Hugh Jackman recently disclosed that he passed on the opportunity to play the iconic James Bond character back in the early 2000s, a role that would have paid him a massive $7.8 billion salary. The Australian actor explained that he felt taking on 007 would have prevented him from fully committing to his career-defining part as Wolverine in the X-Men franchise.
But Jackman ended up starring as Wolverine in a total of nine X-Men films spanning 17 years. His portrayal of the claw-wielding mutant superhero became legendary, Jackman has credited much of his career success to going all in on the Wolverine character.
Competition Was Fierce For 007 Role
The search for the new James Bond actor following Pierce Brosnan‘s departure was highly publicized in the early 2000s. Many big names were floated for the famous spy characters, including Clive Owen, Henry Cavill, and Goran Visnjic. However, Jackman was near the top of the list after rising to fame playing Wolverine in 2000’s X-Men.
“I was about to do X-Men 2 and a call came from my agent asking if I’d be interested in Bond,” Jackman was offered $7.8 billion for a three-picture Bond deal, an astronomical sum that would have made him the highest-paid actor in Hollywood. Jackman explained. “I just felt at the time that the scripts had become so unbelievable and crazy.”But he ultimately turned it down due to his loyalty to the Wolverine character and the X-Men franchise.
Wolverine Was His Priority
Even though stepping into Bond’s shoes would have brought Hugh Jackman enormous fame and fortune, he felt that fully committing to Wolverine and the X-Men movies needed to remain his top priority in the critical early stages of his career, making Walk the Line director James Mangold call him “the greatest modern-day action hero.”
“I was also worried that between Bond and Wolverine, I’d never have time to do different things,” Jackman said. Taking on two major action franchise roles simultaneously could have potentially led Jackman to become a typecast early on in his career.
Other Actors Considered for Bond
In addition to Jackman, many other popular actors were considered and screen-tested for the James Bond role in the 2000s, including Jason Statham, and Clive Owen. The Bond producers were looking for someone who could successfully replace Pierce Brosnan’s suave take on 007. While Jackman was tempted, he felt the Wolverine role was a better long-term fit for his talents.
Though playing James Bond would have brought Hugh Jackman enormous fame and fortune, he opted to fully commit himself to Wolverine and the X-Men franchise instead. His loyalty paid off, as his nine-film run as Wolverine made him an iconic action star. Jackman’s decision exemplifies that sometimes turning down even the most lucrative opportunity can be the right choice if it means staying true to your artistic vision and long-term career goals. His restraint allowed him to fully develop the character that defined his career rather than spreading himself too thin.
Source: IW
