'He was flailing': Hugh Jackman seeing therapist to 'fill the hole' left by his father's death
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Actor Hugh Jackman, is reportedly not in a good space mentally as he’s begun taking professional help following the death of his father. As per sources, the actor is seeing a therapist to feel better amid his busy professional as well as personal life.
Jackman announced the death of his father, Christopher John Jackman, on September 6, 2021.
RadarOnline.com reported that Jackman’s father's death was not the only tipping point for him as his childhood was not normal, which filled him with a lot of pain over time. ‘The Wolverine’ star was just eight when his mother, Grace McNeil, left for England, leaving him and his brothers with his father in Australia.
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The mother apparently just took her daughters with her. An insider shared, “Hugh never got over those abandonment issues. He's carried that weight with him to this day, and it's finally worn him down to the point where he decided he needed professional help.” Jackman had also talked about it once while speaking with ‘Australia's 60 Minutes.’
The 54-year-old actor said, “I can remember the morning she left, it's weird the things you pick up. I remember her being in a towel around her head and saying goodbye. The next day there was a telegram from England. Mum was there. And then that was it. Dad used to pray every night that mum would come back.”
After Jackman’s mother left, his father took care of him and whom he called his “best buddy”. But in September 2021, Chris breathed his last, leaving ‘The Greatest Showman’ actor devastated. The sources reportedly shared, “He's not been able to fill that hole ever since.” Besides, another insider added, “Hugh's father was there for him every step of the way. He was flailing and is still struggling to stay on track — but therapy's been a lifesaver for him!”
This comes after in December 2022, Jackman gave an interview to Who magazine, where he reportedly said, “I just started it [therapy] recently. It helped me a lot. We all need a village.” He also stated that “having someone really smart, who’s a little bit removed from your world, can be really helpful.”
The ‘Logan’ actor reportedly told Who, “Most importantly, it's helping me to be more relational with the people I love in my life, and really understanding and living in their shoes and being clear to be able to see them.”
Jackman also had an interview with The Hollywood Reporter years ago where he shared his mom’s side after understanding it. He had added, “To be in Australia at that point, with my father working hard, I think Mom just felt incredibly isolated. Fairly soon, she had difficulties. She was in the hospital a long time after I was born. She had very bad postpartum depression. I’m guessing it lasted years because I remember she used to go off for little periods. I think she was feeling trapped.”
