Hugh Jackman takes out best actor at 2013 Golden Globes

HE'S the muscle-bound song and dance man, who got the girl and now a Golden Globes gong.

Holly Byrnes, Debbie Schipp and Neala Johnson

3 min read

January 15, 2013 - 9:38AM

News Corp Australia Network

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HE'S the muscle-bound song and dance man, who got the girl and now a Golden Globes gong.

Just don't suggest Hugh Jackman's career choices are anything "less than masculine," with the Les Miserables star sharpening his claws, Wolverine-style against those who may mock his musical success.

Defending his manhood, moments after accepting the best actor in the musical adaptation, the Australian triple threat explained why mixing it up worked so well for him in show business and life.

"The idea that singing and dancing is not masculine is one of the craziest things I have ever heard in my life. I don't know how exactly in history that got off track...but 50 years ago if you were a man who couldn't dance, basically you would never get a girl," Jackman said backstage at the Beverly Hilton yesterday.

"For me, the thing about (playing) Valjean is...he was probably one of the great men of all time. To me, he is the epitome of man."

Jackman credited his "girl" wife Deborra-lee Furness for helping him keep the faith during rehearsals for the ambitious production.

Hugh Jackman wins Golden Globe

"I really thought I'd bitten off more than I could chew...my wife talked me off the cliff, so thank you for always being right, baby."

The film also won best film (musical or comedy), with Russell Crowe absent from the cast and crew call on stage, but the butt of his co-star Sacha Baron Cohen's stand-up, when he joked: "(Crowe) had four months of singing lessons...that was money well spent."

Jackman says wife was right about Les Mis

On top of the globe: The winners list

Jackman's win struck a solo blow for the Aussie contingent, with Naomi Watts, Nicole Kidman and her husband Keith Urban, all losing out in their respective categories.

Anne Hathaway

Watts, who sent the style police into raptures with her burgundy Zac Posen gown, missed out on the best actress in a movie drama prize to Zero Dark Thirty star Jessica Chastain, while Kidman (wearing McQueen) struck out twice - to Julianne Moore in Game Change, judged best actress in a telemovie or mini-series; and Jackman's Les Mis co-star Anne Hathaway voted best supporting actress in a movie (musical or comedy).

Jackman's Oscar odds have shortened after his Globes victory, with his greatest competition from Lincoln star Daniel Day Lewis, who bagged his own prize for his best actor performance in a motion picture drama (the categories are merged for the Oscars).

Ignoring his own snub by the Academy Awards, best director winner Ben Affleck (Argo) had his wife Jennifer Garner finish his thank-yous when she appeared to present, acknowledging George Clooney as one of the key producers on the CIA thriller, also voted best film (drama).

The night's co-hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler keep the celebrity guests entertained, if not as offended as some were when edgy comic Ricky Gervais was in the gig.

Serial dater Taylor Swift was on the end of one stinger, with Poehler warning her to "stay away from Michael J Fox's son."