Hugh Jackman's Dad Was His Biggest Fan ｜ The Graham Norton Show ｜ The Graham Norton Show

Hugh Jackman, your dad did something so sweet. Do you know what I'm talking about? I do know what he did, but my dad was always supportive. We went, growing up, always to the theater, every show. My standing, my gift every year for my birthday was a subscription to the Sydney Theater Company so that I could go. He bought the cheapest one possible. So I had to go Wednesday matinee and skip class just so I could do it. But dad made sure I saw everything. And I remember once in my career, dad saw everything I did, was always just so effusive when he came back, even the stuff that he had no interest in. And I could tell he didn't like it, but he'd be like, wonderful work, Hugh, wonderful. And one time I was offered to do Carousel at Carnegie Hall. And I just, I told dad, I'm doing this thing. He goes, I'm coming. Because for my dad, Carousel, that's his jam. So my dad never missed a day of work in his life. He worked at Pricewaterhouse his entire working life. And he took three days off to come to New York to see me in Carousel. Now when I say three days, that's 24 hour flight from Sydney to New York. He was in New York for less than 24 hours and then a 24 hour flight back straight to the office. And so he was on his way over and my dad, itineraries, accountant, classic accountant. What's the dress code? What time is it? I said, it's black tie, dad, it's Carnegie Hall. Well, on the day of, I found out it wasn't black tie. It was business casual. And I pictured my dad just arriving with like whatever he's wearing on the plane with the black tie. So I rang him, he just got to the hotel, I'm rehearsing. We're on in like eight hours. I said, dad, I'm so sorry. He goes, don't worry, I'll get it sorted. Everything's okay. And I said, fine. He said, but do me a favor, Hugh. I would love to come and pick you up at your hotel room and walk you to the stage door before the performance. Stop. And I said, sure. And my dad never asked for stuff like that. And so I said, sure. I said, well, meet me at six. The show's at eight. I'm going to walk over, get there about 6.15. And so six o'clock on the dot, there's a knock on the door. I open it up and there's my father standing in full black tie. I'm like, no, no, no, no, dad. I'm so serious. Only the choir are wearing black tie. No one else. And he looked me straight in the eye and he said, Hugh, my son is singing at Carnegie Hall. It is black tie for me. Oh, that's beautiful.