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Hugh Jackman Not Shirtless in New Movie—Find Out Why

Prisoners director Denis Villeneuve dishes on keeping the hunky Aussie covered up

By Marc Malkin Sep 20, 2013 6:53 PMTags
Hugh Jackman, Mario Bello, PrisonersWilson Webb/Alcon Entertainment

If you're like us, you love seeing Hugh Jackman shirtless.

But don't expect to see the hunky Aussie's muscly bod in Prisoners, his terrifying new

thriller opening in theaters today.

"When were shooting, Hugh was between Wolverine and the X Men movie," director Denis Villeneuve told me while promoting the movie at the Toronto International Film Festival. "I know if the guy was removing his shirt, I would have a superhero and no more an every day American father. So I tried to hide it. As you noticed, he is always wearing his winter clothes."

And truth be told, this isn't the kind of movie that studio bosses would be insisting on upping Jackman's sex factor.

Jackman and Maria Bello star as parents of a young girl in Pennsylvania who is abducted along with their friends' (Terence Howard and Viola Davis) daughter.

Jake Gyllenhaal is the detective trying to find the missing children.

"Hugh was working out every day so I had to make sure to make to make him be as down to earth as possible," Villeneuve said.

Melissa Leo, who plays a widow whose nephew (Paul Dano) is a suspect in the abductions, also had her body on her mind when making the movie.

Wilson Webb/Alcon Entertainment

She wore a foam rubber butt to give her some more junk in her trunk. "It totally made the character," Leo said. "Acting is a funny thing, and it was something about the way that butt made sense to me for the character and why should would have it, how it made her movie, how it made her talk."

Funny enough, the fake derriere wasn't as uncomfortable to wear as you may imagine. "It was very cold where we were shooting so we were pretty layered up, anyway," Leo said.

Where's the butt now?

"Hugh Jackman was asking about the foam rubber butt the other day? Hmmm," Leo said with a smile.

Oh?

Leo laughed, "Some people are collectors."

Watch: Melissa Leo Has Foam Rubber Butt