Hugh Jackman has opened up about why he enjoys playing antihero characters. The actor portrays the titular lead in his new movie, The Death of Robin Hood. In a recent interview, Jackman drew a comparison between this character and Logan, explaining his interest in playing similar mature characters.
Hugh Jackman explains why he prefers playing antiheroes
Speaking with People in a recent interview, Hugh Jackman revealed why he enjoys playing complex antihero characters. Discussing his latest film, The Death of Robin Hood, the actor revealed, “I am fascinated by them.”
“I go back to even Star Wars as a kid, it was, ‘Who’s Han Solo? That’s an interesting character.’ I was very intrigued by them,” Jackman reminisced. The actor referred to Clint Eastwood’s 1992 movie Unforgiven, which also featured a similar antihero as the protagonist.
“I think as I get older, I’m more and more drawn to the gray areas of humanity rather than the easy fix or this is who that person is, this is who that is,” he explained.
Jackman portrays an aging Robin Hood in the new movie. It offers a much darker insight into the English folk hero than any adaptation has attempted in the past. Viewers may note similarities between this movie and Jackman’s 2017 hit Logan, which offered a more mature take on Wolverine.
“I really love that — because Logan, I had a lot of say in where we were going with that, and I think this takes it even further, but there are some definite parallels there,” Jackman said.
At one point, Jackman discussed filming The Death of Robin Hood’s death sequences. “There’s something about sitting in the idea of the final moments of life when you’re hoping it’s not the final amounts of life, but you get to go there and experience it,” he recalled.
The Death of Robin Hood is an adaptation of the 17th-century English ballad Robin Hood’s Death. Written and directed by Michael Sarnoski, the movie stars Hugh Jackman as the aging lead. Other notable cast members include Jodie Comer, Bill Skarsgård, Murray Bartlett, and Noah Jupe.
