Cinematic Crush: Hugh Jackman

Bursting onto the silver screen with claws blazing, Hugh Jackman became an overnight superstar as the brooding superhero Wolverine in X-Men. With his rugged physique and looks to match, his charisma was palatable, his wit as sharp as the blades that protruded from his knuckles.

His charming screen presence carried him through lesser follow-up roles (Someone Like You, Swordfish), but he regained his mojo as the swoon-inducing romantic hero of Kate & Leopold and his return to mutantkind with the blockbuster sequel, X2: X-Men United.

Although another franchise attempt (Van Helsing) failed (I blame the hair), Jackman floored everyone with his triple threat tour de force as the flamboyant Peter Allen in Broadway's The Boy from Oz, which won him the Tony and let him kiss hunky Jarrod Emick every night. Of course, Jackman was no stranger to musical theater, having starred in Beauty and the Beast, Sunset Boulevard and Oklahoma! in his native Australia and England.

There is no stopping the seemingly tireless Jackman. Last year alone he starred in six movies. And after conquering film and stage, his next target is television with this fall's Viva Laughlin. Plus, he'll reprise his signature role in the eagerly anticipated Wolverine solo feature.

But no matter where he is, onstage or onscreen, one thing is certain: we'll be watching him.

Links via Imdb.com and Playbill.com.