‘I don’t think I’d be very good with (a) scandal’: Hugh Jackman reveals lockdown secrets ahead of role in Foxtel drama, Bad Education
There’s no doubting Hugh Jackman’s reputation as the nicest guy in Hollywood. But the Aussie star may just win more fans with his latest unexpected new role.
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His charm has been an essential part of his entree into Hollywood. Add to that his leading man looks, marital bliss to make the world’s women swoon, not to mention an acting talent, which has drawn him acclaim playing a gammit of roles – from a musclebound mutant in Wolverine, to all-singing and dancing ringmaster in The Greatest Showman.
Whether wowing crowds on Broadway, or playing the fool with Deadpool mate, Ryan Reynolds, put simply, there’s no doubting Hugh Jackman’s qualifications as the good guy of show business.
But in Bad Education, a riveting new HBO drama series, the TV and film favourite flips that reputation on its head to takes the biggest risk – for the biggest reward – of his career as a corrupt school superindent who conned his way to millions, before eventually going to jail.
Based on a true story of the largest public school embezzlement scandal in American history, the telemovie sees Jackman deliver what critics are calling a “career best” performance as Frank Tassone, who hoodwinked Long Island’s Roslyn High school community.
Along with his second-in-command, Pamela Gluckin (played by The West Wing and Mom’s Allison Janney), Jackman deftly walks a tightrope between charming and creepy.
“I like the grey areas of humanity, and what interested me about this story is the slipperiness of truth,” Jackman tells News Corp Australia.
“A lot of people went to jail for stealing this public money, which, of course, is a terrible thing.
“It started as something so small and justifiable, but shows you how it can snowball into a $12 million dollar crime.”
In 2006, Tassone was sentenced to four to 10 years in prison for larceny; released in 2010, and on probation until 2018.
The massive windfall was used to support the lavish lifestyles of both Gluckin and Tassone, which included plastic surgeries (Tassone had a facelift) and multiple first-class international flights.
Jackman shakes his head, as if still unable to fully believe the story.
“He actually spent US$30,000 a year on dry cleaning, which he defended right up until the end. He said that to represent the school properly, he needed to look great and project a measure of success.”
Evidently, Tassone’s projected image was one of smoke-and-mirrors, including masking his private life as a gay man (lying to colleagues he was widowed).
“He had a picture of his ‘wife’ on his desk and he wore a wedding ring,” Jackman says. Tassone, however, publicly disputes the film’s portrayal of his closeted sexuality, insisting he never hid his sexual orientation.
It’s weeks into the COVID-19 lockdown and Jackman is speaking via a phone-conference app from his apartment in New York.
As usual, his demeanour is upbeat – even making a special effort for us. “I’m not going to lie to you, I did shave for this interview,” he laughs.
“This is the first public thing I’ve done in three weeks, and Deb [Furness] said to me, ‘I think you should take that beard off.’”
Bad Education not only highlights Jackman’s phenomenal range, but also his co-star and fellow Australian, Geraldine Viswanathan, who delivers the kind of breakout performance sure to be noticed by Hollywood powers-that-be.
The 24-year-old, from Newcastle, NSW, impresses as the student who breaks the story of corruption for the school newspaper.
“I’d seen Geraldine in Blockers and she was fantastic,” Jackman raves.
“And I have to say, I’ve done 30 movies and still need a dialect coach, but she walked on set with her [Long Island] accent and I could hear absolutely no Australian whatsoever. She could just shift so quickly back into Australian with me,” he says.
“It all seemed effortless to her. She’s a wonderful, wonderful actress and has a massive future ahead of her.”
Jackman, who has led a scandal-free existence throughout his long career, insists he wouldn’t handle one well.
“I don’t think I’d be very good with scandal,” he chuckles.
“Even when I was a kid, I was never great with that kind of thing, other than I got away with stuff at home because for large parts of my teenage years I was raised by a single father, so I had a lot of time on my own.” (Jackman is the youngest of five children.)
“But I was not one of those kids trying to get into trouble to get attention. I think if I did get into trouble, I would not have a cool head about it. I stay out of it as much as I can. And look, I don’t get hassled a lot by paparazzi, and I certainly don’t live behind a big, high wall in a secluded way. I just never had the issues that a lot of very famous people have. I never got to that point, thank goodness.”
It’s 7pm in Manhattan and from the backdrop on his computer, the sun is setting behind him. How is Jackman coping in lockdown with two teenagers at home?
“For me, meditation is a real help, which is why I’ve done it for 30 years.
“And I’m not scared for myself, though I’m worried about the kids and their mental state, [with their] not being around friends and the disruption of school. Also just that pervasive anxiety that’s around, and I don’t want that to impact them too harshly. And anecdotally, when we walk our dogs there are people that I’ve seen for 10 years, and although we’ve never spoken I find that we’re now waving to each other. People go past each other in cars and they wave.”
“It reminds me of what happens in country Australia – you go down the road in country Australia and wave to each other. It’s like we are coming back to that.”
Jackman illustrates a typical evening at home with Deb and their kids: Oscar, 19 and Ava, 14. “Well, I annoy the kids,” he laughs, before offering an anecdote which will surely win him an even greater legion of female fans.
“I have an ironing board in the family room so I do that while I watch TV, unless it’s something that I really need to pay close attention to. And for the most part, the kids sit around and they ignore us.”
Meanwhile, his fondness for backgammon has only amplified under quarantine.
“Deb and I usually play 10 games a day, but these days we’re playing record numbers – 20 or 30.”
The conversation then turns more serious.
“Listen, I am so blessed that I am allowed to stay at home. I am just so humbled by the doctors and nurses and firemen and policemen and garbage people who are going out every single day, risking their lives to do their jobs so that we can be at home. So in any way we can, we should help and reach out to people. That, in a way, is hopefully the silver lining in this really, really dark cloud.”
Bad Education, 8.30pm, Monday, Fox Showcase.