Hugh Jackman talks about the importance of mental health support. Image Source: People
Hugh Jackman talks about the importance of mental health support.
Hugh Jackman revealed to the BBC that he has come to the realization of how sensitive he is and that the producers of his upcoming film The Son had decided to hire mental health professionals to stay on set for the crew and cast if they needed to talk. He did explain that it was the first time he saw something like that on a film set and that people used it because it was necessary.
Intimacy coaches, according to the actor, are becoming more common on sets while intimate scenes are being shot, but he believes mental health support is also needed, especially in films with challenging stuff.
He went on to explain that there's a small part of his brain that believes it is up to the individuals to figure it out. He went on to say that if an individual needs to see a doctor for any reason, whether it's their foot or their mental health, they should figure it out. However, Hugh Jackman added that he believes it is a sign from that an employer that they recognize that taking good care of the whole person, not just offering to pay them, but paying attention to their well-being in all aspects, is essential.
Hugh Jackman plays Peter, a successful lawyer, in the film, along with his teenage son from a previous marriage, Zen McGrath, who suffers from depression. Hugh expressed anxiety about coming back to work after COVID restrictions were lifted, and his father died while he was filming the film. He discussed that his dad never missed a day of work in his life, and he tried to imagine what his dad would say when asked why he didn't take time to relax, which was to go to work.The actor said he was going to be among the last individuals he knows to describe himself as a total mess, but he was while filming The Son.
The actor continued to suffer restless nights while playing Peter, a perfectionist with a new relationship, a young baby, an ex-wife, and their troubled teenage son while filming the film while dealing with the loss of his father. The actor says he still sees the mental health professional who helped him during filming.
Hugh Jackman hopes that The Son will start serious conversations about issues of mental health. He claims that there is an important lack of understanding cluelessness and shame associated with the subject, and he wants to believe that it is an issue that people must encounter immediately. For his role in the drama, the performer has already earned a Golden Globe nomination for best actor.
Hugh Jackman previously revealed in an interview with Who Magazine that he had started therapy to aid him to deal with unsettled childhood trauma. He explained that having someone extremely intelligent who is somewhat excluded from one's world can be highly beneficial. Most importantly, he says, it's allowing him to become more interrelated with the people he cares about in his life, by true comprehension and living in their shoes, and also being clear enough to see them.
During The Son's news conference in Venice ahead of its special screening in September, Laura Dern, who plays Hugh Jackman's ex-wife in the film, stated that the film was released during a crisis of mental health caused by the pandemic. It's terrifying, she says, and even if a person feels helpless, alone in pity, and remorse and tries blaming, they can turn to numerous people who have been through this before and can recommend them. The actress stated that everybody involved in the film, including the cast, wants to feel a sense of belonging in this broader discussion about mental health that everyone should be having.
The Whole Picture Toolkit, which has been adopted by 35 productions so far, offers guidelines and suggestions on trying to support psychological health and well-being on set, in addition to during both pre- and post-production.
