
Frederic Legrand - COMEO/Shutterstock
ByShane O'Neill/Updated: Oct. 27, 2022 12:15 pm EST
When you hear the name "Hugh Jackman," odds are the first thing that comes to mind is 20th Century Fox's now-concluded "X-Men" franchise. From 2000 to 2017, he took on the iconic role of Wolverine, using his adamantium claws to become a Hollywood bigshot in short order. However, in the years before, during, and following his run in the Marvel Universe, Jackman rose to prominence through several other beloved projects, ranging from director Christopher Nolan's "The Prestige" to a 2012 cinematic adaptation of "Les Misérables." Perhaps his most prominent recent venture was 2017's "The Greatest Showman," helmed by first-time director Michael Gracey.
Released a mere few months after the closure of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, "The Greatest Showman" told a fictionalized rendition of the life of one of its figureheads, the late P.T. Barnum. It assembled a number of A-list talents to pull it off, including the aforementioned Jackman as Barnum, Michelle Williams asCharity Hallett-Barnum, Zac Efron as Phillip Carlyle, Rebecca Ferguson as Jenny Lind, and a host of others — dazzling audiences and a fair number of critics through its visual extravagance and unforgettable original songs.
Being the principal character of the piece, Hugh Jackman's P.T. Barnum does quite a bit of singing throughout "The Greatest Showman." But is it really the Australian-born actor in front of the microphone? Here's the reality of the Barnum-centric musical numbers.
Jackman went through the wringer for The Greatest Showman

20th Century Studios
In an interview with Variety (via Express), Hugh Jackman dished on his "Greatest Showman" experience and noted how physically demanding it was."Vocally, sometimes you have those 'I can do anything' days, and the next day you're at 80%," he recalled, adding, "I sing notes that I've never sung. I couldn't have done that live." Not to mention, when it came time for acting and dancing, the production proved just as grueling to handle."I have done a lot of dancing, but this was the most challenging."
So, in short, Hugh Jackman did indeed lend his vocal talents to "The Greatest Showman." However, when it came time for him and the rest of the cast to go through a table read to get 20th Century Fox on board, he didn't get to do much. The day prior, he received treatment on his nose for skin cancer, and his doctor told him point-blank not to sing, or he'd risk busting the stitches. As a result, he worked alongside Jeremy Jordan to make his part of the rehearsal work, with the Broadway star singing and Jackman silently acting out the accompanying scenes.
Of course, Jackman did end up swapping with Jordan for "From Now On," and just as his doctor warned, the wound ripped itself wide open. Hedidn't regret ignoring his doctor's advice — though heapologized for it and got patched up again after the fact– as it allowed him to contribute to "The Greatest Showman" becoming the resounding success that it was. Things surely couldn't have worked out better.
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FAQs
Which actors did their own singing in The Greatest Showman? ›
Everyone does their own singing with the exception of Rebecca Ferguson, who plays Swedish singing sensation Jenny Lind and has a show-stopping number that brings lip syncing to the height of art.
Did Hugh Jackman take singing lessons for The Greatest Showman? ›This is a little more pop,” says Jackman during an interview with Playbill at the press junket for The Greatest Showman. “For me I really had to go back to the beginning.” Jackman worked with vocal coach Liz Caplan, who worked with Tony winners Ben Platt and Neil Patrick Harris—and a litany of other star performers.
Is Hugh Jackman autotuned in Greatest Showman? ›While The Greatest Showman (2017) may be one of Hugh Jackman's most popular performances right now, I'm not going to focus on it as much. He doesn't sound horrible in that film because he's heavily autotuned, which is another issue I'll address later.
Why couldnt Hugh Jackman sing? ›Why Hugh Jackman Couldn't Sing For The Greatest Showman Demo. Unfortunately, the day before everybody was set to meet for the Greatest Showman demo, Hugh Jackman had surgery on his nose to remove skin cancer which required 80 stitches and came with a strict doctor's order not to sing.
Who actually sang Never Enough in greatest showman? ›Loren Allred (born September 7, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Allred made her Billboard Hot 100 debut with the Platinum-selling "Never Enough" from the musical soundtrack to The Greatest Showman.
Who sings for Jenny Lind? ›Rebecca Ferguson's voice was dubbed by Loren Allred. Ferguson had studied music and admitted that she can carry a tune but since Jenny Lind, her character, is considered the best singer in the world, dubbing her voice would be in service of the movie.
How good of a singer is Hugh Jackman? ›In pop musical songs like 'Gaston', or 'From Now On' in The Greatest Showman, Jackman's head voice really works. His nasal tones allow him to belt, and perfectly complement his 'showman' manner. In the video below of him performing the song at a read-through with the cast, you can feel the passion pouring out of him.
Is Hugh Jackman a professional singer? ›Hugh Jackman, in full Hugh Michael Jackman, (born October 12, 1968, Sydney, Australia), Australian performer who was considered a “triple threat”—a successful actor, dancer, and singer. He was perhaps best known for his action movies and stage musicals.
Is Hugh Jackman vocally trained? ›I wasn't a trained singer," Jackman said before joking that he is just pretending when onstage. "I've learned as an adult so I have to do that all the time. I sing everyday. I have singing lessons every week.
Does Hugh Jackman lip sync? ›Hugh Jackman shared a fun Instagram reel on Sunday as he lip-synced along to Iggy Azalea's smash hit Fancy. The Australian actor, 53, posted the clip for his 30.4million followers on the platform, beaming as he mouthed the lyrics to the smash-hit.
Who actually sang for Zac Efron? ›
Who sang Troy Bolton's parts in High School Musical? Although Zac played the role in the film, the vocals were actually provided by actor Drew Seeley.
Is Hugh Jackman a trained dancer? ›Hugh Jackman
While he gained a lot of recognition for his appearances in blockbuster movies like X-Men and Wolverine, Jackman began his performance career in musical theater and trained at the prestigious Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) at the Edith Cowan University.
So happy to see Jackman returning to the Wolverine role even if it's just for a one off. I always got the sense that the biggest reason he decided to hang up the claws when he did was because he was getting older and just couldn't keep up that level of diet and training like he used to.
What surgery did Hugh Jackman have before The Greatest Showman? ›BRITs: Hugh Jackman rehearses for performance
When filming for the Greatest Showman, Hugh Jackman revealed he was advised not to sing, after having skin cancer removed from his nose.
While her onscreen husband Hugh Jackman's P.T. Barnum sang most of the film's hits, including “The Greatest Show” and “Rewrite the Stars,” Williams belted out a few tunes.
Did Zendaya do the trapeze in The Greatest Showman? ›Zendaya can sing, dance and act, and after doing many of her own stunts for The Greatest Showman, she has some trapeze skills under her belt, too.
Did Jenny Lind and Barnum have a relationship? ›No. Barnum never had a romance with Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind. There was no picture of them kissing in the newspaper, prompting Barnum's wife Charity to temporarily leave him when he returned from the tour with Lind.
Did Rebecca Ferguson sing Never Enough in The Greatest Showman? ›Caught on Camera How Actor Rebecca Ferguson Uses a Pop Song to Bring Life to an Opera Star in Greatest Showman The breakout song “Never Enough” is a collaboration of Ferguson's acting and Loren Allred's voice.
Did Hugh Jackman sing and dance in The Greatest Showman? ›After his long stint as Wolverine, Jackman returns to the screen singing and dancing in larger-than-life musical The Greatest Showman.
Who sang for Zendaya in The Greatest Showman? ›Although her role in Euphoria has proved how great Zendaya is as an actor, it may be surprising to learn that she can sing, too. Unlike Rebecca Ferguson's Jenny Lind — whose singing voice was provided by Loren Allred — Zendaya actually sang her own songs for the film.
Did Zac Efron sing in HSM? ›
Seeley sang the entirety of "Get'cha Head in the Game" and the reprise of "What I've Been Looking For." Efron only sings the first four lines of "Start of Something New," the first sentence of "Breaking Free," and during the scene on the balcony.
Who is considered the best singing voice ever? ›- 1 of 35. Celine Dion. Kevin Winter/Getty Images. ...
- 2 of 35. Barbra Streisand. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for BSB. ...
- 3 of 35. Etta James. ...
- 4 of 35. Nina Simone. ...
- 5 of 35. Aretha Franklin. ...
- 6 of 35. Whitney Houston. ...
- 7 of 35. Smokey Robinson. ...
- 8 of 35. Mariah Carey.
But it's Mariah Carey who takes the prize for the largest vocal range of all. She can reach a low F2 and hit an unbelievable G7, a note that dolphins would envy, and that only some dogs can hear.
Who is considered the best singer ever? ›Rank | Singer | Genre |
---|---|---|
1 | Michael Jackson | Pop, Soul, Funk, R&B, Rock, Disco, & Dance |
2 | Stevie Wonder | Soul, Pop, R&B, Funk, & Jazz |
3 | Marvin Gaye | Soul, R&B, Funk, Pop, & Jazz |
4 | Freddie Mercury | Hard Rock, Music Hall, Glitter, & Prog Rock |
There is a 13-year age difference between Deborra-Lee Furness and Hugh Jackman, with Furness being 13 years older than Jackman. The age gap hasn't seemed to make a difference to the couple as they've just celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary this year!
What religion is Hugh Jackman? ›Jackman was raised Christian, attending multiple revivals during his childhood. In a 2015 interview, he identified as Christian but says his version of faith differs from his father's. "He takes his religion very seriously and would prefer I go to church," "We've had discussions about our separate beliefs.
What is Hugh Jackmans vocal range? ›Hugh Jackman is well known for being wolverine on x-men movies. He is an incredible actor and he can sing really well too.
Did Zac Efron actually sing in The Greatest Showman? ›Let's not forget, Zac played Phillip Carlyle in 2017's The Greatest Showman, and provided vocals for 'The Greatest Show', 'The Other Side' and 'Rewrite the Stars'.