Hugh Jackman Mourns Death of His "Extraordinary" Father With Touching Tribute

Hugh Jackman expressed his "deep sadness" following the death of his beloved father, Christopher John Jackman. Read on for the actor's emotional announcement on Father's Day in Australia.

By McKenna Aiello Sep 06, 2021 3:21 PMTags
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It's an especially tough Father's Day in Australia for Hugh Jackman, who lost his father, Christopher John Jackman

"In the early hours of Father's Day (AU), my Dad peacefully passed away," The Greatest Showman star shared to Instagram on Sept. 6. "And whilst there is deep sadness, I am filled with such gratitude and love. My Dad was, in a word, extraordinary. He devoted his life to his family, his work and his faith."

Hugh continued, "I pray he is now at peace with God." 

The actor's grief was met with an outpouring of support from fans and colleagues, including Ryan Reynolds, who commented, "I was lucky to have met him." 

From the age of 8, Hugh and his siblings were raised solely by his father after his mother left Australia for her native England. In a 2012 interview with 60 Minutes, the 52-year-old actor was overcome with emotion describing the advice he's taken from Christopher. 

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"It's always about the family," he shared. "It's always, 'How's [wife] Deb?' It's not about work and I think that's him living with, probably some of his regrets and feelings of maybe he... at the wrong time put too much into his career and he doesn't want me to make that mistake. And so, in his gentle way, he always reminds me that this is the most important thing."

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Prior to Christopher's passing, Hugh last paid tribute to his dad on American Father's Day in 2020. 

"My Father taught me to always keep my promises," he captioned a photo of the pair. "Even if it turns out that there's a better option or something that will benefit me more. Be true to your word."

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