Hugh Jackman is the cover boy for the October issue of Men’s Fitness magazine. His interview is focused around an all day training session and photo shoot he had with boxing great Sugar Ray Leonard. Hugh was preparing for his role as a washed up boxer in Real Steel, which is not-so-jokingly being called the Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots movie. It’s out on October 7, and is yet another role in which Jackman had to take his body to the limit. He’s more than up to it of course, and has the dedication and attitude to do whatever it takes.

Hugh’s article in Men’s Fitness necessarily focuses on the way he trains and eats right, but there’s also a lot of marveling at how down to earth and genuinely friendly he is. Hugh is so nice and normal, the author declares that he’s taken “the nicest guy in Hollywood” title away from Tom Hanks. Here’s more:

A typical “good day” is lunch with Deborra-Lee Furness, his wife of 15 years, a walk, an hour of singing, and a visit with friends. A mention of his 2008 People Magazine “Sexiest Man Alive” crown elicits self-deprecation. “An old friend of mine e-mailed me and he said he had cowboy boots sexier than me,” he says. He discusses his extensive charitable projects, inquires sincerely about my career and life, and perhaps most surprisingly, he’s not on his iPhone when I return from the bathroom. Instead he’s by the front door waiting for me. “Ready, mate?” he asks.

“Honestly,” I say, careful not to fall for that g’day chumminess. “When was the last time someone called you an asshole?” He bellows a deep and genuine laugh. “I don’t really know,” he says. “I”m a bit of a people pleaser, unfortunately. My wife says it’s hard to be married to me. She wishes I were more of an asshole.”

A short walk later we arrive for the cover shoot at Brooklyn’s legendary Gleason’s boxing gym. Old fight posters cover the walls. The air is sharp with sweat. Bells ring, ropes snap, mitts crack, trainers bark…

Two dozen of the gym’s current fighters, entrenched in their daily regimen, barely bat an eye. Jackman needs no sycophants, however. He immediately introduces himself to the gym owner, a few trainers and the photo crew. Smiles and handshakes. A pat on the back here and there. Nothing phony, nothing forced…

At 5 p.m., the shoot wraps. While Leonard doles out pointers to awestruck fighters, Jackman changes into street clothes. THen he eats a small portion of grilled chicken and veggies, his third such plate of the afternoon. When he finishes, he does not, as I expect, bolt for the exit. Instead, he makes his way around the gym thanking all of the folks for their efforts. It’s at this moment that my New York cynicism disappears. When he sidles up to me, flashes that megawatt smile, and asks, “That wasn’t so bad, eh?” a truth hits me like a right cross. Tom Hanks, you’re toast. Hugh Jackman really is the nicest guy in Hollywood.

[From Men's Fitness, print edition, October, 2011]

The journalist spent all day with Hugh and didn’t even see a glimmer of attitude or phoniness. That’s more convincing to me than any interview or quote directly from Hugh. I really like the guy. I know some people think he’s hiding some giant secret, but think about it. With our rampant gossip press, wouldn’t we have heard way more than just vague rumors by now? I think those started because it’s hard to believe that he’s that decent a guy and has been happily married, with nary a cheating rumor, for 15 years.

On a more superficial note, Hugh looks hot on the photos inside the magazine, but he looks tired and worn out on the cover. I’m not a fan of all the stubble, or of his haircut. His pecs and arms are amazing, though. There are more photos, along with Hugh’s workout plan, in the October issue of Men’s Fitness.

Hugh is shown at the Real Steel preview last Friday in London on 9/16/11. Credit: WENN.com

You know it’s going to be a good week when we’re treated on a Monday to so many photos of Hugh Jackman lounging shirtless, frolicking shirtless in the water, and attempting to apply sunscreen to his shirtless buff body. Hugh Jackman knows what we need to jump start our week and he’s delivering it for us with a smile and a wink. Hugh was in St. Tropez with his lucky wife and two kids, soaking up the sun and posing for these glorious sun-soaked photos.

A week ago Jackman hit up ComicCon to promote Real Steel, a film that’s drawing comparisons to the Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots game. No sh*t, this is the first I’ve heard of it too. The movie is based on a short story from 1956 about a boxer who joins the dangerous fast-paced world of fighting robotos (chuckle) and it’s supposedly not a Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots movie per se. It also stars Anthony Mackie and Evangeline Lilly. Real Steel is out in the US on October 7 and you can watch the trailer here. It looks totally ridiculous, and is directed by Shawn Levy. (Night at the Museum, Date Night.)

Jackman also confirmed at ComicCon that a script for Wolverine 2 is complete and that he’ll start filming in October. Last year he said he was in training for it by eating right and exercising hard, and it’s clearly paid off. The guy has maintained his incredible physique for years now. Or maybe, if he ever lets himself go a tiny bit, he waits until he’s in top shape again before taking off his shirt.

Photo credit: Fame Pictures

Of course I’ve noticed that Hugh Jackman has a bronzing problem in the past. Sometimes he looks down right orange, or that strange color that people get when they aren’t naturally pale, so when they start with the fake tanning and add bronzer, they end up some sort of weird brownish-orange-yellow color that glows. That’s where Hugh is now. And I mean him no disrespect – I think he’s probably a very lovely man, and very, very talented. Which is why this is so disappointing.

Anyway, these are photos of Hugh last night at the opening night of the Broadway musical The Addams Family. Does Hugh look at his big orange glowing face in the mirror and think, “I look awesome!”? His wife Deb needs to get on this sh-t. Because Deb is a normal color, and she must be tired of watching him apply the bronzer. Look, you even see where the bronzer stops on forehead! That white stuff at his hairline is his natural skin color!

It’s even more noticeable when he stands beside normal-skinned people:

Hugh at the opening night of the Broadway musical ‘The Addams Family’ on April 8, 2010. Credit: WENN.

Hugh Jackman was photographed shirtless and working out on a beach in Australia over the weekend. Why was he working out on the beach instead of in a gym? Seriously, who cares. It’s Wolverine! With no shirt on! Jackman appeared to be vacationing in St. Barth’s, taking in some swimming, boating and even some yoga.

In addition to rocking a pair of swimming trunks, Jackman just completed a very successful run on Broadway with “James Bond” star Daniel Craig in “A Steady Rain.” The play raked in more than $1.5 Million in charity donations for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, a non-profit organization dedicated to AIDS/HIV research and social services for those infected with the disease. Both Jackman and Craig were directly involved in the fundraising efforts, donating signed memorabilia for auction, including the clothing they wore on stage. Because there are plenty of theatergoers who’d pay top dollar for a Jackman-sweat-soaked T-shirt.

Never, never, never underestimate the power of a famous, well-sculpted and motivated actor, times two.

Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig have been combining their stage savvy, film star dossiers and sex appeal on Broadway in Keith Huff’s drama, “A Steady Rain,” playing a pair of Chicago cops who are lifelong friends and raking in box office grosses of more than $1 million a week.

Now they have broken the record in an annual friendly competition among Broadway casts, in which each tries to outdo the others in raising money for the theater world’s top AIDS charity, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Making appeals after each performance from Oct. 23 to Dec. 6, Jackman and Craig raked in $1,549,953, shattering the past record of $612,000 that Jackman helped set in 2003 when he was making his Broadway debut in “The Boy From Oz.”

The duo worked hard for the money, says Tom Viola, executive director of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, which calls the competition “Gypsy of the Year” in honor of the unheralded chorus performers who make their living going from show to show.

Besides the customary curtain appeal to drop cash in collection buckets on people’s way out, Viola said, Jackman and Craig would sign and auction the T-shirts they’d worn under their costumes. That brought in $3,000 to $15,000 per night. As much as $20,000 per performance would come from playgoers who took up the stars’ offer to pose for photographs backstage with anyone willing to ante up $2,000.

“This is so huge, I can’t imagine how it could happen again,” Viola said. According to Playbill, at the Dec. 8 ceremonies for “Gypsy of the Year,” Jackman thanked all the donors who “we bullied, cajoled and slept with” to set the mark.

The Jackman-Craig tandem’s performance as super-schnorrers keyed a $4.6-million take overall that broke the old record of $3.9 million set in 2007.

The four runners-up, “Phantom of the Opera,” “Billy Elliot,” “Hair” and “Wicked,” raised $617,000 combined. On the road, where touring Broadway companies typically play in much larger houses, “Rent” led the way at $242,000 for the six weeks.

There’s probably something in it for Southern California: in 2009, according to the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS website, grants to AIDS charities in the region came to $245,000, led by $25,000 for Project Angel Food in L.A. and $20,000 each to L.A.’s Black AIDS Institute and Mama’s Kitchen in San Diego.

[From Los Angeles Times]

“Famous, well-sculpted and motivated.” Yup, those are three words that you could use to describe Mr. Jackman. The only thing that would make these photos better for me is if his stage co-star Daniel Craig decided to drop in for a workout as well. Enjoy!

Hugh Jackman working out on Shell Beach on St. Barth on December 12, 2009. Credit: TRB/Fame Pictures.

These are pictures from yesterday’s photocall for the formal Broadway opening of A Steady Rain. The play has been open a week – which includes the performance that we talked about yesterday, with the jackass audience member and the ringing cell phone, that happened on one of their first performances. In the first week of the play, they broke the Broadway record for highest grossing non-musical show with $1,167,954 in ticket sales. The play runs until December 6, and I guess all of the tickets haven’t been sold, so Daniel and Hugh have been brought out for some extra publicity.

When looking at Daniel Craig with that horrid mustache, the only thing playing in my mind jukebox is “I am the walrus, goo goo kachoo”. While it’s a pleasure to see that Daniel Craig is a real actor who can fight the hot for his art, I can’t wait for Danny to shave that f-cker off. Although… something about the combination of the sketchy blonde mustache, a grey suit and a blue tie really makes Daniel’s blue eyes even more piercing. I feel like The Walrus can see into my soul.

Meanwhile, Hugh is killing me in these pictures. He’s got big diva hair and that big showman smile. He’s so cute! It’s like he’s trying to overcompensate for the Grumpy Walrus. I swear, I’m looking through the pictures, and I can’t find one picture of Daniel giving an actual smile. He seems to be smirking ironically in a few, but for the most part it’s like he’s wincing in pain. Is the mustache painful? It is to look at.

Meanwhile, A Steady Rain is getting solid to glowing reviews. The NYDN says that Hugh and Daniel “ooze confidence and charisma.” Daniel and Hugh also seem to be pulling off their Chicago accents for the roles, which is a relief. I worried that they would sound weird. Daniel seems to be the favorite of the reviewers, the NYDN describing him as more impressive that Jackman, “as an ex-drunk sporting a ’70s porn-star mustache, sad eyes and nervousness that masks a covetous, calculating side. His character’s true nature emerges as the most interesting thing about the play.” Hmm… do you think Daniel will end up with a Tony Award? That would be interesting.

Here’s Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman at the ppening night of ‘A Steady Rain’ at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre in New York City yesterday. Images thanks to WENN.com .

If you were looking at Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman side by side, just judging them on their looks and what we think we know about them, who do you think would be the bigger bitch? I would have thought Daniel Craig, in all honesty. Daniel seems to have that snotty ugly-hot thing going for him, and his general attitude seems very prickly. Meanwhile, Hugh seems like one the sweetest men in the world. Turns out, Hugh is perfectly capable of being a big bitch. Thank God!

So it went down like this – during a performance of A Steady Rain, an audience member’s cell phone started ringing. And the guy didn’t pick it up or switch off his phone or anything. The motherf-cker just let it ring! So Hugh channeled his bitch, turned to the audience member and said “You want to get that? You want to get it? Grab it. I don’t care… Come on, just turn it off…Unless you’ve got a better story. You want to get up and tell your stories.” The audience applauds with the last line.

Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman have become the latest stage actors to confront members of the audience for leaving their mobile phones switched on when they were interrupted during a performance of the Broadway play A Steady Rain.

Jackman was playing a Chicago policeman during an intense moment of the Broadway play A Steady Rain when a phone rang in the stalls.

The star of the X-Men sci-fi films won a cheer from the audience as he interrupted his performance to tell the phone’s owner: “You want to get that? You want to get it? Grab it. I don’t care.”

Pacing around the stage and clearly annoyed despite his attempts at levity, when the ringing persisted Jackman pleaded: “Come on, just turn it off…Unless you’ve got a better story. You want to get up and tell your stories?”

A few seconds later another phone went off and it was the turn of Jackman’s co-star, Daniel Craig, to intervene. “Just get the phone,” said the current James Bond star.

New Yorkers are traditionally not easily separated from their mobile phones. Despite pre-performance warnings to switch them off, Craig was also interrupted by one during a monologue at a preview performance 10 days ago.

The British actor Richard Griffiths ordered a woman to leave the theatre or switch her phone off when it it started ringing during a West End performance in 2005.

The following year, he threatened to leave the stage when phone ringing three times interrupted a performance of the History Boys on Broadway.

[From the Telegraph]

That’s actually never happened to me during a play, only during movies. It pisses me off during movies too, but I can’t even imagine how difficult it is for actors doing a live performance to have to deal with these jackasses who are too dumb to turn off their phone. Yes, yes, everybody makes mistakes, and sometimes good people honestly forget to turn off their phones. But to let your phone ring and ring during a play? Dumbass.

There’s some nasty/funny gossip coming out of Broadway as Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman finish their preparations for A Steady Rain. The hot-cop casting announcement was made back in May, and Daniel and Hugh have spent the last month rehearsing and researching their roles as angsty Chicago cops. According to Entertainment Weekly - which got the first promotional image of Hugh and Daniel in character - Hugh plays Denny, “a patrolman with a racist streak and violent temper.” Daniel plays Joey, “a recovering alcoholic and gentler soul who may not be as docile as he first seems.” The play opens on September 10, and people are already talking about the sketchy Village People-esque handlebar mustache Daniel is sporting. While I love Daniel… this is not his best look.

Meanwhile, Page Six is reporting that Daniel Craig is behaving a bit like a diva in the run-up to the play’s debut. Apparently, Daniel has “demanded” personal security while in New York, even though he “rarely” gets approached by anyone. They actually use the word “wimp”. Uh-oh.

HE showed off his muscles as he emerged from the water wearing a pair of tight-fitting trunks as James Bond in “Casino Royale.” But despite his macho image, Daniel Craig seems both shaken and stirred by New York as he prepares for his Broadway debut in “A Steady Rain.”

Craig, 41, has demanded personal security be available to shadow him at all times while his equally famous co-star, Hugh Jackman, hasn’t asked for any protection at all, sources told Page Six.

The Hollywood actors play Chicago cops whose friendship is put to the test in the much-anticipated drama, which starts previews next week and opens Sept. 29.

“Everybody thinks it’s funny because the truth is, Daniel rarely gets approached by the public in the street and at restaurants — especially now that he has the huge handlebar moustache for this role,” a production source said.

Another Broadway insider said, “Security and secrecy around the show are so tight that Jackman and Craig are rehearsing at a secret location outside the city.”

This isn’t the first time that Craig — who’s rented a lavish, $38,000-a-month apartment with top security as his safe haven in town — has been accused of being a wimp. In 2005, he made a splash in London when he was unveiled as the new James Bond on a Royal Marine commando boat — looking seasick and wearing a life jacket. Craig even admitted the ride had scared “the [bleep] out of me.”

His dad, Tim Wroughton-Craig, was forced to jump to his defense following claims the star was scared of guns. He said at the time, “It is all cobblers. Daniel is a hard lad — you wouldn’t want to meet him in a dark street. Is he a wimp? No, I wouldn’t like to call him that to his face. He can look after himself all right.”

Craig’s publicist couldn’t be reached.

[From Page Six]

I’ll buy that Daniel asked for private bodyguards and that he’s probably treating himself to a really fabulous New York apartment (wouldn’t you?). But I don’t think that makes him a wimp. I think that makes him smart. There are a lot of crazies out there, and I can’t even imagine the kind of people who might come up to Daniel Craig shouting “James Bond! Double-O! Hit me, hit me like you’re Bond!” And I thought it was cute that Daniel seemed seasick for his big James Bond announcement – it’s not something that can be helped, you know. It’s not like he barfed on anyone. He just looked a little green.

Hugh Jackman, his wife Deborah-Lee Furness, and their two children Ava and Oscar were out and about in New York on Friday and we were treated to cute pics of the family. Friday was Ava’s fourth birthday, and they all went out to celebrate it with what seemed like a lovely outdoor café lunch. Note that Ava and her doll are dressed alike, in identical pink dresses with white bows. Birthday outfit and coordinated doll? Do they do that for little girls now? They didn’t when I was little. Hmpf.

My favorite of these pictures is the one where Ava looks like she’s beating up her dad. He must have made a crack about her doll, I think. And for her fourth birthday, she still gets to sit on her mom’s lap and be fed like a really little kid. When does that stuff start getting old? Another favorite is seeing the affectionate way Oscar and Hugh embrace. It’s a sweet hug and made me utter “aw…” under my breath. This family is so cute!

Hugh and family are in New York now for what I can only guess must be rehearsals for the “hot cop” play Hugh’s doing with Daniel Craig on Broadway. It’s called A Steady Rain, and by “hot cop” play, I mean Hugh and Daniel will be playing cops caught up in some sort of drama. Fingers crossed the drama will include full-frontal nudity and perhaps some actual rain, not just symbolic “rain”. At the very least let one of them (it doesn’t matter which) should be nude and wet at some point.

Hugh and Daniel Craig aren’t going to be alone on Broadway this fall – everyone from Jude Law to Sienna Miller and Jonny Lee Miller will be in plays. Broadway is being invaded with accented actors!

Photo credit: Bauergriffinonline and INFphoto

Daniel Craig. Hugh Jackman. Police uniforms. Do I need to say more, or are you already drooling? Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman have signed on to the Broadway play “A Steady Rain” which, according to Page Six, is about “two Chicago cops whose lifelong friendship is put to the test when they become involved in a domestic dispute in a poor neighborhood.” So… can we expect at least one shirtless scene with both actors? Something tender, like Hugh walking in on Daniel in the shower, and maybe Hugh realizes that he, too, needs to “wash away the sin” as Daniel slowly towels himself dry? Hugh disrobes slowly, feeling the emotional pain as he saunters stage left, revealing both his tortured psyche and full-frontal. That would be a good play – let’s see Neil Simon write that scene, you know?

Daniel Craig, a k a James Bond, and Hugh Jackman, aka Wolverine, will team up in a new play this fall on Broadway, The Post has learned.

The drama, “A Steady Rain” by Keith Huff, is about two Chicago cops whose lifelong friendship is put to the test when they become involved in a domestic dispute in a poor neighborhood.

Craig, whose Bond movies “Casino Royale” and “Quantum of Solace” are among the highest grossing films of all time, will be making his New York stage debut. He started off in the theater in London, playing bit parts, but he has not appeared in a play in several years.

Jackman won a Tony Award in 2004 for his role as Peter Allen in “The Boy From Oz.”

Although the musical received mixed reviews, Jackman became a box-office sensation, shaking a pair of maracas and flouncing around the stage in tight leopard pants.

“The Boy From Oz” regularly grossed more than $1 million a week. Jackman became the most sought-after leading man in the theater, though he’s turned down every offer to star in another show until now.

“Everybody wanted him to do a musical, but he wanted to do a serious play,” a theater source says.

Barbara Broccoli, who oversees the James Bond movie franchise, is producing “A Steady Rain.” She arrives in New York from Europe this weekend to scout out Broadway theaters, sources said.

The daughter of legendary James Bond producer Albert “Cubby” Broccoli, Barbara Broccoli produced “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” on Broadway in 2005.

It was a $10 million flop. She should do better this time around.

Theater sources say Craig and Jackman have the potential to match Broadway’s biggest box- office champ, Julia Roberts, who sold over $10 million worth of tickets in just 12 weeks in the play “Three Days of Rain” in 2006.

Although “A Steady Rain” is harsh and harrowing, one Broadway wag predicted that even those theatergoers whose tastes run to splashy musicals will want to see it.
Said the wag: “Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman in police uniforms? All the boys will be there!”

[From Page Six]

Yes, I would see that play. The only thing bad I could see for this production – other than my fear of no scenes with any nudity – is that Daniel Craig won’t get to use his natural, beautiful English accent. He’ll have to sound like he’s from Chicago – maybe he’ll use Rod Blagojevich as inspiration? That would be the real crime. Oh, and by the way, to all of the Arrested Development fans, “hot cops” was a reference.

Here’s Hugh Jackman at the “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” Los Angeles premiere on April 28th. Images thanks to PR Photos.com.

Why is it that the name “James Roger” suddenly seems so unbelievably sexy? Oh, that’s right – because that’s the name Hugh Jackman gave his wang. James Roger is a pretty formal name for a penis, although Roger could be either a middle name (as in Hugh’s wang’s formal name is James Roger Jackman, or Jimmy Jackman, to friends), or Roger could be the wang’s last name, as in Jimmy Roger the Dodger.

Hugh’s wang is pretty famous – to the point where his penis becomes an inside joke for directors and crews. For X-Men: Origins, apparently Hugh Jackman was naked so much, the director had a lot of extra footage of Hugh’s Jimmy Jackman. I had no idea Hugh was naked so much in the film, but perhaps that’s why the movie took in more than $80 million this weekend? Makes sense. Anyway, the director gathered up all of the Roger the Dodger footage and gave it to Hugh… as in, the director put Hugh’s d*ck in a bag.

Aussie movie hunk Hugh Jackman has revealed his nickname for his wedding tackle is “old James Roger”.

The X-Men Origins: Wolverine star explained he strips off in a tank for the new film, though cinemagoers don’t see his private parts.

Hugh said: “It’s a PG-rated movie so old James Roger down there wasn’t going to be seen on the big screen.”

The actor also told how director Gavin Hood had personally handed him footage showing his willy after it was cut from the film’s final version.

Hugh, 40, revealed: “He said, ‘There you go, mate — I’ve put it in a bag.”

From The Sun

Men naming their wangs is no big deal – most men have a formal name or a nickname for their bits and pieces. There’s the unoriginal “Little Buddy”, or, as I was just watching some Arrested Development DVDs this weekend, perhaps “Charlie Brown” or “Linus”. I had a friend who named his junk “Little Roy” – and my friend’s name wasn’t Roy (I think it was from an Owen Wilson movie). I had another friend who just took to calling his penis “The Brain”, which was both apt and funny. I applaud Hugh for his wang’s formal name, and I hope that one day I can be introduced personally to James Roger.

Hugh Jackman is shown on 4/30/09 outside the Daily Show and on 4/28/09 at the premiere of X Men Origins: Wolverine. Credit: Juan Rico/ Fame Pictures