Jackman: Riding freaked me out

2008-12-28 14:00

Los Angeles - Hugh Jackman agreed to play a cowboy in Australia without knowing how to ride a horse.

The handsome actor admits he only has minimal riding experience and worried he would fall short as The Drover - an Australian version of a cowboy - in his latest movie.

"Every actor you've ever met says he knows how to ride a horse so when they asked me if I could, I said, 'Yeah, I can ride' but I had really only done a little bit before," he said.

When he received the script, Hugh began to realise he had underestimated how demanding the role would be.

"This is how they describe my character's horsemanship, 'The Drover, astride his horse like a knight in shining armour corralling 100 wild horses, by himself.' That freaked me out," Hugh, 40, added.

"Then it says, 'The Drover rides along on the saddle pursuing a bull. He leaps down and throws the massive beast on to its side. The Drover takes out a bush knife, grabs the bull by the balls and slices them!'"

In preparation for playing The Drover, Hugh embarked upon a gruelling horse training regime, riding every day for a year before shooting began on the movie.

Australia is showing in South African cinemas. - Bang Showbiz.com

- Bang