Jackman lends voice to E. Aster

MANILA, Philippines - Hugh Jackman made his first major US film appearance as Wolverine in the first installment of the X-Men franchise, a role he reprised in the enormously successful X2 and X-Men: The Last Stand in 2006. Most recently in the franchise, he played Wolverine in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which serves as a prequel to the popular series and grossed $85M domestically in its first weekend of release in May 2009. Audiences will see Jackman in the role again in the next X-Men chapter, The Wolverine.

Jackman recently wrapped production on the much-anticipated film adaptation of the musical Les Miserables, directed by Academy Award-winning director Tom Hooper, and co-starring Anne Hathaway and Russell Crowe. This holiday season, he is lending his voice to a warrior rabbit E. Aster Bunnymund, a.k.a. The Easter Bunny in DreamWorks Animations’ Rise of the Guardians.

In Joyce’s books, E. Aster Bunnymund, better known as the Easter Bunny, is a Pooka, the last of an ancient race of giant, warrior rabbit-priests that protect life. Bunnymund has the ability to create magical portals that allow him to travel throughout the world in the blink of an eye to deliver beautifully decorated Easter eggs.

 “This Easter Bunny is the coolest character you’ve ever met,” says Jackman. “He’s pretty badass. Think Indiana Jones with a touch of Steve Irwin. He protects nature, he’s a brilliant martial artist and he’s very strong. He can jump high, of course, and he has these two boomerangs on his hips, instead of six-shooters, which he uses to great effect. It was great that they allowed me to play him as this irascible Australian — tough, a little bit grumpy, and no-nonsense. He doesn’t muck around. He’s got a job to do and he’s going to get it done, no matter what.”

 Rise of The Guardians is released and distributed by United Intl. Pictures through Solar Entertainment Corp.