Hugh Jackman embraces ‘butterflies’ as part of his creative process
The Australian star said feeling unsure often means he is pushing himself creatively
Hugh Jackman said he has learned to embrace nervousness in life, describing “butterflies” as a positive sign that he is pushing himself creatively and emotionally.
The 57-year-old actor opened up about his approach to apprehension during an interview with Today’s Parent magazine, where he was interviewed by 11-year-old Edie Chua about his new film The Sheep Detectives.
Jackman said feeling unsure is not something to avoid, but rather a natural part of growth, even after decades in the entertainment industry.
“I have to do things that I've never done before, and I'm not sure how they're going to go,” he said.
“And even though I've been acting and doing different things for 30 years, it all feels like I've never done it before.”
He added that moments of self-doubt often signal meaningful progress rather than failure.
“To have butterflies in your stomach means that you care, means that you're excited, and means that you're probably pushing yourself to do something that you may not have done before,” he explained.
During the interview, Jackman also discussed the unusual and whimsical production of The Sheep Detectives, which features both real animals and puppetry.
He revealed that while some scenes included real sheep and lambs on set, much of the interaction was created using advanced puppetry techniques led by performer Tom Wilton.
“Most of the time I got to work with this amazing puppeteer,” Jackman said. “He’d be on the ground, and put his hand inside the sheep, and it looked perfect.”
Jackman praised the craftsmanship behind the puppetry, saying it helped him fully immerse himself in the world of the film. “These puppeteers are just extraordinary,” he added.
The film sees Jackman play shepherd George Hardy, a man who reads detective stories to his flock every night.
The story takes a surprising turn when Hardy is murdered, prompting the sheep to take on the role of amateur detectives.
Reflecting on the shoot, Jackman said the experience was lighthearted and joyful, especially working alongside co-star Nicholas Braun.
“Working with Nicholas Braun is funny. That guy is really laugh-out-loud funny. I love him,” he said, describing the filming experience in the English countryside as “heaven.”
Jackman added that he did not know the identity of the murderer while reading the script, and he is now curious to see how audiences respond to the film’s twist ending.
“I haven't met many people who guessed it,” he said. “So I'm interested to hear what people think when they go to see it.”
