Hugh Jackman On Returning To His Roots In ‘The Music Man’

We've seen him tear it up as Wolverine and he hit the high notes is John Bell Jen and lay Miz and now he's taking on another iconic role. Professor Harold Hill in the classic show. The music man, yes, he's bringing trouble to River City and to Broadway. So worth the wait. Can you believe you were talking about this thing in 2019 you're ready to go in 2020. Yeah. And then we waited I ran into someone who was at the show on Sunday said I had my tickets 3. And I said I know I know how the the white felt, but it's all the sweeter for it now and you feel it every every night you feel the audience is so excited to come back this 49 of us on stage and the excitement and the joy is just how what is that standing will feel like because you get them night after night, what does it feel finally to have that again. It's incredible there's nothing like the theater and you know, I'm very very lucky I get to do movies, but there's something about Broadway that this feels like something about the the people the atmosphere and not just our show the whole community, it feels like home and I'm I'm probably my happiest place is that right, yeah, it's harder to get up to speak to you, but the you all get up. My wife was like liberals on the phone because you want you say you have to sleep in a white, but I'm thrilled that you're here you have Tony nominations, how many you've got one Sutton got some of the one got yet and how to show got one we were for Santa the designer Warren Carlyle choreography and best revival and this is Sutton's 7th. Tony nomination or as I have to say between us we have not so it's great about you. You spend most of your time or a lot of your time shining a light on other members of your cast. I think Sutton got that drama drama desk or drama legal drama legal war that's a biggie it's huge you made sure that when the show was over. Yeah that the audience learned that bit of information, yeah, and she's still not talking to me sorry. But it is special because all awards generally split them up, you know that this is the one awards the drama Lee had Broadway off Broadway off of Broadway day. It's one award so they don't split up actor and actress supporting lead or play a musical that has given one one and she won the whole season and she won and it's so richly deserve because I think she's one of the greatest of all time and it's my privilege to be with her and I saw just one of the audience to know that well you're the coolest you love the music man since you're a kid love it. I remember you telling me was that your very first musical musical first musical I was 14 and I had to if you want to depart in my school musical you had to audition. So you just want to be in the the ensemble you you're in yeah, but I wanted a part so I never auditioned so I opened up the music man of the very first thing was this thing we didn't have to see was like talking like perfect and there were there are 8 parts it's yeah about a month to learn it. I still kind of know the whole thing so you learned every single part every single part yeah, every but you didn't get you didn't get the main role that you want. I didn't know is David Anderson. I actually know I've been in touch with him and he was he's really good was he really good. Yeah, well, I just bought him tickets, he's coming he's coming to New York. Okay, well we actually also reached out to and are you calling and the and David Anderson had a little something he want to say after he stole your part when you're in high school take a look. Good I check. It's been a long time since we did the music man at school so it's a big congratulations to you for moving from Southland to to the leading. Cannot wait to get to New York to see the shot. I think he did so see you then said a cheeky beer. I'm sure he had 0 idea I was even in the shot. He was we all looked up and that is so cool to have any idea back then, I mean I know you love the theater and I remember your you wanted to learn to dance, I think your brother sort of made fun of you when you initially wanted to learn. But you but he came around and said actually you should go ahead and take dance did you know from once you started that this was going to be your path. No I did it if I look back of the always doing it at school even at college. But for me I just assumed it was just something you did like you play golf, you know is it's a fun thing to do, but if I look back all the signs with I would spend all my time doing it even I even when I went to college in my final year to do my thesis, you know to graduate 90% of my time is doing this play this little play so it wasn't I was about 22. I was like oh hang on this could be well way to go one of your biggest cheerleaders and we just was your was your dad and I have the privilege of interviewing you back in August of 2021 and your dad was alive that and I remember that it was a difficult time and he since passed of all timers do you think about him when you're on stage all the time. I feel I have these picture there in my dressing room and my dad is just was the sweetest man and he would love the shot and the fact that he saw me do the show when I was 14 I can just see him crying his eyes out and and with joy and the poor guy had to put up with so many movies that really and not his bag over the years he would only ever say wonderful things but he would have absolutely loved it, but I feel I feel his presence all the time and I have a little moment before the show you yeah, so and the last little bit was there were I don't know if I'm where I read it, but there was some place where I read it that said that you are going to be going to the music man for a while and then Justin Timberlake was going to come and take over yeah is that true all open to Justin Timberlake and like that's what is that something to come on. I'm happy and if you want shows off all this step in don't worry if you if you're doing stadiums don't worry on there actually could you take a look at the great. I'd love to see actually he'd be great in the pot is a great actor JT, but you're saying you're planning on being there for a little bit was 20 years just for your brand of this thing we got the whole hog, but you know just only be like 13. Very well, we love you love your wife, we love her and your kids are all doing well, this and thank you to you. I'm going to give a shot like any shout out to people. But when I was a difficult time when you interview me last time and you were incredibly kind and I'll never forget so thank you. Love you love you too all right, you can see the music man on Broadway at New York's Winter Garden theater coming up next today, bestsellers you'll want to get your hands on this summer, including a little trick to keep away those pesky bugs.