For little reasons here and there (mainly the film The Prestige), Hugh Jackman’s resurfaced in my consciousness. Yes, there was a time not too many years ago when I was rather crazy about him. I wasn’t alone. Weizhen and Yinwei liked him just as much *grin*. He holds the record as the only actor that all three of us thought attractive. It’s pretty amazing. Usually Yinwei’s and Weizhen’s tastes are poles apart :P
What sealed the deal for me back then was the fact that Hugh Jackman could sing. Yeah, I’ve got an amazing soft spot for guys with great singing voices. And though Jackman doesn’t have a super fantastic voice when you compare him with the best of his musical brethren, he holds his own. And let’s not forget that he’s got acting chops and that he… is… gorgeous *grin*.
And I bet not many of his current fans know that he played Curly in West End’s 1998 revival of Oklahoma! or that he played Gaston in the Australian production of the Disney musical Beauty & The Beast before he became Wolverine. More recently, Jackman won the 2003 Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for The Boy From Oz. (To my regret I’ve never heard tracks from that musical, so I don’t know how good the songs are.)
Check out Mr. Jackson’s vocals in Oklahoma!
The unforgettable titular song, Oklahoma!
hugh-jackman-oklahoma-oklahoma.mp3
Surrey With The Fringe On Top
hugh-jackman-oklahoma-the-surrey-with-the-fringe-on-top.mp3
People Will Know We Are In Love
oklahoma-hugh-jackman-people-will-say-were-in-love.mp3
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Just love how rousing the chorus of Oklahoma! is. Little wonder the state made it the official state anthem. :)
And on a separate note, ever since watching When Harry Met Sally, I can’t listen to Surrey With The Fringe On The Top without thinking of Billy Crystal’s rendition of it.
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There’s an interesting video montage set to his own singing on YouTube of Hugh Jackman, including some footage of him as Gaston, and a funny snippet of John Travolta and Hugh Jackman singing Summer Lovin’ (from Grease) to each other on a talkshow (during promotion of Swordfish on Rove Live). Here’s the link.
Journey of the Heart 