Hugh Jackman on his love of Broadway, and the loss of his father

Actor Hugh Jackman, known as much for his work on film as his performances on stage, talks about his love for Broadway, his passion for dance, and the loss of his father, in an interview with Jane Pauley for “CBS Sunday Morning,” to be broadcast January 2 on CBS and streamed on Paramount+.

Jackman is currently starring in the Broadway production of “The Music Man” (though performances are on hold until January 6th because earlier this week he tested positive for COVID-19).

“People always say, ‘What do you prefer, the theater or movies?'” Jackman said. “And I say, ‘I love them both. But if you had to give me one, it would be the theater.

“What better job to have in the world than to allow people to come and just put your troubles aside for a second – and let’s go on a little adventure?”

To watch a preview click on the video clip below:

Jackman was born and raised in Australia. (His parents emigrated there from England in the 1960s.) When he was eight years old, his mother went back to England alone, leaving his father to raise Hugh and his four siblings. Today, Jackman is close with his mother, but he was even closer with his father, whom he lost to Alzheimer’s in September.

“It’s just the first time I’ve talked about it. So, it’s a bit hard,” Jackman said. “When I went to see him in June, he would smile and was there. And he would connect. But, [in] many ways, he was gone as well.”

Jackman also talked with Pauley about his work in “The Music Man”; about always being positive; his love of dancing; and how his musical theater ambitions were almost derailed by his brother poking fun at him.

The Emmy Award-winning “Sunday Morning” is broadcast on CBS Sundays beginning at 9 a.m. ET. “Sunday Morning” also streams on CBSN [beginning at 10:30 a.m. ET] and Paramount+, and is available on cbs.com and cbsnews.com.

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