Hugh Jackmans 12 Best Performances: From The Greatest Showman to Logan

The depth of Hugh Jackman, the Australian leading man whose multi-talented arsenal has graced the screen and stages over the last three decades, is one of the entertainment industry’s most versatile actors. His movies have a collective gross of more than $5 billion worldwide, placing him in the top 25 earners of all time.

To celebrate Jackman’s birthday, Variety ranks his 12 best film performances of his career so far.

His big break came when he landed the superhero Wolverine in 20th Century Fox’s inaugural “X-Men” (2000), which was followed by several sequels and spin-offs, most notably “Logan” (2017).

An actor’s actor, he’s worked alongside some of the industry’s finest actors such as Nicole Kidman (“Australia”) and Meg Ryan (“Kate and Leopold”) and visionary directors like Christopher Nolan (“The Prestige”) and Denis Villeneuve (“Prisoners”).

After hosting the 81st Academy Awards in 2009, his personal invitation to the Oscars when he took on the famous role of Frenchman and former prisoner Jean Valjean in Tom Hooper’s “Les Misérables” (2012), which earned him a best actor nomination, in addition to a Golden Globe prize for lead actor (comedy/musical). The film went on to gross over $440 million worldwide.

A profound career is not complete without an Oscar snub or two, and Jackman has those on his resume. Some were charmed by his 19th-century time traveler in James Mangold’s “Kate & Leopold” (2001), which earned him his first Golden Globe nom for lead actor (comedy/musical).

There are large pockets of cinephiles that adore his work in Darren Aronofsky’s romantic fantasy epic “The Fountain” (2006) opposite Rachel Weisz, while mainstream audiences will always love his P.T. Barnum in the musical “The Greatest Showman” (2017).

His turn as a father, desperate to find his kidnapped daughter in Denis Villeneuve’s “Prisoners” (2013) has the actor going to places he’s very rarely explored.

In 2022, Jackman stars in Academy Award winner Florian Zeller’s sophomore film “The Son” from Sony Pictures Classics, playing a remarried father who attempts to connect with his estranged teenage son. His work has received positive word from critics and could earn him his second Oscar nomination this awards season. He’s also set to reprise his beloved Wolverine in the next installment of “Deadpool,” due out in 2024.

Read Variety’s list of Jackman’s 12 best performances below, along with the best scene from each movie.

Honorable mentions: “The Fountain” (2006); “Real Steel” (2011); “X-Men: Days of Future Past (2013)

Swordfish (2000)
Role: Stanley Jobson
Director: Dominic Sena
Writer(s): Skip Woods
Distributor: Warner Bros.
The scene that proves it: “Kill me and you’ll never see a dollar.”
Jackman is electric alongside Halle Berry (one year before her Oscar win) and an entertaining and villainous John Travolta in Dominic Sena’s thriller. So kick back, relax and watch Jackman be a different type of hero.
X2: X-Men United (2003)
Role: Logan / Wolverine
Director: Bryan Singer
Writer(s): Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris, David Hayter, Zak Penn (based on “X-Men” created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby)
Distributor: 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios)
The scene that proves it: Wolverine vs. Lady Deathstrike
Once was not enough. The ambitious scope of the anticipated sequel to the 2000 hit set a benchmark for all superhero sequels that would come afterward. Jackman’s return to Wolverine is even more committed, getting some outstanding fight scenes and impressive dramatic moments.
Kate & Leopold (2001)
Role: His Grace Leopold Alexis Elijah Walker Thomas Gareth Mountbatten, 3rd Duke of Albany
Director: James Mangold
Writer(s): James Mangold, Steven Rogers
Distributor: Miramax Films
The scene that proves it: “I’ve been warned about you.”
Opposite the rom-com queen Meg Ryan, Jackman plays a 19th-century duke transported to the 21st century in James Mangold’s fantasy flick. While the film doesn’t come together fully, it boasts some tender and joyful moments, cementing Jackman’s dreamy leading man into the Hollywood echo chamber.
Australia (2008)
Role: The Drover
Director: Baz Luhrmann
Writer(s): Baz Luhrmann, Ronald Harwood, Stuart Beattie, Richard Flanagan
Distributor: 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios)
The scene that proves it: “We like to bunk up together.”
Baz Luhrmann’s lavish epic is as divided as they come. I stand on the side of “love” when it reaches the large set pieces, the charm of young Brandon Walters, and the swooning chemistry between Jackman’s Drover and his English aristocrat lady, played by Nicole Kidman. Whether bathing himself with a large bucket or saving his child-like figure, Jackman’s celebrity spark has never been brighter.
Bad Education (2019)
Role: Frank Tassone
Director: Cory Finley
Writer(s): Mike Makowsky (based on “The Bad Superintendent” by Robert Kolker)
Distributor: HBO / Warner Bros. Television
The scene that proves it: “I would kill somebody for a carb.”
Starting its journey at the 2019 Toronto Film Festival, Cory Finley’s crime drama looking at the largest public school embezzlement in American history was acquired by HBO and went on to win the Emmy for outstanding television movie, with Jackman receiving a nom for lead actor a limited series or tv movie. If a major studio had picked the film up, I believe Jackman’s second Oscar nom might have come much sooner, considering the technique he brings to his crooked superintendent.
The Prestige (2006)
Role: Robert “The Great Danton” Angier / Lord Caldlow
Director: Christopher Nolan
Writer(s): Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan (based on “The Prestige” by Christopher Priest)
Distributor: Warner Bros.
The scene that proves it: “He had a new trick – it was the greatest magic trick I’d ever seen.”
Under the guidance of Christopher Nolan, Jackman’s Angier, who professionally duels with another magician (played incredibly by Christian Bale), has the actor showing his sinister nature of himself. With an all-star cast that includes Scarlett Johansson and Michael Caine, he keeps the mystery epic grounded with emotion and suspense.
The Greatest Showman (2017)
Role: P.T. Barnum
Director: Michael Gracey
Writer(s): Jenny Bicks, Bill Condon
Distributor: 20th Century Fox (20th Century Studio)
The scene that proves it: “The Greatest Show”
If Wolverine belongs to Millennials and Superhero Fanboys, then P.T. Barnum belongs to Gen Y and Musical Theatre Kids. The bombastic musical that boasts incredible songs and memorable turns from Jackman’s co-stars Zendaya and Rebecca Ferguson stands comfortably on the list and will likely be among his most revered decades from now.
X-Men (2000)
Role: Logan
Director: Bryan Singer
Writer(s): David Hayter, Tom DeSanto, Bryan Singer (based on “X-Men” created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby)
Distributor: 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios)
The scene that proves it: “What do they call you, wheels?”
There’s no time like the first time. That’s the case with Jackman’s inaugural outing as the famed comic book superhero with a slick mouth and an eye for Jean Grey. Possibly one of the best casting choices of the aughts, there’s a reason that 22 years later, we’ll always ask for more.
Les Misérables (2012)
Role: Jean Valjean
Director: Tom Hooper
Writer(s): William Nicholson, Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schönberg, Herbert Kretzmer (based on the stage musical by Boublil and Schönberg and the novel by Victor Hugo)
Distributor: Universal Pictures
The scene that proves it: “What Have I Done?”
A trained actor on the theater stage, Jackman’s capturing of Frenchman Jean Valjean, who is imprisoned and then redeemed through the love of his orphaned daughter is beautifully alive. He fit into it like a glove. His efforts were recognized with a Golden Globe for best actor (comedy or musical) and later with his first Oscar nom, losing out to Daniel Day-Lewis for “Lincoln.” He was likely the runner-up.
The Son (2022)
Role: Peter Miller
Director: Florian Zeller
Writer(s): Florian Zeller, Christopher Hampton (based on the play “Le Fils” by Florian Zeller)
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
The scene that proves it: “I have the right to reinvent my life.”
Jackman, one of the most beloved performers in the entertainment industry, only has a single Oscar nomination to his credit. His work in “The Son” could bring the overlooked star his overdue second Oscar nom. What makes his performance even more impressive is that for most of “The Son,” Jackman is meticulously reserved, internalizing the frustration of a man seeking a quick fix for his son’s deeply rooted mental health issues. It’s a performance imbued with the kind of roiling frustration and mounting desperation that hawks back to recent best actor nominees and winners
Logan (2017)
Role: Logan / Wolverine
Director: James Mangold
Writer(s): Scott Frank, James Mangold, Michael Green (based on “Wolverine” by Roy Thomas, Len Wein and John Romita Sr.)
Distributor: 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios)
The scene that proves it: “Death”
The creative elevation of the superhero genre is shown with James Mangold’s semi-western take on one of the beloved X-Men characters. Anchored by its central performer, Jackman’s rugged and regenerating mutant during his final days are near his brightest acting moments.
Prisoners (2013)
Role: Keller Dover
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Writer(s): Aaron Guzikowski
Distributor: Warner Bros.
The scene that proves it: “Where’s my daughter?”
An underrated career-best performance. The morality thriller gives its all-star cast plenty to chew on, especially Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano and Melissa Leo. Jackman’s desperation keeps the audience bouncing back and forth between consent and disapproval as he throws out the rule book to save his daughter’s life. In addition, Jackman’s bubbling rage against the cinematography by Roger Deakins pops in every frame and comes alive in every word.

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Martina Birk

Update: 2024-09-03