Hugh Jackman is a successful actor in his own right, but the world-famous star admitted he felt “depressed” when he realized he’d never be as great as one of his idols.
Jackman said there were two moments in his life where he saw a performance that was so good it actually “depressed” him, according to Variety. One of those instances was when Jackman saw Bill Nighy perform “Vertical Hour” on Broadway.
“I saw an actor with such command of the stage and I was so blown away,” Jackman said. “It brought me to tears and also simultaneously depressed me because I thought, ‘I’ll never be able to do that.’”
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Life seems to have gone full circle for the star. After 15 years, Jackman is starring in his own Broadway show, a revival of “The Music Man,” and this afforded him an opportunity to spend a night moderating a panel discussion with none other than Nighy.
He made no qualms about the fact that he was fanboying while talking to Nighy about dancing, working out, and the theater, according to Variety.
Jackman also used the opportunity to bond with Nighy on a personal level. (RELATED: Adam Sandler Shocked Brendan Fraser About ‘Airheads’ Role He Nearly Lost Out On)
“My daughter reminded me that you were Whitey,” Jackman said, according to Variety. “And her favorite line in films is — I need you to say it.” Jackman then whispered the quote into his ear and asked his real-life idol to repeat the line from his film. “I’ve got a bum like a Japanese flag,” Nighy repeated, according to Variety.
Jackman explained the significance of that moment. “It was after a bad dose of food poisoning or something your character had. I hope someone recorded that because my daughter says it’s her favorite line in all of movies. And she repeats it a lot,” he said.
During the conversation Nighy alluded that he may not return to the theater stage.
“I am completely romantic about theaters — I love empty theaters, I love them when they’re full and I love them after the show,” Nighy said, according to the outlet. “Whether or not I’ll ever do another one, I don’t know.”