Hugh Jackman is offering a glimpse into the mindset he was in while making his latest film, "The Son," saying that his role as a workaholic lawyer with a teenage son battling depression made him realize just how vulnerable he was following the death of his father.
"I would be one of the least [likely] people I know who I’d describe as a hot mess, but I certainly was during this," Jackman said in an interview with BBC.
The actor was in the process of filming "The Son" when his father died in September 2021. The subject matter of the film was already triggering certain anxieties, which were compounded by the return to work after lengthy COVID-19 lockdowns. Losing his father only magnified those feelings, but Jackman said he chose not to take time off to grieve.
"My father actually never missed a day of work in his life," Jackman said. "I did imagine what my father would say and he would say, 'Go to work'."
"The Son" explores the life of Peter as he deals with life with a new partner, a young baby, an ex-wife, and a troubled teenage son. The film's producers employed psychiatrists on set to help cast and crew members who found the material upsetting. During filming, Jackman admitted to suffering sleepless nights but he found solace in therapy.
"This was the first time I'd ever seen such a thing on a film, and people used it and it was necessary," Jackman explained.
The "Wolverine" star revealed that he continues to consult a therapist who helped him through filming. He now advocates mental health support as well.
"There's a little part of the old school part of my brain [that thinks], 'Well, that's up to you to work out.' If you need to go to a doctor, for whatever reason, your foot, your mental health, you know, you work that out," he said. "But I think it certainly would be a sign from an employer that we understand taking care of the whole person, not just paying them, but taking care of their wellbeing in all forms is really, really important."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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