Hugh Jackman Breaks the Movie Star Rules and Doesn’t Care

Some celebrities revel in the spotlight; others, not so much. Hugh Jackman falls into the first category, as witnessed when he recently settled into a well-positioned banquette in a West Village restaurant and faced his dining audience, the better to disarm and dazzle.

But his latest character — former U.S. Sen. Gary Hart of Colorado — is definitely not a fan of the limelight. In “The Front Runner,” opening Election Day, Nov. 6, director Jason Reitman chronicles the three weeks in 1987 when the presidential candidacy of Hart, a Democrat who was considered the man to beat, imploded after journalists caught the scent of a supposed extramarital tryst with Donna Rice. It didn’t take long before that infamous photo of Rice sitting on Hart’s lap near the Monkey Business yacht was splashed across the National Enquirer. “Gary is a private person by nature but also a believer that there should be a separation” between the public and private lives of politicians, said Jackman. “And what I love about the movie is it does not give any easy answers on that. We’re all human, we’ve all got flaws, but what level of flaws would you accept? It’s actually Gary’s line: ‘In public life, some things are interesting; it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re important.'”

Jackman, on the other hand, seems to have no obvious shortcomings: His off-screen persona is that of a happy husband to Australian actress Deborra-lee Furness and a doting father to their teenagers, Oscar and Ava, who sings in the shower and makes his best decisions while tap dancing.

On the day before his 50th birthday — which he would celebrate with his wife’s ricotta hot cakes before heading to the set of “Bad Education,” about an embezzlement scandal in a Long Island school district — Jackman talked about politics and privacy, what’s next for “The Greatest Showman” and why his life just keeps getting better.

Here are edited excerpts from the conversation.

A:It produced a little anxiety in the right kind of way. I mean, nerve-racking for many reasons — (Gary) is mysterious, hard to pin down, closed off. Even he said, “People call me cold and aloof, but if I start winning, they’ll call me enigmatic.” Then of course I’ve never played someone who’s alive. But I feel very strongly that our stories are one of the most valuable things to people. How we’re seen in the world, potentially how we’re remembered. And I wanted him to know that I took that very seriously.

A: This was really a key turning point, particularly in the relationship between press and politicians, and also politics and personality. Once the private life became a really important indicator of character, and something that voters and press could latch onto to describe their worthiness to lead, then the floodgates opened. It’s the most important job in the world, arguably, and you are making a decision about the character of someone in terms of what they say they’re going to do. For me, how they conduct their marriage is not that important.

A:I was asking him about the end of “Seinfeld,” and he said: “I’m a firm believer that it’s very important for your creative self not to run your self ragged. Leave before you’re completely worn out on something because it catapults into the next thing.” As he was telling me the story, I just knew in my gut it was time.

A: I don’t know. It’s not definitive at all. There’s a lot of people working on what a live version of that would be. Is it something that’s on the West End or in Vegas? Is it a touring tent show? Is it an arena spectacular? All I know is when we were in the room during those workshops, you get a really keen sense if it’s going to work in a theater. And I know it will work. I just know the power. I’ve seen Keala (Settle) standing in the center of a room singing “This Is Me,” and there was not a dry eye in the house.

A: I’m sure there are pitches being done but I have no idea what’s going on.

A:For me, life feels better and better. People talk a lot about the arrogance of youth and how the world is at your feet, and I didn’t really relate to that. I felt more insecure certainly than I do now. But a bit of insecurity is good. It makes you work harder.

A: Hmm, no. Maybe I am arrogant. Because I’m promoting this movie, people are like, “Wow, are you going to run for prime minister (of Australia)?” (Laughs) And I’m like, “No, that’s not happening.” Any job where the day you sign up literally 60 percent of the country hates you, I don’t know if I’d be able to cope with that.

A:I do try to hold onto the bubbly colloquial Aussie way of not taking things too seriously. I know it’s probably breaking all the movie star rules where you’re supposed to be mysterious and not show who you really are, but I really don’t care that much about it. I prefer to do my pretending on film or on stage.