Jackman's mother abandoned him when he was just a boy of 8. He has been closer to his father for his entire life.
Every year, on September 5, Australia celebrates father's day, but this year, that day was one filled with sorrow for actor Hugh Jackman, who revealed that his father had breathed his last.
According to PEOPLE, Jackman, who is mourning the loss of his father, shared the news via social media. "In the early hours of Father's Day (AU), my Dad peacefully passed away," Jackman wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of Chris. "And whilst there is deep sadness, I am filled with such gratitude and love. My Dad was, in a word, extraordinary."
The Wolverine star added, "He devoted his life to his family, his work, and his faith. I pray he is now at peace with God." Christopher Jackman was 84 years old at the time of his death, according to ABC News.
Jackman credits his father for what he is today, and in an interview with Good Housekeeping in 2013, he revealed that his dad gave him a grounding in faith and values that nurtured him through hard times.
"My father is very Jean Valjean," Jackman says, referring to his own character in Les Misérables. "He's what I would call a great example of a religious person. He is a deeply thoughtful man whose religion is in his deeds way more than anything else. It's not talked about that much."
"I remember at one point being in fellowship," he continues, "and everyone used to wear the fish symbol; it said you were a Christian. So I asked my father, 'Dad, why don't you wear that at work?' And he said, 'Your religion should be in your actions.' He set a great, great example."
Chris also taught Jackman what it meant to be responsible. "From when I was very young, I had chores every day. I had to cook dinner, or no one ate," Jackman says. He also taught Jackman the importance of money management, from a very early age. "When I was 5, my father used to sit me down and explain that from my dollar a week, I should set aside 10% for church, 20% for entertainment, and 10% for savings."
While growing up, Jackman was closer to his father than his mom, Grace McNeil. In 1967, the family moved from England to Australia with his sisters Zoe and Sonya and brothers, Ian and Ralph. A year later, Jackman was born. Unfortunately, he only got to express his mom's love for eight years after his birth, because she left and moved back to England, later taking his sisters with her.
Even though he was abandoned, he doesn't hold a grudge against his mother. "The thing I never felt, and I know this might sound strange, I never felt that my mum didn't love me," he says. Now, McNeil and Jackman regularly meet to make up for the lost time, and they couldn't be happier in each other's company!
References:
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/inspirational-stories/interviews/a19510/hugh-jackman/
Cover Image Source: Instagram | Hugh Jackman (@thehughjackman)
