Hugh Jackman just proved that even the biggest stars have rough days on the job, with his admission on the Les Misérables Audition.
During a live show at the Hollywood Bowl on June 7, 2025, Hugh Jackman got candid about his Les Misérables audition and how a single cracked note almost sent him running out the door.
He described the scene in detail to the crowd at An Evening With Hugh Jackman, recalling how good things started. “I read first and I could tell it was going well,” he said. But then came the singing-and things went south. Jackman chose to perform “Stars,” a song not typically associated with his character Jean Valjean. Unfortunately, his voice cracked at the very end. “It was the worst crack you could have ever imagined,” he admitted. “Whatever excitement was on the panel, it just deflated immediately. I was about to run out, just humiliated.”
The moment wasn’t just embarrassing-it was almost a deal-breaker. Luckily, someone on the panel stopped him. “‘Whoa, hold on a second. Why did you sing that song?’” Jackman recalled the man asking. “I said, ‘It’s the only thing I had music for. I’m sorry.’” What came next was unexpected. “He said: ‘Well, you can throw that away. You’ll never sing that again.’” Jackman added with a laugh, “I think what he meant to say was: ‘Why don’t you put that to the side for like 30 years when you might sing it at the Hollywood Bowl?’”
Despite the rocky moment, Jackman landed the role of Jean Valjean in the 2012 film. The gamble paid off-big time. He was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor, and the movie won three Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actress for Anne Hathaway.
Now, Jackman is gearing up to showcase his vocal chops once more. He stars alongside Kate Hudson in Song Sung Blue, a new movie about real-life tribute artists Mike and Claire Sardina, who performed as Neil Diamond and Patsy Cline under the name Lightning and Thunder. The film is based on the 2008 documentary of the same name.
Kate Hudson, who recently launched her music career with the album Glorious, shared a first look on Instagram. “Loved every second making this beautiful film, working with the most lovely work husband you could ask for @thehughjackman, singing the iconic songs of Neil Diamond,” she wrote.
Song Sung Blue is set to hit theaters this Christmas, bringing a new kind of musical magic from Jackman and Hudson-this time, hopefully, without any cracks.
