Hugh Jackman played a comic-accurate Wolverine in X-Men, complete with a ripped body and the iconic sideburns. Jackman stepped in with plenty of tips to share when another actor needed guidance for their superhero role. Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man owes a part of its success to Jackman, who helped Downey Jr. get in shape by sharing his dietary and workout routines.
Iron Man marked a turning point in both the career of the Sherlock Holmes actor and the Marvel franchise. While Downey Jr. had starred in some decent movies following his recovery from addiction issues, his much-needed break came from the $585.8 million success of Iron Man.
Hugh Jackman Provided Robert Downey Jr. With Diet Tips
By the time Iron Man hit theaters, Hugh Jackman had already completed three X-Men movies and was gearing up for his first standalone movie, X-Men Origins: Wolverine. If Robert Downey Jr. needed to take tips from any successful superhero, it was clear that Wolverine was the one to turn to. Jackman, who had never been a fan of the bulked-up dudes in gyms, began lifting weights only when he secured his Wolverine role.
When Downey Jr. landed his iconic superhero role, he first reached out to Jackman, who had amassed a considerable fan following for his character. The Fountain actor was dedicated to a strict diet and workout routine, which he followed consistently until Logan in 2017. Jackman recalled the Oppenheimer actor’s call to him in an interview with the British magazine, Notebook (via contactmusic.com):
“Half of Hollywood (plays superheroes) now… When Robert (Downey, Jr.) first got the part of Iron Man he reached out to me and said, ‘Mate, can you just share with me the diet and how to get in shape?’ because he knew I wasn’t in shape before it, so there’s a little bit of that (sharing that goes on between actors).”
Interestingly, Downey Jr. gained 25 pounds of pure muscle for his role as Tony Stark in Iron Man. While The Judge actor already had some experience with Wing Chun training, the role got him to hit the gym. He steadily increased the weights he lifted and consumed a daily diet of 5,000 calories.
Hugh Jackman Bulked Up For His Wolverine Role In No Time
Hugh Jackman had limited time to prepare for his role in X-Men. While his friend and actor Russell Crowe suggested him to the role long back, it was not until actor Dougray Scott dropped out from the role that he was asked to come in for the audition. The Prestige actor landed the role only after three weeks into filming.
As for the breakdown of his diet, which he shared with Downey Jr., Jackman consumed a rich and nutritious diet that included steak, eggs, oatmeal, chicken, sweet potato, broccoli, brown rice, spinach, fish, and avocado. He also incorporated various supplements into his diet such as creatine, Animal Pump, Animal Nitro, and Carnitine Liquid.
His workout routine primarily consisted of lifting weights, focusing on the basic ones like bench presses, squats, and deadlifts. Much like Downey Jr., the Real Steel actor also adopted a progressive overload approach when he started out. Jackman is set to reprise his role as Wolverine in the upcoming MCU film, Deadpool 3, scheduled for release on May 3, 2024.
Iron Man is now available for streaming on Disney+, while X-Men is available for streaming on Starz.
