Acting was the last thing on Joe's mind. Born in Sydney, Australia of English parentage, and the youngest of five children, Jackman went to the University of Technology intending to work in a journalism field.

"During my third year of a university journalism course in I990, I suddenly learned that I had to do two more units in order to graduate. I was in the uni canteen with a friend, looking through the course list, and he said drama was an easy subject. So I said, "Perfect! I'm in."'

That year, the professor decided to have the play, The Memorandum, performed by the class. Jackman was chosen as the lead. At first he found the part daunting. 'I said to the teacher: "I really can't manage to play that part - but I'm happy to be involved backstage."' But the teacher wouldn't have it. As Jackman worked through the process, he fell in love with stage and acting.

After obtaining his Bachelor of Arts (Communications), Jackman went on in 1991 to complete the one year course "The Journey" at the Actors' Center in Sydney. He then graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) in 1994.

At WAAPA, Jackman played many and various roles including Romeo in Romeo and Juliet directed by Wayne Harrison, Abette in Tonight We Improvise, Maxim Gorky in Barbarians and Hugh in Translations. He also played a role in the television drama Quarantine produced by Channel 10 Perth.

He was then offered a starring role in the ABC TV prison drama Corelli opposite his future wife Deborra-Lee Furness. Several TV guest roles followed, as an actor and variety compere.

In May 1996, Jackman completed twelve months playing the lead role of Gaston in the Australian Premiere Production of Walt Disney's Beauty and the Beast. For this role, he was nominated for a Mo award for Best Actor in a Musical. He appeared as Joe Gillis in the Australian production of Sunset Boulevard. In 1998 he was cast as Curly in the Royal National Theatre's production of Trevor Nunn's Oklahoma.

Jackman has made three feature films, the second of which, Erskineville Kings, garnered him an Australian Film Institute nomination for Best Actor in 1999. In 1998, he starred in the Aussie film, Paperback Hero, a romantic comedy. And in 2000, Jackman landed his first big budgeted film, the sci-fi summer sizzler, X-Men. He plays the comic's most popular character, Wolverine/Logan, a short, quick healing Canuck with a set of strong metal claws who will take on anyone who ticks him off.