ONE DASTARDLY DUDE
Superstar Hugh Jackman loved playing the villain for a change in ‘Pan’
NEWYORK— Hugh Jackman certainly has played characters who exhibit a dark side— even if they are basically good people. Perhaps the best examples of that would be his performance as Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables,” his Wolverine/Logan in the “X-Men” films or his father character in “Prisoners.”
His duplicitous Vincent Moore in “Chappie” was outright bad. However, for millions, the Australian actor is the ultimate good guy, who usually tackles roles that showcase his natural charm and likability.
Asked about his total transformation in “Pan” (opening Friday), Jackman winked as he started talking about playing the vicious villain Blackbeard in the new Peter Pan prequel.
“This was the black side of my heart! You’re seeing the real me, Bill,” Jackman quipped. “Though I don’t think my kids were that shocked when they saw it. I could almost hear them going, ‘There he is. There’s Dad,’ when they first saw the film.”
The change was exhilarating for the actor. “Enough of the nice-guy stuff. I had a blast doing it,” he said, adding that “Pan” director Joe Wright “encouraged everyone to play. He wanted us all to have a good time and remember we’re in the world of Neverland, which is, in fact, a metaphor for a child’s imagination.”
Though the 3-D “Pan,” like many films today, employs “movie magic”— with quite a few scenes strongly supported by special effects— Jackman admitted he did have to undergo a great deal of physical challenges.
“I always wanted to do a big sword fight in a film. I was a big ‘Princess Bride’ fan. As a kid I loved things like ‘Captain Blood.’ The idea of doing an Errol Flynn film like that, with a sort of swashbuckling sword fight, thrilled me.
“For ‘Pan,’ we rehearsed it with the stunt team. We showed it to Joe, and he loved it. … Then he said, ‘Let’s put it up there— on the spike at the front of the ship.’ Which, to be honest, was like doing a fight on a balance beam. Yeah, that was interesting! To say the least!”
When Jackman was asked his thoughts about the enduring popularity of the “Peter Pan” fable, he said, “On one level it’s just a great story. For kids of all ages— and I really don’t care what age you’re from, or which generation you belong to— this is about going to Neverland. This is about going to this ultimate place where there’s intrigue and sword fights and crocodiles. It’s a brilliant adventure which kids automatically latch on to.
“But for parents, for adults, it’s kind of a cautionary tale. It’s about a warning. Don’t lose that kid that’s within you. If you don’t want to grow up or grow old, don’t put a cream on your face. Go to Neverland, and remember that the world is full of magic and wonder and possibility. In other words, see the world thorough the eyes of a little kid. For me, that’s what Joe Wright achieved with this. He made me feel like a little kid again.”