Getting in tip-top shape for a movie is not easy, but luckily, Hugh Jackman has over two decades’ worth of experience to fall back on. As part of his intense physical preparation to return as the character Wolverine in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe film Deadpool 3, the 54-year-old Australian actor is also making time to give his muscles a break. For him, that looks like letting his inner Litter Mermaid out and taking a dip in the oceanic waters.
On his official Twitter account, Jackman shared a video of himself in board shorts and a t-shirt in the foreground of an expansive ocean. Before jumping in, he tossed up a necessary flex at the camera, captioning the post, “Sleep. Train. Eat. Recover. Repeat #becomingwolverineagain.”
By the sound of things, Jackman did not find the water warm, but that was probably the point. Assuming this particular body of water is the South Pacific Ocean near Jackman’s hometown of Sydney, Australia, the water temperature right now would be 25 degrees celsius or 78 degrees Fahrenheit, which, yes, would be cold. Not freezing, but cold.
Plunging in cold water can relieve muscle aches and pains, as well as reduce inflammation, according to American healthcare company GoodRx. Some choose to accomplish this by dunking themselves in ice baths; others, like Jackman, choose the Pacific Ocean. Tomayto, tomahto.
No doubt Jackman’s body is feeling all types of pain and soreness as he works double-time to reach the physique he donned since first appearing as the character Wolverine in the 2000 film X-Men. Since then, Jackman has continued the character’s on-screen legacy across nine movies, ultimately laying his claws to rest in 2017 with the movie Logan.
Thanks to his good pal Ryan Reynolds, Jackman is set to return as Wolverine for the tenth time in Deadpool 3, which will be the first Deadpool movie to exist within the MCU, a reality that was finally made possible after Disney acquired 20th Century Fox back in 2019, and thus the rights to Marvel’s X-Men characters who previously existed under Fox’s purview.
Deadpool 3 is scheduled to begin filming in May, so Jackman has two months to get his body to where it needs to be. That includes lifting heavy things and eating what we imagine is regrettably plain food.
Deadpool 3 will premiere in theaters on Nov. 8, 2024, claws and all.
