The Greatest Showman: Hugh Jackman reveals REAL REASON he was cast as PT Barnum

The hit movie musical didn’t win over the critics but certainly did with the fans. The Greatest Showman was not only a box office hit, but its soundtrack was the best-selling album of 2018 worldwide. Now Jackman has revealed the real reason he was cast as PT Barnum was thanks to his stint hosting the Oscars back in 2009. Speaking with Deadline, the 50-year-old said: “Yeah, yeah 2009. I would do it again.”

Jackman continued: “They inquired about me doing it again a couple of times but I was working. [It was with Bill Condon] and Larry Mark.

“And actually it was after that that Larry Mark said, ‘We should really do a movie musical.’

“He said, ‘Why don’t we do P.T. Barnum?’ And I was like, ‘OK.’

“That’s how long ago that was! I didn’t know it would take us nine years, eight years.”

Jackman has also teased he would like to make a Greatest Showman sequel.

Speaking with Radio 5 Live, the actor said: “If a genuine opportunity came up where it felt like the right thing to do, then yep, I’d get the top hat back out.”

Nevertheless, there’s the small issue of Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox, which made the movie.

Jackman clarified: “We have a situation in the business where the company that did it has been sold to Disney, so there are a lot of spinning plates right now.”

He added: “I’m not sure what they would do, but it did take a while to get the first one up, and it’s not to be underestimated how difficult it is to get a musical up and going.

“But it’s clear to me and to everyone that people love these characters.

“I loved this movie, I loved this character and it was one of the great joys of my life.”