Hugh Jackman should have gotten Oscar buzz for this movie over ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’
We know that Hugh Jackman can host the Oscars. We’ve seen him get a nomination in the past. But now Disney is pushing Jackman towards a Best Supporting Actor nom for his role as Logan/Wolverine in the film Deadpool & Wolverine.
Jackman’s only nomination thus far in his career had been for his work as Jean Valjean in the Tom Hooper adaptation of Les Misérables. Which, fine. I’ll allow it even though I have very strong opinions on that movie. Jackman is like my third biggest issue but that’s just because he wasn’t my first choice for Valjean. That is all neither here nor there.
With the push to get Jackman a supporting actor nomination, it has brought up a lot of feelings I have on Jackman’s filmography. Namely how his best movies are often ignored to praise his musical work or his time in the Marvel world. The fact that he does not have awards for The Fountain or The Prestige is, in fact, my villain origin story.
Jackman is known as Wolverine and that’s fine. Outside of that, he’s made a name for himself in musical theatre and I love that for him. But, for some reason, we often forget that Jackman is a really good actor who has stuff outside of these two worlds. Look, I wouldn’t have been mad if he got a nomination for Logan. That movie is outstanding. But I do think that we put Jackman in a bubble he doesn’t need to be in.
Instead, I think that he has a large catalog of work that really shows his range as an actor and looking at his three best movies, it makes me wish they were what he had the Oscar push for.
The Fountain (2006)
Darren Aronofsky wrote and directed the 2006 film The Fountain which starred Jackman and Rachel Weisz. A movie that centers on a man’s desperation to find eternal life and save the woman he loves, The Fountain is brave and bold. It wasn’t afraid to take a risk and that’s why it has stayed with me for the last 18 years.
The film is described as follows: “A man (Hugh Jackman) travels through time on a quest for immortality and to save the woman (Rachel Weisz) he loves. As a 16th-century conquistador, Tomas searches for the legendary Fountain of Youth. As a present-day scientist, he desperately struggles to cure the cancer that is killing his wife. Finally, as a 26th-century astronaut in deep space, Tom begins to grasp the mysteries of life, love and death.”
It is heartbreaking to watch and truly changed how I viewed film. It is, to this day, one of the best Jackman performances I’ve ever seen.
The Prestige (2006)
This is my favorite Christopher Nolan movie. The Prestige takes us into the world of two magicians who were once close friends. But when the death of their assistant Julia (Piper Perabo) divides them, the two are constantly trying to beat out the other as the top illusionist.
Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) is determined to figure out how Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) can put himself in two places at once with his tricks and will go to any length necessary to succeed in doing so. It is truly one of the best twists I’ve seen in a movie and really set the tone for my love of Nolan’s work.
But Jackman is so incredibly good as Robert. You can feel his desperation and his desire to succeed and it drives Jackman’s entire performance.
Prisoners (2013)
Jackman worked with Denis Villeneuve on the 2013 film Prisoners and seeing Jackman go up against both Paul Dano and Jake Gyllenhaal was incredible and unnerving. The movie is about a father, desperate to find his daughter and willing to do whatever it takes to save her. That includes ignoring the police and taking matters into his own hands.
The movie is described as follows: “Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) faces a parent’s worst nightmare when his 6-year-old daughter, Anna, and her friend go missing. The only lead is an old motorhome that had been parked on their street. The head of the investigation, Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal), arrests the driver (Paul Dano), but a lack of evidence forces Loki to release his only suspect. Dover, knowing that his daughter’s life is at stake, decides that he has no choice but to take matters into his own hands.”
What movie do you think Hugh Jackman should have gotten an Oscar for?
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