Hugh Jackman Says Zendaya Was Destined to Be a Superstar

Hugh Jackman has revealed that he knew Zendaya would become one of the biggest stars of her generation when they first worked together on The Greatest Showman.

Jackman, 57, shared the story during a recent conversation with Bilt founder Ankur Jain while taking part in the “Rent Free” game, which offers free rent to Bilt members. The event promoted the partnership between Bilt and Global Citizen, where Jackman serves as an ambassador.

“I remember on day one saying, ‘This young woman is going to be the biggest star of her generation,’” Jackman said.

He recalled being impressed by Zendaya from her very first scene. According to Jackman, she delivered a flawless first take, but director Michael Gracey asked the actors to do another one.

Jackman said he later pulled Gracey aside and questioned the decision.

“I said, ‘What are you doing? Her first take was amazing,’” Jackman recalled.

Gracey reportedly told him that he already knew Zendaya’s performance was excellent, but asked for another take because he did not want Jackman or Zac Efron to feel embarrassed that she had performed so well on her first attempt.

Zendaya went on to become one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, with major roles in Euphoria, the Spider-Man films and Dune.

Jackman is now preparing to host the Global Citizen Festival on September 26 at Central Park’s Great Lawn in New York. This year, the campaign aims to help 2 million children gain access to school, support 1.5 million smallholder farmers and bring electricity to 2.5 million homes.

Away from his charity work, Jackman has also been enjoying music and time with his girlfriend, Sutton Foster.

The couple were spotted together in North Carolina in July. They later reunited on stage at the Tanglewood music festival in Massachusetts on August 14, where they performed “A Million Dreams” from The Greatest Showman.

Jackman introduced Foster to the audience before the performance, recalling that they had sung the song together years earlier, before starring opposite each other in the Broadway production of The Music Man in 2022.

The following day, Jackman shared photos from the performance on Instagram, writing, “Last night was a blast! My heart is full. Thank you ALL for choosing to spend the evening with us.”

From recognizing Zendaya’s star power on day one to sharing the stage with Foster years later, Jackman’s recent moments have brought together some of the most memorable chapters of his career.