Rumors recently circulated about Hugh Jackman’s pass on the offer to play James Bond in an upcoming film. Reliable sources have confirmed that it’s true. While some actors would give their right arm for the role, Jackman had some very good reasons for turning down the role. Here is what we know about his rejection of the 007 part.
He’s more of a realist
Jackman who is so popular for his role as “Wolverine” has the luxury of picking and choosing the parts that are the best suited for his career path. In addition to this, he has his own preferences and the direction that the James Bond films are taken do not fit in with his sense of realism. Hugh explained that the reason he turned down the role was because he found the scripts to be “so unbelievable and crazy.” In other words, they are too far out there. We learn that it isn’t so much the concept with the character as it is the way that he’s presented.
What would have made a difference?
Hugh made it clear that at the time that the scripts were presented to him, hewas preparing for “X-Men2,” and it was his agent who had first contacted him about the possibility. Jackman shared that in his opinion, “they (the scripts) needed to become grittier and real.” Compound this that his agent told him that he wouldnt be given any room to voice his opinions on the scripts and just had to “sign on.” There are three factors that worked together to turn him away from the offer. Perhaps if he had consultant power over the scripts, if they had been re-written and if he hadn’t been so busy with film production on another movie he would have consiered it. Would these things have made a difference? It’s hard to say, but we’re of the opinon that they wouldn’t have.
Was this a missed opportunity for Hugh Jackman?
It’s more than apparent that Hugh Jackman is sexy and brilliant enough to play the role, but would it have been the right choice for him? A later installment of the Bond saga did present the realism and grittiness that he was looking for, but does this mean that he made an error? Some may think so, but in the larger scheme of things, Jackman could have compromised the film he was working on at the time and it would have tied him down so tightly that he wouldn’t have had a life outside of work. In the end it was his choice and we’d be hard pressed to identify a way that it has damaged his career. He’s currently involved in “The Greatest Showman.”
He seems fine with the decision that he made. The timing was off and he wasn’t on board with the script. In light of his rationale for the choice that he made, it’s more in step with the image that he has created in Hollywood as an actor. He did what he felt was right and didn’t second guess his decision. Would it have been better for him to let down on his principles and take a gamble? There may actually not have been much he would have gained anyway.
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