Culture Film Real Steel Hugh Jackman: 'What are ya – a poof?'

Hugh Jackman: ‘I literally signed up for a tap class the day after my brother said sorry.’

The day before I am due to interview Hugh Jackman, the Australian actor drops a tantalising hint on Twitter. "Hey tweeters, I have something exciting to announce soon," he writes. "What could it be?" What indeed? I can't help but think back to the last time I met him, shortly before the release in 2006 of The Prestige. Christopher Nolan's thriller about two rival magicians (the other was Christian Bale) contains Jackman's richest screen performance to date: he reveals hidden torment behind the conjuror's curtain-calls-and-bouquets persona, one that he will know from his parallel career as a lead actor in musical theatre (an existence of which the majority of X-Men fans are probably oblivious).

1. Real Steel
2. Production year: 2011
3. Country: USA
4. Directors: Shawn Levy
5. Cast: Anthony Mackie, Hope Davis, Hugh Jackman
6. More on this film

The Prestige was a mystery wrapped in an enigma, then padlocked in a chest and dropped in the ocean. Some people think the same applies to Jackman. A friend took me aside and asked whether I really swallowed those "ordinary, boring family man" quotes fed to me by Jackman. Couldn't I see this was a classic cover story? Jackman has encountered such talk over the years, and always has a smiling riposte at the ready: "You really know you've made it when the gay rumours start."