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THE FILM STRIP: Hugh Jackman on racism in 'Australia' and missing Halle Berry.
Slumdog Millionaire’ also deals with prejudice and director Danny Boyle says Obama will make the world a better place.
Drover was considered an outcast in “Australia” because he was once married to a ‘black’ and fraternized with other blacks. His wife died when a hospital would not admit her because she was black.
One of the most mesmerizing moments in this movie of epic proportions is when Drover attempts to rescue Nullah during the Japanese bombings of Mission Island, a fictitious setting that paralleled the real life invasion of Darwin by the Japanese.
A father of an eight-year old son of African-American heritage, Oscar, whom he adopted as a baby, Jackman can relate very well to his character in the film. As to what he has learned about himself since becoming a father, he says, “I’ve learned a lot. I think it also makes you learn about your own parents. I've found myself [in moments] where my wife will say, 'Oh, hello, Chris.' Chris is my dad's name. It's because the things coming out of my mouth sound exactly like my dad, those things that I swore on my life that I would never do. It's the most annoying thing and it's sort of bizarre.
“So, yes, you do learn about yourself. You learn about your own relationship to your parents and how you want to parent. Also, I've found that your marriage goes to a whole other level. Not only do you fall in love with your wife in a whole different way, but you're also kind of forced to pull together your own philosophies about parenthood even though you might've grown up in a completely different environment. Somehow now though you've got to become this united front.
“So I'm a big believer that the best way to learn or to improve in a relationship is to go outside of yourself, whether that's acting [or not]. It's your partner and your director that you're really working with. You have to trust and be open. It's not a singular experience, whether that's parenting with your wife. When it comes to children, they're just the most pure reflection of the truth at any given moment.”
Asked to talk about "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," the action thriller featuring Jackman's character from the "X-Men" series, that is slated for release in 2009, he would only say:
“I'll probably be talking about that in a few months. I won't go on, but it was fantastic and Gavin [Hood] is a great director. It’s very strong and has a great understanding of journeys and arches and characters. These movies, I think, all live or fail by their attention to the characters and the story. And all the other stuff, all the powers and that stuff are terrific but aren't at the heart of it. It's themes and it's characters and struggles, that's the story and that's at the heart of it. Gavin was just terrific. I did miss Halle Berry though."
Another amazing film that deals with prejudice and overcoming what appear to be insurmountable odds is “Slumdog Millionaire.” The star of the film, Dev Patel, unlike his character in the film doubted that he would get the lead. He was not a trained actor and was thrust into it only because his mother always looked for activities that would keep him out of trouble.
Patel told The Film Strip how important it was to play Jamal Malik in the movie.
“I like to think I’m quite morally upright but when I read the script I really got drawn to this kid who rose up against adversity and being the underdog in life. Whereas his brother got enticed by a gang and the power he could get by wielding a gun and the girls. My character managed to stay pure and innocent throughout this whole journey. He watched his mother die at like nine years old [only because of her religion] and it’s so easy in our environment to get tainted, you know. But he just stays pure and tries to earn a living…I loved it. I loved it.
“When I was playing the character I told Frieda [Pinto] and Danny [Boyle] all the time that I felt like I matured like five years in the space of four months and I learned so much. It was a massive learning experience. I mean my character had such willpower.”
Director Danny Boyle’s 2004 motivational movie “Millions” inspired kids to raise money to build wells in Africa. With this film, was there anything he wanted the audience to walk away with?
“I think by electing Barack Obama, the world is going to become a bigger place again,” he says. “That's what you get from doing something like that. Your own eyes you open. You're not there to teach anybody anything; you're there to learn about yourself. These people that live in slums are extraordinary—so generous, so resourceful. I want it to be something that they'll like, really.”
Not only will they like it, Danny, they will walk away with something special. I guarantee it.
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