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Hugh Jackman, star of the Foxverse X-Men franchise and one of Hollywood’s most revered and talented artists, had a traumatic childhood after his mother walked out on the family when he was only 8 years old. The Australian actor has always been vocal about the shaping moment of his formative years and revealed that it wasn’t until he was 12 or 13 years old that the actor entirely grasped the fact that his mother wouldn’t be coming back.
Also read:“I was a fearful kid who felt powerless”: Hugh Jackman Says Wolverine Role Saved Him as His Mom Abandoned Him When He Was a Kid, Turned Him Into a Delinquent
Years later, although the two have now reconciled, the impact that the abandonment had on his psyche required therapy and Jackman opens up about the relationship that he has fostered in his adulthood with his mother after accepting the reasons behind her moving away from the family.
Hugh Jackman Opens Up About His Childhood Years
Hugh Jackmanhas always been candid about his childhood and his pre-teen years which were marred by the event of his mother walking out on the Jackman family and leaving him and his brothers, Ralph and Ian, behind with their father, Chris Jackman. His mother, Grace McNeil, had left Australia then and headed for the UK with his sisters, Zoe and Sonia Jackman in tow. At the time, the Wolverine actor was aged 8.
Also read:“I’m the wingman for my 11-year-old?”: Hugh Jackman May Have Made a $190M Fortune With Wolverine, But His Son Only Uses His Name to Bag Dates With Pretty Girls
Years later, it would be revealed to him that thePrestigestar’s mother had been suffering from post-natal depression and it was for the sake of her children that Grace McNeil had decided to move away. When the mother-son duo reconnected decades later, there was an understanding between the two, since Hugh Jackman, a father of two himself, realized the impact it must have had on his mother to leave behind three of her children and move halfway across the world.
Hugh Jackman Makes Peace With His Mother, Grace McNeil
In 2011, in an exclusive interview withThe Sun, Hugh Jackman revealed that he and his mother had reconciled and come to acknowledge the events that had affected both of their lives significantly.
“As I grew older, I gained an understanding of why mum did leave. We have definitely made our peace, which is important.”
Also read:“I’ve never been so scared to get a part”: Hugh Jackman Reveals His One Role That He Wanted More Than Wolverine, Forced Director to Cut Contacts With Other Actors and Hire Him
Sometime before his father’s death (on July 04, 2025), Hugh Jackman started therapy to counter the mental stress of watching his father’s health deteriorate and the sleepless nights he was having from filmingThe Son.Recently, Jackman toldWho Magazinethat the therapy also helped him come to terms with his traumatic past.
“I just started it recently. It’s helped me a lot. We all need a village… [It’s about] understanding my past… And, most importantly, [it’s] helping me to be more relational with people I love in my life, and really understanding and living in their shoes and being clear to be able to see them.”
Currently, the actor is gearing up for his major Marvel entry with 2024’sDeadpool 3in which he reprises his iconic role as Wolverine alongside Ryan Reynolds’ titular character for one last X-Men adventure.
Deadpool 3premieres on August 13, 2025.
Source:Daily Mail
Diya Majumdar
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2409
Diya Majumdar is a Senior Content Writer at FandomWire with over 2000 published articles on the website. Since 2022, she has been working as an entertainment journalist with a special focus on films and pop culture.Among the countless genres and themes of Hollywood, the ones that particularly favor Diya’s tastes include Game of Thrones, DC, and well-aged thrillers and classics.
