Hugh Jackman reveals how the death of his father and filming of his son have made him a “different parent”.

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Hugh Jackman While filming, I experienced many highs as well as lows. The Son.

A appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert The actor, 54, spoke Monday about the shifts he experienced as both father and son while filming the film.

After showing a clip from the emotional film —which sees character Peter’s (Jackman) life with his new partner Beth (Vanessa Kirby) change dramatically when his ex-wife Kate (Laura Dern) informs him their son Nicholas (Zen McGrath) is struggling and missing significant school time — Jackman admitted he “did hug my kids, especially tight, after that.”

Colbert asked Colbert if he had rethought his role as parent after he shared that his father died while filming the movie.

Jackman declared, “I believe I’m now a different parent because of it.”

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RELATED: Hugh Jackman’s 2 Kids: Everything to Know

He explained, “I think I’m more open to being vulnerable with them saying things like ‘I’m not sure,’ or realizing that sometimes I may be preoccupied by something going on with me — like I’m preoccupied about the opening of The Music ManFor example,

“And then realizing that their perceptions may be wrong and me not communicating with them because I don’t want that to bother them, doesn’t help,” said he. “So now I find that I am saying, “hey guys. Sorry if it feels distant. I’m really worried about this and if my head has gone off, it’s nothing with you.”

Jackman says that his kids — daughter, Ava, 17, and son Oscar, 22, whom he shares with wife Deborra-Lee Furness — “really appreciate” his attempts.

“I think that idea of communicating more — not necessarily just because you’re the father — and you don’t have to know, you don’t have to know what to do or what the best thing is, and it’s okay to say that,” he noted, then joking, “then, of course, they use that and wrap around you a little finger.”

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Jackman and Furness raised their children away from the public eye. They rarely share photos of their child or bring them along to public events. They aren’t afraid to express how much they love their family.

“It’s so exciting to be a parent. They’ve both done it. made me smarter than I think I ever could have been on my own“They are my children,” Furness stated of her children in a 2020 interview with PEOPLE. You can’t lie to children and yourself when you’re a parent. They will highlight every flaw, your Achilles heel and whatever else you have. You have to be honest with yourself.

Now, Oscar and Ava are all grown up and they are able to discuss difficult subjects — such as mental health — with their dad. A 2022 screening of his film The SonThe story follows a family who is struggling with their teenage son’s depressive disorder. Jackman said that his children “are not happy.” totally fine having these conversations“About their mental health.

“It was important that I talked to them.” [Oscar and Ava] Jackman spoke about the significance of the event, its meaning and why he was doing it. Florian Zeller-directed drama. “When I saw the movie I took my kids with me and we had a long chat. Amazingly, the 22- to 17-year old generation is perfectly fine having these conversations.

The father of two said, “I’m really proud” of his children for their engagement with the subject.