Hugh Jackman was very committed to reprising the role of Wolverine — especially when it came to his workout routine.
Jackman’s Deadpool & Wolverine costar Rob Delaney, who plays Peter, discussed his experience working with the actor during an appearance on Virgin Radio UK on Thursday, July 11.
“Hugh Jackman, right? He’s so ripped and muscular and sleeveless and often shirtless and that he’s a very nice guy,” the 47-year-old said
Delaney admitted that he wasn’t expecting Jackman, 55, to be so ripped, joking, “I thought that the superhero muscles in these movies were like cosmetics. Not that they weren’t literally on your body, but that they were more about show than strength.”
While filming scenes together, Delaney became a witness to Jackman’s intense workout routine.
“Hugh Jackman would routinely drop to the floor and do press ups. I saw him do 800 press ups in one day, and they’re slow and perfect form,” he recalled. “So literally, if a bus fell on you and he was there, you wouldn’t have to worry. He would promptly remove it from you and you’d be OK.”
The third Deadpool movie marks Jackman’s return to the role of Wolverine a.k.a James “Logan” Howlett alongside Ryan Reynolds‘ iconic Deadpool character, who is also known as Wade Wilson. Deadpool 3 reunites Reynolds, 47, and Jackman in their Marvel roles for the first time since 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Jackman originally portrayed Wolverine in eight films before announcing his retirement from the character in 2017, so fans were surprised when Jackman agreed to return for Deadpool 3.
“I’d announced Logan was my last, and then I went to see the Deadpool movie and I was 20 minutes in. I was like, ‘Christmas.’ First of all, I loved the movie, but all I could see was Nick Nolte, Eddie Murphy in 48 Hours,” Jackman shared on SiriusXM’s The Jess Cagle Show in December 2022. “I was like, ‘This is something I haven’t done, we haven’t done, with the character. That’s the kind of dynamic we haven’t had before.’ But then I just put it aside.”
Jackman got in contact with Reynolds as soon as he made the decision.
“It just came to me like that. I rang Ryan as soon as I arrived and he was floored,” Jackman continued. “Interestingly, he was just about to have a meeting with Kevin Feige at Marvel at 5 o’clock that afternoon about the Deadpool movie. And so he goes, ‘This is really good timing, but are you really sure? Cause I don’t wanna say anything.’ I said, ‘I’m 100 percent sure.’ And I dunno why, because I was 100 percent sure I was out before. And then all of a sudden I was 100 percent in.”
Deadpool & Wolverine picks up six years after Deadpool 2 as Wade attempts to live a normal life. He is pulled into a new mission, however, by the Time Variance Authority, which forces Deadpool to team up with Wolverine to keep their home universe from facing an existential threat.
Deadpool & Wolverine hits theaters July 26.
