Likely Hugh Jackman’s most famous role as an actor has been his portrayal on-screen of the Marvel Comics anti-hero, Wolverine.
But did you know that Jackman has also played one of the most iconic heroes in DC Comics history as well?
Historical Role
The DC part came a short while after his debut as Wolverine, in the 2000 movie, X-Men, which followed a band of outcast mutants brought together by an enigmatic, psychic professor.
But Jackman was not the first choice for his now-iconic role, which had originally been set aside for Dougray Scott, who missed out due to a scheduling conflict with Mission Impossible 2.
A Global Star
The Wolverine part arguably turned Jackman into a household name at the time, catapulting him into the A-list.
This may have been why, in part, he was chosen to host a season 27 episode of Saturday Night Live (SNL), a comedy show broadcast in the US.
Comedy Chops
The Marvel cinematic universe represents a light-hearted take on the superhero genre, but SNL gave Jackman a chance to test his comedic ability up against some of those at the top of US comedy.
For one of the sketches making up part of his SNL gig, set in the DC universe, Jackman starred opposite Will Ferrell and Maya Rudolph.
The Sketch
The comedic skit, a short segment on the show, saw Jackman don the iconic red and blue of Superman in the sketch, a riff on a scene from 1978’s Superman movie.
It opens with Jackman’s Superman entering a lavish, icy-looking set, with a clean-shaven look that may be unfamiliar to those that only know him as the mutton-chopped Wolverine.
Fortress of Solitude
The set is lavishly mad-up, with gleaming white walls dominated by a crystalline centerpiece.
It was intended as a replica of the Fortress of Solitude, a famous location from the Superman comics and films where Superman first comes face-to-face with his father, Jor-El, here played by Ferrell.
The Premise
The sketch starts off as a somewhat faithful recreation of the DC tale, with an earnest Superman keen to learn about his past from his long-lost father.
After a portentous, deliberately hammed-up introduction from Ferrell, Jackman’s ‘Kal-el’ says “Father, I have so many questions!”, setting up the scene as a lengthy discussion of Superman’s origins and purpose.
The Twist
The humorous twist in the sketch is revealed when an awkward silence ensues following the dramatic introduction.
Rather than having a destiny-driven, dramatic dialogue, the two are instead revealed as having a more banal father-son relationship.
Mother’s Eye
After a couple more awkward exchanges (“Do you need any money, son?”), Kal-El is passed onto his mother.
Rudolph’s character comments on his colorful choice of outfit and appears visibly relieved when Superman mentions his relationship with Lois Lane. **Spoilers in next slide for Deadpool and Wolverine**
Full Circle
Those of you who have seen 2024’s Deadpool and Wolverine will also be aware that Jackman and Henry Cavill’s role swap has now been completed.
The 2024 Action-Comedy, starring Jackman alongside Ryan Reynold’s Deadpool featured a cameo appearance from Cavill, who played Superman in 2013’s Man of Steel, in the titular Wolverine role, albeit as a variant version of the clawed anti-hero.
