Hugh Jackman in Oklahoma — Page 2

"When I played Ali Hakim a few years ago, during one of the performances, Wil Parker missed one of his entrances. Ado Annie panicked and ad-libed her way off stage leaving me alone.

"So I went into my best Irish Accent and said to myself "why do you go back to Dublin where you belong?" This got a big roar of laughter."

Now, I SWEAR I've read this exact story but it was told by somebody else previously on this site. Now who was it? Do you have any idea, Eric? I mean, Rodney? I mean Eric I mean Rodney ImeanEricImeanRodney....

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I also fell in love with Hugh after seeing "Oklahoma" on PBS.

To be historically accurate and politically incorect, Ali Hakim is probably really Jewish. That's how the original, Joseph Buloff, played it. The stereotype of the "Jew Peddler" was common in the early 20th Century. Of course, that would offend the large number of Jewish theatregoers in the 1940's, so they made him a "Persian Peddler".

I liked the actor in NYC revival cast because he made Ali Hakim somewhat likeable. After all, there has to be some reason Ado Annie is attracted to him, and the locals seem to accept him so easily. If he's played too creepy, it makes no sense.

He was also Peter Parker's pizza shop boss in Spiderman 2!