Hugh Jackman had a feeling about Zendaya long before her career reached its current heights.
The 57-year-old actor recently reflected on working with Zendaya on “The Greatest Showman,” revealing that her performance immediately convinced him she had an extraordinary career ahead of her.
During a conversation with Bilt founder Ankur Jain, Jackman recalled watching Zendaya work on her first day on the 2017 musical. According to People, the experience led him to make a bold prediction about his young co-star.
“I remember on day one saying, ‘This young woman is going to be the biggest star of her generation,’” Jackman said.
Hugh Jackman Was Impressed by Zendaya’s First Take
Jackman’s confidence in Zendaya came after watching her deliver what he considered a flawless first take.
“The Greatest Showman” director Michael Gracey nevertheless asked Zendaya, Jackman and their co-star Zac Efron to perform the scene again.
Jackman remembered pulling Gracey aside and questioning the decision because he thought Zendaya had already nailed the scene. The director then offered a humorous explanation: Zendaya did not actually need another attempt.
“I know but I didn’t want to embarrass you or Zac so I thought I’d make her do more than one take,” Jackman recalled Gracey telling him, according to People.
The moment left a lasting impression on Jackman and helps explain why he felt so confident about Zendaya’s potential from the beginning.
“The Greatest Showman” featured Zendaya as Anne Wheeler, an acrobat who develops a romance with Efron’s Phillip Carlyle. Jackman led the musical as P.T. Barnum.
GettyZendaya’s Career Continued Growing After ‘The Greatest Showman’
Jackman’s prediction proved particularly notable as Zendaya continued building her career in the years following the film.
She became a major part of the “Spider-Man” franchise alongside Tom Holland and earned acclaim for her performance as Rue Bennett on HBO’s “Euphoria.” Her film career has also included prominent roles in the “Dune” movies and “Challengers.”
Jackman’s comments offer a glimpse at how Zendaya’s talent stood out to an established co-star before many of those projects arrived.
His admiration also reflects the lasting connection “The Greatest Showman” created among its cast members. Her continued success has made Jackman’s early prediction especially impressive.
Hugh Jackman Prepares for Global Citizen Festival
Jackman discussed Zendaya while promoting his involvement with Global Citizen and its partnership with Bilt.
The actor will host the Global Citizen Festival on Sept. 26 on Central Park’s Great Lawn. According to People, this year’s campaign aims to help get 2 million children into school, support 1.5 million smallholder farmers and bring electricity to 2.5 million homes.
Jackman has also recently revisited music from “The Greatest Showman.”
On Aug. 14, he performed “A Million Dreams” with girlfriend Sutton Foster during the Tanglewood music festival in Massachusetts. Jackman and Foster previously starred together in the 2022 Broadway production of “The Music Man.”
Nearly a decade after working with Zendaya, however, Jackman still remembers recognizing something special during her first day on set, and predicting just how far her career could go.
