When Hugh Jackman was cast as Wolverine in X-Men in 2000, he faced a tight deadline to prepare for his role. He was put on a ‘Wolverine’ diet and intense training routines, which the actor followed for the next 17 years until Logan. Interestingly, before his mutant role, the Deadpool 3 actor had never stepped into a gym or lifted any weights. He even made fun of the gym enthusiasts who kept on admiring their bodies in the mirror.
However, once immersed in the workout and diet, the Real Steel actor became almost unrecognizable. Over the years, Jackman has gone shirtless a number of times in the X-Men movies, flexing his muscular physique. It remains uncertain whether he has reverted to the ‘Wolverine’ diet for his upcoming Marvel appearance.
Hugh Jackman Was Not A Big Fan Of Workouts Before His Wolverine Role
Hugh Jackman was a last-minute addition to the X-Men cast when actor Dougray Scott dropped out due to other commitments. As the filming had already begun, director Bryan Singer pushed the scenes requiring Jackman to show his muscular body toward the end of filming. The Van Helsing actor had a limited window of nearly four months to get ripped, and he was immediately put on an intense workout and diet plan.
Interestingly, the Australian actor had never set foot in a gym before and hated the idea. Speaking to the Metro magazine about his routines, Jackman revealed that he even made fun of the gym-goers, finding their self-admiration in front of the mirror ridiculous. The Prestige actor shared with Metro (via Female First):
“Before X-Men, I’d never lifted a weight in my life. I used to work at a gym and I’d make fun of all the guys in the weight room. I thought the way they’d look in the mirror for two hours a day was ridiculous.”
Jackman persisted with his workout and dietary plan until 2017 when he finally bid farewell to the Wolverine role in the X-Men universe. The Les Misérables actor is set to return to his role as the adamantium-clawed mutant in Deadpool 3, a part of the MCU. Jackman had previously played a role in the MCU’s success by offering valuable fitness advice to Robert Downey Jr. after the latter was cast as Iron Man.
Also Read: MCU Fans Should Not Be Excited About Hugh Jackman and Tobey Maguire Rumors For Avengers: Secret Wars
Hugh Jackman Kept Things Simple In His ‘Wolverine’ Routine
Hugh Jackman, who had never lifted weights before in his life, structured his workout around lifting weights. Jackman’s trainer kept things less complicated, going for a progressive overload approach. He focused on a few basic exercises like presses, squats, and deadlifts, gradually increasing the number of sets and the reps per set. This method helped him to gain muscle strength in an optimal manner.
If the workout represented one half of the equation, the other was his carefully planned diet. His balanced diet included oatmeal and eggs for breakfast, while lunch comprised lean meats, brown rice, spinach, broccoli, and fish or poultry. His next meal included superfoods such as avocado. Jackman also added nutritional supplements like creatine, Animal Pump, Animal Nitro, and Carnitine Liquid into his diet.
Fans can watch the results of Jackman’s 17 years of dedication by streaming the X-Men films on Disney+. Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds starrer Deadpool 3 will hit theaters on July 26, 2024.
