Hugh Jackman Was Told He Was ‘Too Nice’ to Make It

Hugh Jackman sat down for an interview with the Australian show Today and talked about his reputation as one of the nicest men working in show biz. Jackman said he was warned early on that his congenial nature was going to work against him. “I remember on the last day of drama school, this girl came up to me. We were at a party, it was about 2 in the morning and she was really drunk, and we had been at drama school for years together, and she came up, and she goes, ‘I’m going to tell you the truth.’ I said, ‘What?’ She said, ‘You’re too nice. You’ll never ever get anywhere because you’re too nice.’”

Jackman wasn’t fazed by her words. “I remember at the time thinking that is ridiculous. Surely, we’re actors. What matters is what I do in front of the camera or when I’m on stage. ... I love what I do, and I’m guided by the way I was brought up, which is just ‘be respectful.’ That’s all that drives me.”