# cast Wolverine (with somone who actually looks the part) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 16, 2003, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-wolverine-with-somone-who-actually-looks-the-part/175752 "2003-05-16T19:18:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tygr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df788c/32.png) [@Tygr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tygr)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-wolverine-with-somone-who-actually-looks-the-part/175752/21 "2003-05-17T13:11:29Z")
This is funny. Remember a few years back a movie with Jack Nicholson as a werewolf? The very, very first time I saw the trailer for it I went nuts because, before it got to the movie’s title, I could’ve sworn it was a movie about Wolverine. To me, in that movie, Nicholson looked the part. He pulled off smooth, suave agressiveness, and berserker rage. Give him knives coming out of his knuckles, he’d have been perfect. But, I figger Jack had already done one comic book psycho. No sense typecasting onesself. And Jackman is terrific. Even better in X2, when he… …erm, do I still need a spoiler box?…Ahem. When he takes on the soldiers invading the school, he was perfectly un-restrained. Went nuts and tore them all apart, just like in the comics. Awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-wolverine-with-somone-who-actually-looks-the-part/175752/22 "2003-05-17T13:16:29Z")
I like the look of Jackman as Wolverine, but I was seriously taken aback by the fact that he’s probably the tallest of the lot! In some versions I’ve got, Wolvie is described as small as 5’2". He supposed to be compared to a small, but viscious animal (or have the comics done away with his “beserker rages?”). For me it’s a significant attibrute of the character. My friend and I used to marvel (no pun intended) about the coolness of how such a teeny, tiny little guy could copletely destroy a team of ninjas. And his stealth was incredible. Sure they _could_ make Jackman look shorter, but they don’t. I do like Jackman’s portrayal, really I do, but he’s not the Wolverine I grew up with over the last 15-20 years. As for **Iceman** , I thought that early on in the comics he did not have the “frozen” appearance and retained his regular skin appearance (or am I confusing him with the early version of the Human Torch?) ---
**Author:** ![Reverse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@Reverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reverse)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-wolverine-with-somone-who-actually-looks-the-part/175752/23 "2003-05-17T13:22:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eats\_Crayons \* > \*\*As for _Iceman_, I thought that early on in the comics he did not have the “frozen” appearance and retained his regular skin appearance (or am I confusing him with the early version of the Human Torch?) \*\* I once saw one old story which I believe to be a real old story instead of a remake (because of the artistic style, it looked just like them older comics). It was the first story with Iceman, and he looked sort of snowy, not icy. Well, according to what I remember, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-wolverine-with-somone-who-actually-looks-the-part/175752/24 "2003-05-17T13:41:40Z")
You guys just have to learn to accept that some things that work in comic books won’t work on the big screen. Hugh Jackman IS Wolverine. Shopping for an actor just because he’s short would be idiotic. Going through hoops to make Jackman look short would have been a huge distraction in the movie. There’s simply no point to it. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-wolverine-with-somone-who-actually-looks-the-part/175752/25 "2003-05-17T15:09:46Z")
The only time it REALLY mattered that Wolverine HAD to be short was in the first one when he fought Sabretooth in the snow. And he was. It was perfect. Even after seeing X2 I still think whoever that guy was that they cast as Sabretooth was the most perfect casting of all of the characters in both movies. He looked EXACTLY like Sabretooth and acted exactly like him. And he was so huge that it made the fight between him and Wolverine looked properly “scaled”. I was disappointed that he wasn’t in X2. Sabretooth==Best cast comic character ever! ---
**Author:** ![Anal\_Scurvy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c57346/32.png) [@Anal\_Scurvy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anal_Scurvy)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-wolverine-with-somone-who-actually-looks-the-part/175752/26 "2003-05-17T16:18:41Z")
Mike Mentzer with fifteen percent body fat and a body-toupee. That’s my Wolvie, goddamnit! ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-wolverine-with-somone-who-actually-looks-the-part/175752/27 "2003-05-17T19:42:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by \*\*Reverse \*\*\* > I once saw one old story which I believe to be a real old story instead of a remake (because of the artistic style, it looked just like them older comics). It was the first story with Iceman, and he looked sort of snowy, not icy. In the original X-Men (which were Xavier, Cyclops and Jean, Beast looking like a hairy ape-looking human (no blue fur), Angel, and Iceman), Iceman in his ice form did look very snowy, with extremely indistinct facial features. I don’t recall ever seeing him in human form, I’m not sure if that means he stayed in snow-form all the time. For the heart of the history of the X-Men, though, he morphed back and forth as he pleased. He had the human form and the ice form which was very angular and smooth. For a while he was stuck in ice form because he had been injured somehow (somebody blew a chunk out of his torso or something, IIRC, and nobody knew what it would do to him if he tried to change back), and then he was possessed by Emma Frost, and then… I lost track. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by **Francis E Dec, Esq** _ > Do I sound surprised? The only surprise I mentioned was my surprise that they correctly cast Spiderman. That was a surprise. Jackman is not. In fact, I’m surprised they even kept the Logan hairdo. I guess I don’t get your point, then. Wolvie wasn’t short because Hollywood favors tall good-looking actors. Fact of life. Am I missing something? ---
**Author:** ![Gr8Kat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gr8kat/32/18668_2.png) [@Gr8Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gr8Kat)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-wolverine-with-somone-who-actually-looks-the-part/175752/28 "2003-05-17T20:31:42Z")
> [@](#): > > I guess I don’t get your point, then. Wolvie wasn’t short because Hollywood favors tall good-looking actors. Fact of life. Am I missing something? And Hollywood has been known to favor blondes, so you wouldn’t have complained if Jean Grey had had blonde hair? Hollywood has been known to favor white people, so it would have been all right if Storm had been white? Hollywood has been known to favor youthful people, so it would have been all right if Prof. X and Magneto had been young? Wolverine is a short, hairy animal. He’s a fireplug. He’s not a Hollywood pretty boy. But Hollywood favors tall hunks, so it’s all right that Wolverine is now a tall hunk? Maybe the artists should go ahead and start drawing him that way, too, I guess that’s what people would rather look at. I haven’t read an X-Men or Wolverine comic book in probably 5 or 7 years, and this conceit _still_ ticks me off. ---
**Author:** ![Dugrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Dugrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dugrik)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-wolverine-with-somone-who-actually-looks-the-part/175752/29 "2003-05-17T20:37:49Z")
The actor you’re obviously looking for is Danny DeVito. The short statue, the body hair, the attitude – he’s got it all! Probably need a wig though. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-wolverine-with-somone-who-actually-looks-the-part/175752/30 "2003-05-17T21:51:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Reverse \* > \*\*I once saw one old story which I believe to be a real old story instead of a remake (because of the artistic style, it looked just like them older comics). It was the first story with Iceman, and he looked sort of snowy, not icy. Well, according to what I remember, anyway. \*\* He was snowy in the early issues of _Uncanny X-Men_ comics and during an expository story that explained his powers, the character described (as though giving his biography to an audience) that his icier form came through training and practice. To be fair, _all_ the characters look like snow (or cookie dough) in Jack Kirby’s work. Of course, it’s all been retconned to death by now. If they wanted a short ugly guy to play Wolverine, they could have just asked Tom Cruise. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-wolverine-with-somone-who-actually-looks-the-part/175752/31 "2003-05-17T22:03:36Z")
Look, nobody outside of Australia even knew who Jackman was before X-MEN. They could have found an equally unknown, young, tough Canadian guy in a Keitel/Pacino/DeNiro mode. They didn’t. They found a young, tall, Australian who can fake just enough Clint Eastwood attitude to make it work. As a short guy, I’m offended. But I gotta admit, Jackman did a really good job, especially considering how unlike Wolverine he is in real life. The man can act. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-wolverine-with-somone-who-actually-looks-the-part/175752/32 "2003-05-17T22:04:37Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by White Lightning_ > I guess I don’t get your point, then. Wolvie wasn’t short because Hollywood favors tall good-looking actors. Fact of life. Am I missing something? I’ll give you good-loooking, but tall? Quite a few major Hollywood names are well under six feet. Tom Cruise, for example, is notoriously pocket sized. There’s an oft-parodied tendency in Hollywood to go to great lengths to make short actors appear taller, but I don’t think there’s any basis to claim that short actors are selected against in the movies. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Neanderthal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df788c/32.png) [@Bill\_Neanderthal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Neanderthal)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-wolverine-with-somone-who-actually-looks-the-part/175752/33 "2003-05-17T22:07:51Z")
The Wolverine from the comics seems impossible to cast. Trying to find and actor that is physically like him and also has the acting chops to pull it off? Can’t think of one. Now, if it is just a matter of looks, I’m gonna say Glenn Danzig. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-wolverine-with-somone-who-actually-looks-the-part/175752/34 "2003-05-17T22:27:00Z")
Hasn’t “Lord of the Rings” shown us that audiences will accept (a) very short heroes and (b) camera tricks to make actors look shorter? ---
**Author:** ![Gr8Kat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gr8kat/32/18668_2.png) [@Gr8Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gr8Kat)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-wolverine-with-somone-who-actually-looks-the-part/175752/35 "2003-05-17T22:47:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dugrik \* > \*\*The actor you’re obviously looking for is Danny DeVito. The short statue, the body hair, the attitude – he’s got it all! Probably need a wig though. \*\* LOL, as I wrote my post, that thought did cross my mind 😃 However, Mr. DeVito lacks the six-pack abs. Unless they can squeeze him into a molded Batman-type suit (sans rubber nipples), I’m afraid he’s not right either 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-wolverine-with-somone-who-actually-looks-the-part/175752/36 "2003-05-17T23:42:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bill Neanderthal \* > \*\*The Wolverine from the comics seems impossible to cast. Trying to find and actor that is physically like him and also has the acting chops to pull it off? Can’t think of one. > > Now, if it is just a matter of looks, I’m gonna say Glenn Danzig. \*\* IIRC, he had one serious boner to play Wolvie. He’s supposedly a HUGE fan. ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-wolverine-with-somone-who-actually-looks-the-part/175752/37 "2003-05-18T01:37:20Z")
Brian Clarke Duncan. No? Why not? He’s good for anything. Hey you brought it up, expect to get snide answers. ---
**Author:** ![Cataclysm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Cataclysm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cataclysm)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-wolverine-with-somone-who-actually-looks-the-part/175752/38 "2003-05-18T03:08:58Z")
Personally, I think it was more important to get the character of Wolverine right rather than the physical appearance. I’m glad that Bryan Singer managed to nail the characteristics of Wolverine that we as an audience could appreciate the most - the attitude, the hair and those lovely lovely claws. Hugh Jackman just happens to be a fantastic enough actor to pull that off. ---
**Author:** ![Nightime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Nightime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightime)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-wolverine-with-somone-who-actually-looks-the-part/175752/39 "2003-05-18T03:39:34Z")
I think Hugh makes a good Wolverine, but I wish they would make him a more skilled fighter. Wolverine is supposed to be one of the top fighters in the world, in terms of skill. But in the movies he relies on healing from all the hits he takes, and luck. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-wolverine-with-somone-who-actually-looks-the-part/175752/40 "2003-05-18T04:08:33Z")
In the movies he never spent any time in Madripoor. Different character. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-wolverine-with-somone-who-actually-looks-the-part/175752.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-wolverine-with-somone-who-actually-looks-the-part/175752.md?page=3)