Hugh Jackman took a moment during his stage show at Radio City Music Hall to comment on one detail from his recent film Deadpool & Wolverine that didn’t sit quite right with him: his absence from a major dance number.
Performing as part of his musical revue From New York, With Love, Jackman paused during the show to share what he described as “one little gripe” about the Marvel film that paired him with Ryan Reynolds. While the two actors have long maintained a public friendship filled with teasing banter, Jackman used the moment to offer a lighthearted observation about how the film’s opening musical sequence left him out.
According to The Daily Mail, Jackman told the crowd, “Don’t tell Ryan… I don’t need to be in every scene in the movie. But Ryan is a writer. And when I see the script, I see that the scene that I’m not in is the opening sequence which is a dance number to an NSYNC song by Ryan.”
He continued, “I’m like, the one scene I’m not in has dance. Now Ryan, he’s very talented, but dancing?”
The audience responded with laughter as Jackman explained that he felt compelled to fix the situation on his own terms. Calling it “the dance that got away,” he brought his trainer and former dancer Beth Lewis on stage and the two performed a choreographed routine to NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye,” the same song used in the film’s opening.
The performance was not part of the original show lineup but appeared to be a response to the scene Jackman referenced, in which Reynolds’ character dances in the film’s introduction without Wolverine present. Jackman’s background in musical theater has long been part of his public persona, with performances in The Boy from Oz, Les Misérables, and various live tours over the years.
Deadpool & Wolverine, released in 2024, is the third film in the Deadpool series and the 34th title in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It brought together two of the franchise’s most recognizable characters, combining action and comedy in a project that was heavily promoted in advance of its release. The film went on to earn $1.338 billion globally.
Jackman’s appearance in the film marked his return to the role of Wolverine after what had previously been presented as his final appearance in Logan (2017). The pairing with Reynolds, who plays Deadpool, was widely anticipated and positioned as a major event for the franchise.
His current stage show at Radio City features a mix of musical numbers and personal stories drawn from his life and career. The comment about the missing dance scene came during one of several scheduled performances, with six shows remaining. Jackman’s residency concludes with final dates set for August 15 and 16.
The From New York, With Love run is designed to reflect Jackman’s long-standing connection to both film and live performance. The venue, known for hosting large-scale concerts and theatrical events, provides a backdrop for the actor to return to the stage between film projects.
