How Hugh Jackman fought to get his role in Florian Zeller’s The Son
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Presented in competition at the Venice Film Festival, The Son tells the story of divorced parents struggling desperately to cope with their 17-year-old son’s depression.
Australian actor Hugh Jackman revealed during a press conference at the Venice Film Festival on Thursday (September 8) that he was so looking forward to playing the role of the father in the film called The Son that he sent an e-mail to the director-screenwriter Florian Zeller to ask him for the part.
Stars like Hugh Jackman, interpreter of Wolverine in the saga X-Men, are normally bombarded with requests for new roles. Yet the actor says he felt he had to take the initiative when he read the film’s script The Son by Florian Zeller, which was originally a play.
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“I said: I don’t know if you’re dancing with someone else. I’m not one to intrude on a dance, but if not, I’d love to play the role.”Hugh Jackman told reporters ahead of the film’s world premiere at the Venice Film Festival. “When I read The Son, I felt like a fire in my guts. It was an obsession”he added.
Florian Zeller, French playwright and novelist who wowed the world of cinema with his first feature film The Father (with Anthony Hopkins) in 2020, said he had been “hit” by the humility of Hugh Jackman and had organized a first call, via Zoom, with him during confinement. “I had no intention of making a decision and, after eight minutes, I offered him the role”explains the director.
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The film, shot a year ago in New York as explained by Florian Zeller on his account instagramshows divorced parents, played by Hugh Jackman and Laura Derndesperately struggling to cope with the depression of their 17-year-old son, played by newcomer Zen McGrath. ‘All parents can understand: they are terrified of knowing what to do’said Hugh Jackman, who is a father of two himself. “Since this film, I have changed my approach. I share my vulnerabilities more with my children aged 17 and 22. I see their relief when I do.he added.
Believing they are doing what is best for their son, the mother and father only make things worse, says the 53-year-old actor, highlighting how many families are unable to cope with the growing scourge of Mental Health. Studies have shown how the Covid-19 crisis has accelerated an already serious problem, with prolonged confinement weighing on the stability of adolescents around the world.
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A recent study found that more than a third of high school students surveyed in the United States experienced stress, anxiety or depression, and nearly a fifth said they had seriously considered suicide during the pandemic. “This mental health issue is a crisis all over the world. No one is immune”said Hugh Jackman. “This is something we need to talk about and something we need to come together on”he added.
The Son is one of 23 films in competition for the Golden Lion, which will be awarded on Saturday 10 September.
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