In Los Angeles, Hugh Jackman was initially rejected for the role of Wolverine because the Australian actor was considered too tall to play the mutant superhero.
He was rehired after Scottish actor Dougray Scott pulled out at the last minute, according to Marvel Studios CEO Kevin Feige.
Scott was initially going to play the clawed superhero in 20th Century Fox's mutant franchise, but Jackman flew to Toronto to audition for the lead role of Wolverine.
but Tom Cruise did not want the actor to play the villain of "Mission: Impossible 2" and Wolverine at the same time. Scott opted out of the role and the team decided to bring back the Australian actor.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Feige, who was assistant to producer Lauren Shuler Donner at the time, shared what was going on behind the scenes before Jackman was hired.
“There was a fight to get our Wolverine. Lauren was very excited about this Australian guy, who had initially been rejected. In my memory, one of the main reasons was that he was too tall. Wolverine in the comics is sometimes called 'Lil' Fireplugs.' He's a short guy. But they were desperate.”
Jackman, who stands 6 feet, three inches tall, was flown to Toronto for another audition, but after the reading he did with screenwriter Tom DeSanto and director Bryan Singer, the actor thought he had no chance. . Since he didn't want to send Jackman "out into the cold," Feige treated him to dinner before taking him to the airport.
"I told him, 'Kevin, we all know I'm not getting the part. You don't have to have dinner,'" Jackman told EW.
"But no, he sat there and had a steak dinner with me and then took me to the airport. I'll never forget it. That was the nicest thing. I thought, I'll never see him again."
But Jackman was unaware of what was going on behind the scenes with Scott's last-minute exit.
Jackman had announced his retirement from the character after 2017's "Logan," but reunites with Feige for the upcoming "Deadpool & Wolverine" when Fox merged with Disney in 2020.
He also collaborates with Ryan Reynolds, who has been trying to convince Jackman to return as Wolverine for years.
"The idea that, all these years later, we're in a world where [Jackman] is Wolverine, and Deadpool and all those X-Men characters are together under the same roof, it's a pretty amazing quarter-century experience. Feige said.
"Deadpool & Wolverine" premieres July 26.
He was rehired after Scottish actor Dougray Scott pulled out at the last minute, according to Marvel Studios CEO Kevin Feige.
Scott was initially going to play the clawed superhero in 20th Century Fox's mutant franchise, but Jackman flew to Toronto to audition for the lead role of Wolverine.
but Tom Cruise did not want the actor to play the villain of "Mission: Impossible 2" and Wolverine at the same time. Scott opted out of the role and the team decided to bring back the Australian actor.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Feige, who was assistant to producer Lauren Shuler Donner at the time, shared what was going on behind the scenes before Jackman was hired.
“There was a fight to get our Wolverine. Lauren was very excited about this Australian guy, who had initially been rejected. In my memory, one of the main reasons was that he was too tall. Wolverine in the comics is sometimes called 'Lil' Fireplugs.' He's a short guy. But they were desperate.”
Jackman, who stands 6 feet, three inches tall, was flown to Toronto for another audition, but after the reading he did with screenwriter Tom DeSanto and director Bryan Singer, the actor thought he had no chance. . Since he didn't want to send Jackman "out into the cold," Feige treated him to dinner before taking him to the airport.
"I told him, 'Kevin, we all know I'm not getting the part. You don't have to have dinner,'" Jackman told EW.
"But no, he sat there and had a steak dinner with me and then took me to the airport. I'll never forget it. That was the nicest thing. I thought, I'll never see him again."
But Jackman was unaware of what was going on behind the scenes with Scott's last-minute exit.
Jackman had announced his retirement from the character after 2017's "Logan," but reunites with Feige for the upcoming "Deadpool & Wolverine" when Fox merged with Disney in 2020.
He also collaborates with Ryan Reynolds, who has been trying to convince Jackman to return as Wolverine for years.
"The idea that, all these years later, we're in a world where [Jackman] is Wolverine, and Deadpool and all those X-Men characters are together under the same roof, it's a pretty amazing quarter-century experience. Feige said.
"Deadpool & Wolverine" premieres July 26.
