead of reprising his superhero role.
Not just that, even dance training also helped him get back to his best condition to perform action sequences, which are a must in superhero movies.
I approach stunts in the way I would if—I mean, I’m not a dancer, but I have done a lot of dance training now and dance in my job. I love the process of it. I love getting something into your bones, learning something. You watch something, you get it in here, and how does that get in your bones, you know? And so, I really loved it.
Having admitted that he felt soreness and physical strain on getting back to the role, his dance training sessions, stage, and arena shows helped him to focus better.
Deadpool & Wolverine hits theaters on July 26.
