Hugh Jackman earned an Oscar nomination for his work as Jean Valjean in “Les Misérables,” but things didn’t go so well decades ago while belting out the musical’s “Stars” when he had to sing for the first time at an audition.
“I read first and I could tell it was going well,” Jackman said Saturday night during a performance of “An Evening With Hugh Jackman” at the Hollywood Bowl. “Then I sang and I cracked on the final note so spectacularly. Like it was the worst crack you could have ever imagined. Whatever excitement was on the panel, it just deflated immediately. I was about to run out, just humiliated.”
“But then the guy goes, ‘Whoa, hold on a second. Why did you sing that song?’” Jackman continued. “I said, ‘It’s the only thing I had music for. I’m sorry.’ And he said, ‘Well, you can throw that away. You’ll never sing that again.’ I think what he meant to say was, ‘Why don’t you put that to the side for like 30 years when you might sing it at the Hollywood Bowl?’”
Jackman’s performance Saturday night in Los Angeles served as the opening of the LA Phil’s 2025 Hollywood Bowl season. “I can get very chatty, but we have a curfew,” he said at the start of his show, adding with a smile, “Or maybe we don’t.”
He went on to say that there would be no encore at the end of the night. “We’re going to do away with that whole charade,” Jackman said. “The whole everyone walking off, but we all know everyone left their instruments on stage, we all know they’re coming back. Going to do away with that.”
Jackman was accompanied by the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, conducted by Thomas Wilkins, with several members of the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (YOLA) joining when he performed “A Million Dreams,” one of the many songs he sang from “The Greatest Showman.” He also covered Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” during the 90-minute set. Jackman stars as a real-life Diamond impersonator who married a Patsy Kline impersonator (Kate Hudson) in the upcoming film “Song Sung Blue.”
Jackman offered John Denver’s “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” but with an Australian twist. “Aussies are kind of laid back,” he sang. “I reckon’ it’s the best place on the map. Aside from the occasional shark attack, thank God I’m an Ozzy boy.”
He continued singing, “We live in a place surrounded by sea and koalas sitting among gum trees,” before capturing big laughs with the line, “And every single girl looks like Margot Robbie, thank God I’m an Ozzy boy.”
The “Wolverine” star, dressed neatly in a tuxedo, also delivered a selection of Peter Allen songs. Jackman won a Tony Award for best actor in a musical for his portrayal of the late Oscar winner in 2004’s “The Boy From Oz.”
The evening, which concluded with the Bowl’s signature fireworks display, raised $2.6 million for the LA Phil’s learning and community programs.
The 2025 Hollywood Bowl season includes Cynthia Erivo and Adam Lambert starring in “Jesus Christ Superstar” for two nights, Aug. 1 and 2.
The summer program will also feature Gustavo Dudamel, Mumford & Sons, John Fogerty, Juanes, Cyndi Lauper, Diana Ross, Dave Koz, Josh Groban, Earth, Wind & Fire, a “Grease” and “The Sound of Music” sing-a-longs, “Jaws” and “Jurassic Park” concerts, Alabama Shakes, Herbie Hancock, a John Williams celebration and Charlie Wilson, Babyface and K-Ci Hailey and John Legend.
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