The highly anticipated film Les Miserables screened for the first time last week at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall and the audience was far from miserable.
Judging by the loud applause that followed every one of the film’s big numbers, which are divided between stars Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe and Amanda Seyfried to name a few, and the raucous standing ovation the film garnered once the credits started to role, the Oscar buzz has officially started.
It’s been a decade since a movie musical has seriously contended for and won the Best Picture Academy Award and Tom Hooper’s adaptation of the hit Broadway musical might be the next to take home the hardware. But it won’t be an easy fight – the film will duke it out with some other top Oscar contenders like Argo, Lincoln and Silver Linings Playbook. And its star Hugh, who attended a special screening for the film, dished on the demanding role.
In playing Jean Valjean, Hugh has finally found a screen role that seems made for him, worthy of his talents in both physical demeanor and vocal ability. The actor who is well known for his action roles in Wolverine and X-Men admitted acting in the film musical is the hardest thing he’s done as an actor. “Of all the things I feel I can do, this demanded more than anything,” he admits. “As a pedigree of work it’s probably higher than anything I’ve done…”;
The actor reportedly even lost 30 pounds in order to play Valjean as a prisoner in the opening scenes, and practiced with the cast and director for nine weeks prior to shooting a feat that won’t go unseen in this year’s Best Actor Oscar race. “We had two months of rehearsal. This was a role that I was cast in close to a year before we actually filmed, “; the actor said. “It was something that was a long gestation period, there was a lot put into it and everyone went for it and took big risks and I think that alone is something worth applauding.”;
And from the sounds of it, fans of the musical and Hugh alike will be applauding when Les Miserables opens in theatres December 25. Watch Hugh’s interview below!
