How much is Hugh Jackman’s salary on Broadway? Actor’s reported pay for headlining role in The Music Man revealed

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Global Citizen NOW Summit (Image via Getty)

Hugh Jackman isn't just the most recognizable Hollywood star, but he's also among the highest-paid stars to have ever performed on Broadway. Jackman, who gained international recognition for his role as Wolverine in the X-Men film series, returned to Broadway in 2022 with The Music Man, receiving not just standing ovations but also an incredible salary.

Celebrity Sightings In New York City - April 03, 2025 (Image via Getty)
Celebrity Sightings In New York City - April 03, 2025 (Image via Getty)

Hugh Jackman made an estimated $100,000 a week playing Harold Hill in The Music Man, according to a June 2025 Us Weekly article. He is among the highest-paid performers in Broadway history with that amount, which is far more than the $2,439 weekly minimum compensation set by the Actors' Equity Association, according to Playbill.

While pay varies by job, experience, and union-negotiated contracts, Jackman's pay is far more than the average for Broadway's rank-and-file artists. Depending on how well the show does and how well-known their parts are, most Broadway actors make between $45,000 and $220,000 annually. Jackman's weekly pay alone would be more than $5.2 million a year, assuming a one-year run.

Hugh Jackman joins the unique company of artists because of his salary from The Music Man. Bette Midler, who received $150,000 a week for Hello, Dolly! in 2017, and Julia Roberts, who received the same amount during her tenure in Three Days of Rain, starring Paul Rudd and Bradley Cooper, are two more Broadway A-listers with equally high wages.


Hugh Jackman's a proven Broadway favourite

Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig star in Keith Huff's two-character police drama, A Steady Rain. (Image via Instagram/@HamptonTheatreC)
Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig star in Keith Huff's two-character police drama, A Steady Rain. (Image via Instagram/@HamptonTheatreC)

Hugh Jackman's been a hit since he appeared on Broadway. He co-starred with Daniel Craig in the 2009 play A Steady Rain, where the two stars reportedly made $40,000 a week. Their weekly profits eventually skyrocketed to about $100,000 apiece due to a profit-sharing arrangement linked to ticket sales, highlighting the significant financial incentives accessible to Hollywood celebrities venturing into live theater.

The financial success of a play is often linked to these exorbitant salaries. Broadway is an unstable industry; if a production doesn't do well, it will close down quickly. Payrolls, however, rise in tandem with the box office figures. Jackman was able to charge prices that were comparable to those of his Hollywood appearances since his name on the marquee practically ensured a sold-out house.


Broadway salary vs Hollywood salary

2024 New York Comic Con (Image via Getty)
2024 New York Comic Con (Image via Getty)

Although earning $100,000 a week is great, Jackman's earnings from his film career, particularly from his role as Wolverine, far exceed this amount. Augustman claims that Jackman made $20 million for Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), the much-awaited MCU film that would see him reprise his role. Co-star Ryan Reynolds, who was also a co-writer and co-producer, received the same pay.

According to The Things, Jackman has earned over $100 million from the X-Men series and its spin-offs. Among his earnings are:

$500,000 for X-Men (2000), $1 Million for X-Men: X-Men United (2003), $5 million for X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), $20 million for X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), $20 million for The Wolverine (2013) and $7 million for the X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014).

For the 2017 movie, Logan, Director James Mangold revealed that Hugh Jackman took a pay cut so that 20th Century Fox could justify the film's financial risk. The exact figure was not disclosed.


Hugh Jackman's salary isn't just a figure; it's a statement of his ability to attract and provide hits.

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Edited by Anshika Jain