Hugh Jackman's transformation: The Greatest Showman through the years
Spoiler: He looks exactly the same!
Last updated 28th Feb 2019
Hugh Jackman has been on an upward trajectory in the fame stakes ever since he took on the role of Wolverine in the X-Men films. The 50-year-old, who has been in the world of showbiz for 25 years, has had a seriously lucrative career for the last two decades, taking on a variety of roles and has managed to avoid being typecast.
Of course, we can't ignore the fact that Hugh Jackman is a seriously handsome chap as well as hugely talented, and is always up there in Hollywood hot lists - for good reason! Despite the fact that he's now 50-years-old, Hugh looks as though he's barely aged a day since graduating from university all those years ago.
To celebrate his success, we've taken a look back at Hugh's career and changing looks over the past 25 years - but be warned, he looks just as good now as he did back in 1994...
Swipe through to see Hugh Jackman's complete transformation and career timeline through the years...
1995: Hugh is offered a role on Corelli
He must be one of the very few Australian actors to have actually turned down the chance to star on Neighbours, but Hugh was offered a role for the soap. On the night of his final performance for graduation at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts of Edith Cowan University in Perth, Hugh was offered a role on TV show Corelli, where he met his wife Deborra-Lee Furness (pictured here together in July 1997).
1997: Hugh was well into his theatre career
The actor took to the stage in Melbourne, starring in a local Disney production of Beauty and the Beast as Gaston and also Sunset Boulevard. Those glasses are really something.
1998: Hugh stars in Oklahoma!
In 1998, Hugh began to become well-known outside of his home country after playing Curly in the Royal National Theatre's version of Oklahoma! on the West End in London. The cast were brought back for a film version, which he took part in and said, "I totally felt like it can't get any better than this. On some level that production will be one of the highlights of my career."
2000: He became Wolverine
Another hugely notable career highlight for Hugh was definitely when he took on the role of Wolverine in the Marvel Comics film adaptation of X-Men - a role that was originally intended for Russell Crowe, who suggested Hugh for it instead.
Hugh's appearance in the first X-Men meant that he then went on to star in sequels X2 and X-Men: The Last Stand, before being the star of origin story X-Men Origins: Wolverine and even having a part in prequel First Class as well as The Wolverine, Days of Future Past, Apocalypse and finally, Logan - SPOILER ALERT - in which the character dies.
2001: Hugh joins John Travolta in Swordfish
Our man tried out a different look for his role as a computer hacker in Swordfish with John Travolta - going for blonde hair and donning an earring. Unfortunately, the film was panned by critics.
2003: Things take a dark turn for Hugh's hair
Fans of Hugh seem to forget this dark period of time when he had -gulp- LONG HAIR. Nothing against long hair, of course, but it just wasn't a great look for our Hugh. Thankfully, it was all for a role - Hugh starred as Gabriel Van Helsing, the monster hunter in Van Helsing alongside Kate Beckinsale.
2006: Hugh's voice career takes off
2006 was a huge year for Hugh - he voiced papa penguin Memphis in Happy Feet alongside Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Brittany Murphy and Nicole Kidman as well as Roddy the rat in Flushed Away with Kate Winslet, Ian McKellen, Bill Nighy and Shane Richie.
He also starred in dark thriller The Prestige with Christian Bale, The Fountain with Rachel Weisz and Scoop with Scarlett Johansson, as well as reprising his role as Wolverine for X-Men: The Last Stand.
2008: Hugh stars in Australia with Nicole Kidman
In 2008, Hugh took on one of his most serious roles yet - playing Drover in epic film Australia alongside Nicole Kidman which is the third highest grossing Australian film of all time.
2012: A career-defining moment in Les Misérables
Hugh took on one of the main roles Jean Valjean for Hollywood blockbuster Les Misérables in 2012 - a film version of the internationally beloved musical. He won the award for Best Actor at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards, and was nominated for the same category at the Academy Awards and BAFTAs.
He also voiced The Easter Bunny in animated film Rise of the Guardians alongside Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Isla Fisher and Jude Law that year. In 2013, Hugh took on the suspense thriller film Prisoners, starring as Keller Dover with Jake Gyllenhaal.
2016: Hugh rocks the facial fuzz
Hugh was so famous by 2014 that he actually appeared in two films as himself - Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb and 2015's Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.
In 2016, he starred in Eddie the Eagle as instructor Bronson Peary alongside Taron Eagerton, a biographical comedy-drama about Olympic ski jumper Michael Edwards. He also had a small cameo in X Men: Apocalypse that year as Wolverine.
2017: Hugh develops a full-on beard
The smattering of facial fuzz developed into a full-on beard in 2017 for Hugh's final turn as the character of Wolverine in Logan. SPOILER ALERT - the film marked his last portrayal of the no-longer-immortal James Howlett/Wolverine, and also introduced viewers to his biological daughter after his DNA was used to create new life.
2017: He evolved into The Greatest Showman
Of course, no Hugh Jackman timeline gallery would be complete without a mention of internationally-beloved film The Greatest Showman. Hugh showed off his vocal abilities once again for the film, which won a Grammy for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media for the soundtrack, as well as a nomination for the Best Actor Golden Globe for Hugh's role in the film.
2018: Hugh became American Senator Gary Hart for The Front Runner
Hugh took on the role of Gary Hart for 2018's The Front Runner who was a Democratic presidential candidate in 1988. The film showed how Hart became ran for President of the United States, but fell from grace after pictures were published of him having an affair. The film also starred Vera Farmiga, J. K. Simmons and Alfred Molina.
In 2019, he has voiced the character of Sir Lionel Frost in animated film Missing Link, due to be released in April, alongside Zoe Saldana, Emma Thompson and Zach Galifianakis with Stephen Fry, Matt Lucas and David Walliams also involved.
2019: 'The Man. The Music. The Show.'
Hugh had a HUGE night in February 2019 when he opened The BRIT Awards with a phenomenal show, singing 'The Greatest Show' from The Greatest Showman.
He's also taking his biggest hits on tour around the world, with dates in the UK, Europe, the US, New Zealand and Australia, and will be joined for three dates in the UK by his co-star Keala Settle.
We would love to buy whatever Hugh uses to keep himself seemingly fixed in time!
NOW WATCH: Hugh Jackman Talks About His Excitement At Opening The BRITs 2019
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