(All photos by Naoki Nishimura/AFLO)
Australian actor Hugh Jackman and American actress / singer Keala Settle attended the press conference for their movie “The Greatest Showman” at Tokyo Midtown on February 14.
Hugh greeted the media by saying, “Happy Valentine’s Day!” and added, “It’ll be a long Valentine’s Day” since he’ll fly out of Japan tonight and when he lands in NY, it would still be the 14th so he’ll give chocolate to his wife.
Settle sings “This Is Me” in the movie, a song which has won a Golden Globe as well as being nominated in the upcoming Academy Awards.
Settle became emotional and was in tears as she described the song which she says keeps her going despite all the struggles in life.
She said that Jackman was the reason for her to be casted, when he saw her potential that even she didn’t know and urged her to play this role which she declined at first.
She explained how Jackman would practice the dance routines and the songs all by himself and praised him for his range of ability, to have played Wolverine and then a showman.
“Unfortunately, he is the greatest man here,” she said jokingly, adding, “Everyone would be like, I want to be him!”
Jackman says that he became close to the cast members more than any other films he’d done.
He says that the song played a huge part in the movie becoming a hit, and the film touches everyone regardless of the race or circumstances, as it celebrates life.
The musical movie directed by Michael Gracey will be released in Japan on February 16.
