Before They Hit It Big, Hugh Jackman And Patrick Wilson Starred In The Same Legendary Musical

There was a time when if someone could act, sing, and dance, they were called a "triple threat." The idea was that they were viable, versatile performers for both stage dramas and musicals, making them a threat to any actor who only had talent for one or two of the above techniques. In modern cinema, where musicals are largely out of vogue, the "triple threat" might now refer to someone who can act, perform martial arts, and do their own stunts. In the modern landscape, fighting is more common than dancing. 

Many actors, however, still undergo voice and dance training on the regular, wanting to be as versatile as possible. Many modern film actors, one might find, started on the stage, sometimes belting out some of Broadway's most famous showtunes, before becoming genre stars on the big screen. Case in point: Hugh Jackman. Jackman rose to worldwide fame in 2000 after appearing in Bryan Singer's film "X-Men" as the celebrated comic book character Wolverine. Jackman has returned to the role many times since 2000, most recently in 2024's "Deadpool & Wolverine." Prior to that, however, the Australian actor impressed audiences playing Curly in the 1998 West End production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!" 

Jackman, of course, has since proven his singing chops on the big screen, having led "The Greatest Showman" and an adaptation of "Les Misérables." 

An actor who has barely had a comparable choice to sing on the big screen, but who has plenty of singing experience on the stage, is the underrated king, Patrick Wilson. For horror fans, Wilson is best known for his roles in "The Conjuring" movies and in the "Insidious" movies. Prior to his move to film, however, Wilson had an impressive stage career, performing in "The Full Monty" in 2000, which earned him his first Tony nomination. 

By coincidence, Wilson also played Curly in the 2002 Broadway revival of "Oklahoma!" That earned him his second Tony nomination. 

For those unfamiliar with Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!," know that it is one of the most important musicals in the history of the medium. Although it didn't pioneer this practice, "Oklahoma!" is often cited by musical scholars as one of the most prominent shows to incorporate songs into its story. Prior to "Oklahoma!"'s Broadway opening in 1943, many musicals would pause their stories for a few moments to showcase a song or a dance number. Previously, songs were used to enhance plot points, not reveal them. In "Oklahoma!," the songs actually moved the story along, and audiences responded with enthused astonishment. 

Critics were over the moon, and the show was a runaway success. The original production won a Pulitzer Prize. It had been a cornerstone of musical theater ever since. 

The musical is set, naturally, in Oklahoma in 1906, and follows the romantic adventures of the farmgirl Laurey as she is simultaneously seduced by the kind and bright-eyed Curly, and the dark, violent Jud Fry. Despite the kind, upbeat music ("Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" comes from "Oklahoma!"), there are strange, dark plot twists in the show. Laurey, for instance, takes a chug of laudanum at the end of Act I and hallucinates a dream ballet. 

Curly is presented as the "hero" character, and clearly the man Laurey should select. He gets most of the musical's best songs, although the title song is sung by the entire company. 

And what two better actors to play a fresh-faced singing hero in 1906 Oklahoma? Why, Patrick Wilson and Hugh Jackman, of course. 

Jackman has always been open about his musical background, and, despite having risen to fame as a grizzled fighter like Wolverine, he always found a way to sing. In addition to the aforementioned "The Greatest Showman" and "Les Misérables," Jackman also hosted the Academy Awards, careful to sing and dance live on stage for Hollywood's biggest stars. In 2011, he put on a one-man show in San Francisco wherein he performed numbers from "Oklahoma!" and "The Boy from Oz," another acclaimed musical that won Jackman his first Tony. His 1998 performance in "Oklahoma!" was filmed for a home video release, so there is ample chance to see him perform. 

Patrick Wilson's performance, sadly, didn't receive the same home video treatment, so any film of his "Oklahoma!" singing is going to be a little low-fi, posted to YouTube by amateur camerapeople. Wilson continued to perform on Broadway for years, appearing in "Barefoot in the Park" in 2006 and "All My Sons" in 2008. He also sang in concerts, once singing the Sky Masterson parts in "Guys and Dolls." On film, Wilson had a chance to sing in Joel Schumacher's 2004 version of "Phantom of the Opera." Since 2006, however, Wilson seems to have been focusing more and more on feature films, appearing in many ghost-related movies, but also intense indie dramas like "Little Children," "Lakeview Terrace," "Young Adult," "Bone Tomahawk," and dozens of others.

Wilson also joined Jackman in the superhero genre when he played the superpowered merman Orm in James Wan's "Aquaman" movies. Wilson hasn't taken as many opportunities to sing, but know that both men could hold their own in a two-handed sing-off. 

Ooh. Now I want to see that.