Hugh Jackman has played real performers before — Peter Allen in “The Boy from Oz” comes to mind. But portraying someone who mimicked someone famous? That was a new challenge.
“You don’t have that constant thing of everyone going, ‘Yeah, no, that wasn’t him,’” Jackman says. “When you’re playing someone who’s very well known, the risk becomes sort of more of a mimic than something that feels super honest.”
Hugh Jackman, left, and Kate Hudson, star as a Neil Diamond tribute act in in "Song Sung Blue."
The Tony- and Emmy-winner got the opportunity to test his skills in “Song Sung Blue,” the story of Mike Sardina, a Neil Diamond impersonator. A hit on the bar and fair circuit, Sardina created an act with his wife, Claire. Formerly a Patsy Cline impersonator, she joined him as “Thunder” in their “Lightning and Thunder” act.
The two were determined to get to Las Vegas, and then tragedy struck — Claire lost a foot and part of her leg when a car crashed onto their lawn. Mike continued to perform, but without Claire. Eventually, he got her back on stage, and the two attracted the attention of the real Neil Diamond. The film builds to the potential meeting.
Hugh Jackman, left, and Kate Hudson play married musicians Mike and Claire Sardina in "Song Sung Blue."
Because most filmgoers aren’t familiar with Sardina, they won’t look for distinct quirks. Allen, however, required a freedom of sorts.
“His essence was the crazy, ‘anything could happen’ joy of entertaining live,” Jackman says. “The same for Mike. That’s the essence of the character — and that’s what you want.”
Claire, their children and other family members were on the set when “Song Sung Blue” was filmed.
“They were so happy, so thrilled,” says Kate Hudson, who plays Claire. “They feel like we really took care of their story.”
Kate Hudson, left, and Hugh Jackman in "Song Sung Blue."
Hudson leans into Claire’s Wisconsin accent and studied the 2008 documentary (also named “Song Sung Blue”) that followed the couple. She worked with Jackman’s dialect coach, too, to approximate the Wisconsin accent. “He was amazing,” she says.
“He made sure we sounded like we’re from the same family,” Jackman says.
“It became sort of a blend,” Hudson says of the accent.
Hugh Jackman, left, and Kate Hudson play married musicians Mike and Claire Sardina in "Song Sung Blue."
Jackman says the film works because it’s the story of people holding on to their dreams but still struggling.
“When you see them in the documentary turning on the gas stove, and you realize it’s not for cooking but for heat in the house, you just go, ‘God bless them," Jackman said. "They’re still holding on to that 'wanting to entertain' dream."
Hudson, who released an album, “Glorious,” last year, loved impersonating Patsy Cline in “Song Sung Blue,” and says she’s eyeing the Dusty Springfield story as one she could put on film. “Her story is really amazing,” she says. “You don’t have to twist my arm to want to sing. I love it so much.”
And Claire, her latest character? Already the raves are in. The real Claire Sardina, Hudson says, is “over the moon.”
