Jackman draws in bullying experiences for Wolverine's 'rage'

Hugh Jackman uses his childhood "rage" to play Wolverine.

Jackman draws in bullying experiences for Wolverine's 'rage'

Hugh Jackman uses his childhood "rage" to play Wolverine.

The 'X-Men' star has reprised his role in seven movies in the superhero saga, including two spin-offs, and revealed his brother bullying him for his interest in musicals has been the inspiration behind his character's anger.

He told the Mail on Sunday newspaper's Event magazine: "I was bullied by my big brother. Playing Wolverine makes me think how I used to fight with my brother.

"He used to call me poofter and sissy for being interested in dancing. And by the time he said here was nothing wrong with that, I was too old. I was 18 by then.

"I stopped myself being 'Billy Elliot'. I didn't have the guts. But the rage I felt then, I can use to play Wolverine."

When Hugh, now 44, first appeared on the set of 'X-Men', he had to learn to control his love for musicals and curb its influence on his acting.

He revealed: "The first day on set, [the director Bryan Singer] said, 'Stay still for one goddamn second, will you?' I moved too much, probably because of my background in musicals. I was too expressive.

"Bryan sent me to my trailer to watch Mel Gibson in 'Mad Max'. Mel has about 11 lines in the whole pictures, but you sense his unbounded rage through his minimal movement. I learned from watching Mel how to act in films."

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