Hugh Jackman (aka Huge Jacked-Man) got into great shape to play the iconic Wolverine in a slew of films but refutes ever having taken steroids to achieve his impressive results. Given that actors starring in superhero flicks have often undergone dramatic body transformations to fit a certain role (see Chris Pratt and Kumail Nanjiani), audiences have cried foul accusing the actors of using steroids. Not that there is anything wrong with using steroids, the issue is lying about it, as it supports unrealistic body expectations for men. Going back to Jackman, he claims that while he did consider steroids, he wasn’t a fan of the possible side effects.
Speaking to Chris Wallace on HBO’s Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace, when asked if Jackman ever took steroids he said, “No, I love my job. And I love Wolverine. I got to be careful what I say here, but I had been told anecdotally what the side effects are of that. And I was like, ‘I don’t love it that much.’
“So no, I just did it the old school way. And I tell you, I’ve eaten more chickens – I’m so sorry to all the vegans and vegetarians and to the chickens of the world. Literally the karma is not good for me. If the deity has anything related to chickens, I’m in trouble.”
The possible side effects can differ depending on what kind of steroids are taken. Using anabolic steroids, the kind popular in the 80s and 90s, health risks include an increased possibility of stroke and potential cardiovascular problems. Given that the first X-Men film starring Jackman was released in 2000, it’s highly likely that these were the steroids he was talking about rather than the combination of anabolic steroids and human growth hormone regimens that are popular today.
It’s fairly easy to believe that Jackman didn’t use steroids as if you compare his build in the first X-Men to superhero stars today, like Chris Hemsworth or Chris Evans, he is nowhere near as large. Instead, Jackman detailed a dehydration regime that he used to achieve a lean result in Logan. The process involved upping his water intake to three gallons a day prior to shooting. 36 hours before he appeared on camera shirtless, he would drink anything at all. This is similar to the “sweating out” bodybuilders go through before a contest or shoot, however this regime is more extreme. Jackman himself stated, “Don’t do this at home.”
