It's a bit OT -- but Hugh Jackman can definitely sing!
He has sung a duet with the iconic Barbra Streisand which will be part of her latest album ENCORE: MOVIE PARTNERS SING BROADWAY.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJ0InJn1_Hs
And the background to this musical pairing --
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JD1ow7qqFsw
This is my favorite moment of his, also shows his comedy and dancing talents. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Terhj8mjPwY :D
As the title says.
Yes, almost 12 million hits - that Oscars hosting has to be one of his most entertaining performances!
Five years before that, he hosted the TONYs for Broadway and he won an EMMY for that hosting performance ( he has actually hosted the foremost theatre awards show 4 times). That is why Hugh Jackman is more than just a triple threat -- he is also an excellent entertainer and program host.
Also, what sets him apart from other actors/performers with triple threat talent ( sing, dance, act) is his ability to use his acting chops very effectively when conveying the message or sentiment of a song. He also has a very natural way of segueing from dialog to song and back to dialog ( Check out clips from OKLAHOMA!), a talent which was noted by Richard Rodgers's grandson and also composer Adam Guettel). For dramatic muiscals, did you see Hugh in LES MISERABLES -- that was such a great example of his excellent dramatic chops while singing live! His SOLILOQUY was the epitome of how well he portrayed Jean Valjean's dilemma and redemption through song.
Hugh also performs on both performing mediums - film and live theatre. But it is not only in musical theatre where he excels on stage -- he has given compelling performances in straight plays as well. Not too many Hollywood actors who dabble in live theatre are always excellent exponents of both musical and dramatic theatre.
It is very telling that he is now filming an action movie, his last portrayal of Wolverine...and he is following that with a completely different film project -- a movie musical which is the subject of this IMDB Page -- a musical biopic called THE GREATEST SHOWMAN ON EARTH.
Can't wait to see him in both completely different cinematic roles! He is truly a versatile actor and performer!
He indeed is an actor with range that many of his co-workers don't have. And I have Les Miserables, in which he gave a phenomenal performance with Anne Hathaway whom with he also performed in the above Oscars-opening. (Unintentional audition for both of them, maybe? :D)
Also, I wish that they truly invest in making this film a dramatic biopic where the songs carry on the story. The Academy is known to have recognized performances that require singing, for example in Chicago, Dreamgirls and Les Miserables, whereof Ms. Hathaway and Mr. Jackman earned Oscar-nominations, former winning the Award.
(This films director Michael Gracey originally planned to direct an Elton John-biopic starring Tom Hardy that would have been "a musical fantasy". The current production status is unknown.)
I don't think there have been many actual biopics that have been musicals, aspecially of people who weren't musicians. Though, I think that this particular story of P.T. Barnum has that something that needs to be told in musical form. (I know it has been done in Broadway before) The epicness and the spectaclar of circus just adds more ingredients for this upcoming, potentionally great musical film.
As the title says.
During his Broadway to Oz concert series in Australia late last year, he introduced a song from THE GREATEST SHOWMAN ON EARTH called THIS IS ME.
It is not a song meant for the character of Barnum but is a tribute to the so-called circus freaks ( such as The Bearded Lady, Tom Thumb, The Mermaid, etc., in a circus).
Someone captured a clip of the song but from a distance, which was staged for purposes of the concert ( and will therefore vary very much from the staging in the movie itself) plus Hugh takes center stage here. The song is composed by the rising team of Pasek and Paul ( whose new musical called DEAR EVAN HANSEN is opening on Broadway this fall).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nk-DjgBH_GQ
The song actually starts at around 42'0".
The second clip is a truncated version and presents only the second part... but it is a much closer look and gives us a flavor of the energy of he song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOYhl6IuY4Y
Again, I am pretty sure we will see a very different staging in the movie itself.