Hugh Jackman - Phantom of the Opera

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 12:42am

I can't remember if I heard this rumor or not somewhere. Was Hugh Jackman ever considered and/or offered the role of the Phantom in the current movie?

[magelet21]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 12:45am

dear god I hope not

I was impressed by him in boy from oz, but I can't see him as Phantom.

[zepka102]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 12:47am

i believe his name came up.. only him and antonio banderas were the stand outs for possibly playing the phantom for a while... the whole john travolta idea still seems odd

[Plum]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 12:47am

He was considered for the role, but was unavailable because he was in The Boy From Oz during filming.

And magelet, if you think his musical range consists only of a Peter Allen imitation, you need to find a copy of the 1998 RNT Oklahoma!

[kangaroo]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 12:48am

He actually was offered the role, but due to conflicting schedules with The Boy From Oz, he was unable to be the Phantom.

I personally think he would have made an awesome Phantom. I think his voice would suit the part very well. But it would have been a pity to hid his pretty face under a mask.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 12:49am

Plus he's hot.

[kangaroo]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 12:49am

Plum, you just beat me.

And yes... I agree with you. The Oklahoma! recording is awesome. He looks and sounds great. It's the only version that I listen/watch now.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 12:56am

I can't imagine it. If he was in the movie, I wouldn't be able to stop thinking of Peter Allen with the gold pants.

[Plum]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 12:59am

Then you really need to open your mind up a little bit. It's called acting. When you watched The Boy From Oz, I can't imagine how you failed to see Jackman wearing enormous sideburns and claws.

[maybethistime]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 1:07am

WOW- im so glad that didnt happen

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 1:13am

All right, I know this is going to piss some people off, but is there anyone else out there that doesn't like Hugh Jackman's singing voice? He's a very good actor, but his voice is SO brassy. I honestly made it only through the first act of the Oklahoma video. Anyway, Hugh certainly doesn't need anybody defending him, because I know most of the theater world disagrees with me, but I'm just curious about HOW much of a minority I'm in.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 1:15am

I didnt see hugh jackman wearing claws and sideburns in BFO because I didn't even see X-men. I guess it would be an interesting casting choice...but I still can't see it. I would love to hear Hugh sing the title song though.

[Plum]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 1:16am

You're not the only one. I'm not of that opinion- I don't think his voice is beautiful, but I think it more than suits its purpose. And I'd lean towards the descriptor of "nasal" rather than "brassy," but that's just me. :)

ETA- Chinkie, somewhere online there's a clip of Jackman singing part of "Music of the Night" on SNL. Updated On: 12/24/04 at 01:16 AM

[Jwei123]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 1:17am

can't picture it myself, but hugh is so talented that im sure he could pull it off with ease!

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 1:17am

I think Hugh has a gorgeous voice, but I heard some clips of him singing as Gaston in Australia's Beauty and the Beast, and also a clip of him singing Music of the Night from SNL...both I wasn't overly impressed with, but when the role fits, his voice is great.

[Plum]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 1:19am

As much as I adore Jackman, I'm glad he didn't get the role, because that would have obligated me to see the movie. And I really loathe The Phantom of the Opera.

ETA- He's improved hugely since his Beauty and the Beast days. He really wasn't much of a singer then. Updated On: 12/24/04 at 01:19 AM

[Katecab99]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 1:20am

that would have been FABULOUS!

[jo]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 2:02am

"...(Joel) Schumacher and Lloyd Webber were left with the more daunting tasks of finding their Phantom and Christine.

'(Hugh Jackman) wasn't available (for 'Phantom'),' Schumacher said. ' I'm sure we would have gone to Hugh, but Hugh was under contract to do 'The Boy From Oz' (on Broadway).'..."


the above came from a recent interview with director Joel Schumacher re the making of Phantom of the Opera.

*************

Re his voice - I also do not think his voice is very beautiful in the way Michael Ball and Brian Stokes Mitchell's voices are, but Hugh can really sing. I like his voice in OKLAHOMA! much better than in THE BOY FROM OZ ( someone has suggested that he had adopted Peter Allen's rather nasal singing style, to be more faithful in his characterization of Peter, musically speaking).

Have you heard him sing TOO MUCH IN LOVE TO CARE from SUNSET BOULEVARD ( featured in a documentary on the show and some Jackman interviews from Australian TV)? He sounds absolutely romantic and wonderful! I think it is also his gift of being able to act out the song which adds to the appeal of his musical theatre voice.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 2:22am

"someone has suggested that he had adopted Peter Allen's rather nasal singing style, to be more faithful in his characterization of Peter, musically speaking"

Yep, I read that somewhere; I'm pretty sure Hugh said that he deliberately imitated Peter Allen's nasally voice in an interview. I still can't see him as Phantom although I wish he'd do more movies that display a greater acting range than the ones he's been given. I have high hopes for The Fountain!

[jo]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 3:24am

http://www.jackmanslanding.com/news/

Check this out ( December 20, 2004 update) - for the first press photo from THE FOUNTAIN.

It is quite a dramatic photo. Based on sketchy reports I have read on some sites on how the script might look like, this seems as if his cancer-stricken wife ( hence, the turban) is looking up the stars for hope while Tommy Verde of the present looks caringly at her. Hugh is also supposed to portray Capitan Tomas Verde from the past and Tom Verde of the future. Yes, we all hope that this role could be the artistic breakout role for our talented Mr. Jackman!

[Derek]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 9:17am

The only people I remember to have been offered were Antonio Banderas, Michael Crawford (was said to have been too old), John Travolta, Howard McGillan (was already involved in the show though) and Gerard (who ended up getting the part, and let me just say i loved him!)

[wildcat]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 9:31am

Todd McKenney, who created Boy From Oz in Australia (pictured left) had a much lighter voice, closer in timbre to Peter Allen and better suited to the role. But, hey, without Hugh the show would never have gotten to the US in the first place. A new production starring Todd is set to tour Australia in late '05.

[Love4Cheno]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 9:48am

Plum- I am so with you. I'm almost glad Hugh couldn't do the film because i LOATHE Phantom. The music, the book, the characterizations, UGH! And I would have gone to see it if Hugh were in it.

[LittleFish8386]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 12:39pm

Remember when he was on SNL and sang Music of the Night? He was wonderful and would have made an awesome Phantom. I like Gerard though...

[Justice]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 12:55pm

Antonio as the Phantom...what horrible casting:
"Ni-ti charpens heightens each senseatione"
It's bad enough you couldn't understand a word of his in Evita.