Jackman attended the Pymble Public School and the Knox Grammar School, an all-boys school in his childhood. It was here when he first stepped in the world of acting through acting in the musical My Fair Lady in the year 1985, being directed by the headmaster, Dr. Ian Paterson. Again, in 1989 Jackman participated in a Christian workcamp on Hasst's Bluff and Areyonga Aboriginal land in the Western Desert in the Central Australia. This was followed by his graduation with a BA in Communications, with major in Journalism. But to pursue a course in acting Jackman used his inheritance from his grandmother and joined the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts of the Edith Cowan University in Perth, from where he graduated in 1994. It is to be noted, that Jackman started his acting career in Australia, in place of U.S.A. His early film work includes Erskineville Kings and Paperback Hero in the year 1999. In the same time he also acted in the a number of television projects, of which the most prominent are Correlli, Law of the Land, Halifax f.p., Blue Heelers and Banjo Paterson's The Man from Snowy River. Again, in 2006, he was cast to replace Russell Crowe in Baz Luhrmann's Australia, starring opposite Nicole Kidman. The film at present is in production in the region of Queensland, at the north-east coastal town of Bowen. Besides, he was also found to sing the Australian National Anthem in front of 100,000 people at the Melbourne Cricket Ground before the 1998 Bledisloe Cup. Jackman also sang the National Anthem at the 1999 NRL Grand Final in front of 108,000 people at Stadium Australia. What's more, during his stage musical career in Melbourne, Jackman starred in the 1998 Midsummer festival cabaret production Summa Cabaret. He also hosted both Melbourne's Carols by Candlelight and Sydney's Carols in the Domain.

Jackman first became known outside of Australia when he got the opportunity to play the leading role of Curly in the heralded stage production of Oklahoma! in the West End during the year 1998 at the Royal National Theatre, England. It is to be noted that Jackman also appeared in a film version of the stage musical, in the year 1999. In respect of the United States of America, in the year 2002, at Manhattan, in the New York City, Jackman sang the role of Billy Bigelow in Carousel in a special concert performance at the Carnegie Hall. In 2000, he was also cast in the role of Wolverine in X-Men of Bryan Singer in the place of Dougray Scott. In 2001, Jackman starred in the role of Leopold, in the romantic comedy film Kate & Leopold, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award in the Categoy of Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. In the year 2007 Jackman was responsible in producing and and also starring as guest in the much talked but unsuccessful television drama Viva Laughlin, which was cancelled by the CBS only after two episodes. A decision about the remaining episodes already filmed at the time of cancellation is yet to be made. Both Jackman and his wife Furness were both shocked and saddened by this cancellation.It is learnt that Jackman, in the current days, is preparing a number of movies which he will both produce and act. This includes Wolverine, which is destined to begin filming in early 2008.