Hugh Jackman as Wolverine is one of the most iconic Marvel characters. After appearing in the X-Men film series as a mutant with healing power and adamantium metal claws, it’s easy to believe that he does the portrayal with no sweat. But the 54-year-old actor recently revealed to the BBC’s radio show Front Row that his stint as Logan has caused permanent damage to his well-being, particularly to one of his important senses.
According to the Greatest Showman star, landing the role of Wolverine demands not only acting but the ability to growl which led to lifetime damage to his voice or vocal cords. “I’ve done some damage to my voice with Wolverine. My falsetto is not as strong as it used to be and I directly put it down to some of the growling and yelling. My vocal teacher in drama school would’ve been horrified with some of the things I did [as Wolverine].” he narrated.
While Wolverine possesses the ability to heal his body, that’s not the case for Jackman, who is an ordinary human being outside the X-Men franchise. He continued, “We learned a technique [in school] of how to shout and how to yell without ruining your voice. However, during Wolverine, I did some screaming and yelling and things that I think did damage my voice. I’m working on it. I work with a singing teacher and I try not to hurt myself. I put a lot of effort into both physical movement and my vocal preparation for every role.”
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Aside from damaging his vocal abilities, the Prestige actor also revealed in another interview that he was eating an enormous amount of calories, which is 3000 more than what the NHS advises the average man to consume. “Food arrives and it's been counted out and it's 600 grams of carbohydrates and it's 270 grams of protein... and a certain amount of fat, I can't remember the grams, and then I have to eat that food for the day,” Jackman told This Morning.
Despite the toll it takes to portray the powerful mutant, Jackman couldn’t close his door to reprise the role whenever he was given the chance. Before his anticipated MCU comeback, the actor last played Wolverine in Logan (2017). Now, he is set to return to the big screen through Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool 3, which is slated for theatrical release on November 8, 2024.
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