In 2009, Hugh Jackman donned his snappy suit and took his place in front of the glamorous attendees of the 81st Academy Awards. While the Oscars had opened the awards with a comedy act many years ago, this year, they decided to head in a different direction and open with a musical theatre-style number. With his extensive musical theatre background, having performed in musicals such as Sunset Boulevard, Oklahoma! and Carousel, Hugh Jackman was just the man for the job.
In a humorous music number that Music Man readers will love, Hugh referenced the Oscar nominees of the year, including the likes of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, ‘Frost/Nixon’ and ‘Milk’. Engaging his skills from presenting the Tony Awards, Hugh created an Oscars opening number, which has become one of the most memorable of all time. With 25M views online, viewers have flocked to rewatch the video, leaving comments such as “10 years later and this is still the best opening of any Oscars.”
As a multi-time leading actor from Broadway, Hugh Jackman was invited to host the Tony Awards a total of four times. Here, he refined his skills as an entertaining and amusing host. While all of his stints as the Tony Awards host were well-received, none went down better than the 2005 awards. His hosting that year was so popular he was subsequently nominated for and awarded the Emmy for ‘Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program.’
In a spectacular number that Music Man readers will adore, Hugh performed a number of musical theatre songs, including the opening number ‘One Night Only’ with the cast of Hairspray, ‘Radio’ from Caroline, or Change, and ‘Urchins’ from The Little Shop of Horrors. With all the energy associated with Broadway, Hugh once again charmed the audience with music and comedy, proving just why he had been nominated for his own musical performance.
Here at The Music Man, we love to see artists who are multitalented. Throughout his work life, Hugh Jackman has proved he has talents in music, acting, comedy, dance, and presenting. Almost 30 years on from his first performances in musical theatre, Hugh Jackman is still bringing joy to cinema fans with his roles in Wolverine, as well as his roles in musical films such as Les Miserables and The Greatest Showman. Looking back over his extensive career, it is clear that Hugh Jackman’s legacy as a versatile performer ensures his place in entertainment history, captivating audiences with every role he takes on.
