10 Superhero Movie Performances That Were Totally Oscar-Worthy
2. Hugh Jackman - Logan
Just as Patrick Stewart deserved recognition for Logan, so did Hugh Jackman in the titular role. This was the apex of his career as Wolverine, and considering how gritty, exploratory and existential his performance was, it’s baffling that the Academy didn’t even look his way.
Without Hugh Jackman, the world of superhero movies may be very different today. The more down to earth portrayal in the original trilogy showed that superhero flicks could adapt to the modern era. He’s had successes elsewhere, in Les Miserables, The Prestige and on stage, but he will always be Wolverine.
The X-Men movies have sometimes danced around the central themes of the comic books they’re based on, but Logan struck right to the heart of it. Jackman dug into the source material, deeper than he ever had before, and hit a rich vein of emotional that cemented his superhero legacy.
Logan is a broken man, one who has given up on himself, but not quite everyone else yet. Fiercely protective of Laura and Charles, he’s a wounded animal in every sense.
The movie barely touches his super powers, and without them the Academy would surely have nominated him; this turn definitely deserved it.