Hugh Jackman stars in director Baz Luhrmann’s sweeping epic along with Nicole Kidman. Kidman plays an aristocratic English woman: Jackman is a tough cattle drover. Two people from opposite ends of the globe - they couldn’t be more different - yet they find their lives inextricably intertwined as they embark on a remarkable journey across hundreds of miles of the country’s most brutal terrain.
Hugh Jackman is swept away by “Australia” as he talks more about the film where he finds himself in an unforgettable, rousing and deeply moving story.
Q: Is your character simply known as The Drover?
A: “My character is called The Drover. He is essentially an outsider; in his back story he was married to an Aboriginal woman who died. It was illegal to marry an Aboriginal woman back then, so you were not accepted in white society, however you were not fully accepted into Aboriginal society either because you are were white. So he was truly an outsider. He became known as the best drover around. He does actually have a name but you are going to have to watch the movie to find out what that is.”
Q: Can you talk about The Drover’s relationship with Nicole Kidman?
A: Baz has been very open about it, making comparisons to “The African Queen,” as “Out of Africa” and “Gone with the Wind.” If you put those epic films in a melting pot, I think you’ll understand the relationship pretty well. Nicole and I have known each other for almost 15 years. She was best friends with my wife and we know each other well, so it was really terrific to work together.”
Q: Was it daunting physically?
A: “It was challenging. My character is called The Drover. A drover is the Australian version of a cowboy and my journey involves taking cattle a long way across one of the most inhospitable parts of the planet for a long period of time. Drovers, these men who do this for a living, are as tough as you can get.”
Q: What impresses you most about Nicole?
A: ”Without a doubt, the first thing that springs to mind about Nicole is her professionalism and I actually don’t use that word lightly. I have been trained in the theater where to be described as professional is probably the highest praise. Nicole works herself to the bone every single day to get everything out of every scene with every character, no matter what. There is not a harder worker than Nicole. She’s very enthusiastic and demanding of herself. I learned a lot about her, her technique. She is phenomenal.”
Q: Obviously this film means so much on a personal level, what are your own Australian roots?
A: “Both my parents are English and came out to Australia in 1967 and I was born the following year. My parents and immigrants like them were known as what was called ‘ten pound poms’ because back then the Australian Government were trying to get educated English people and Canadians (to be honest, educated white people) to come and live in Australia. So they offered them citizenship and a whole load of incentives. For the very small, meager sum of ten pounds you could sail your entire family out to Australia, so that’s what my father chose to do.”
Q: What was it like getting your star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame recently?
A: “I will be honest, I was touched by it. I am an Australian so that whole idea of the Hollywood star is a dream. We have all seen it a million times and of course I have been there and seen the hands. I remember going to see all the names of the great movie stars years ago. And my first reaction when they told me it was happening to me was shock. I thought ‘don’t they know I am just a kid from the Northern suburbs of Sydney? Why are they giving one to me?’ It was a time to go ‘wow’ and remind myself that this was a moment to remember. My dad does not usually say much, but he hugged me and I think he was really proud. It meant a lot to me, yes.”
Hugh Jackman was born in Sydney and studied journalism before taking up acting. He attended drama school and worked on a variety of Australian films and TV shows early on in his career, as well as stage productions. He played the lead role in “Oklahoma” in London’s West End and became a worldwide star with his role as Wolverine in “X-MEN.” He reprised his role in “X2: X-Men United” and “X-MEN: The Last Stand.” Jackman stars in the upcoming film, “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.”
Jackman won a Tony Award in 2004 for his Broadway performance in “The Boy from Oz.” His movie credits include “Van Helsing,” “Swordfish,” “Kate and Leopold,” “The Prestige” and “The Fountain.” The actor, 39, is married to Deborra-Lee Furness and they have two children.
“Australia” opens January 28 in theaters nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.
