When Hugh Jackman Revealed His First Job Was a Total Flop—Here’s What He Learned After Getting Fired from 7-Eleven! (Photo Credit – Instagram)
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Hugh Jackman might be Wolverine to millions, but before the claws, capes, and Hollywood glamor, he was just a teenager hustling through part-time jobs. And yes, he faced his fair share of job failures like many of us. One of those? Getting fired from 7-Eleven. That’s right—Hugh Jackman got canned from his first real gig. Why? Well, let’s say the man talked too much!
“When I was at 7-Eleven, my customer service skills were top-notch,” Jackman once shared. But, according to his manager, that was the problem. “I talked too much to the customers… She just wanted me to get them out.” The friendly banter wasn’t working in the convenience store world. Jackman, though, had other plans—big ones.
But let’s rewind a bit. Before 7-Eleven, the Sydney native started with more straightforward gigs, delivering pamphlets and brochures around his neighborhood. But the 7-Eleven job was his first real taste of responsibility. And even though he was let go, Jackman took it in stride. He realized something valuable from that early stumble: every job teaches you something. “I was left with this feeling that I could make my way. I could work with my hands, my feet, and my brain,” Jackman reflected.
Of course, 7-Eleven was a distant memory when Jackman hit the stage in Oklahoma! At London’s Royal National Theatre. He called it one of his most cherished experiences—being an unknown Australian actor starring in a primary production. “I was in the lead role and could catch the bus to and from. I’d walk across Waterloo Bridge, and I was at the National Theater. It was like all of my dreams,” Jackman recalled.
Soon, theater gigs gave way to global stardom. Jackman’s big break came with X-Men in 2000, where his portrayal of Wolverine became legendary. Afterward, roles like The Prestige, Les Misérables, and The Greatest Showman followed, bringing him more accolades and recognition.
But for Jackman, those early jobs, including the one he lost, laid the foundation. “You realize that you’ve got a role to play—a responsibility—and people are expecting you to fulfill it,” he said about his time in the workforce. Whether chatting up customers or catching the bus to a leading role, Jackman learned that no job is too small and every step counts.
Not every day do you hear about an A-lister’s first job being a flop, but Jackman’s experience proves that even superstars start small. From 7-Eleven cashier to Wolverine, his journey shows the value of lessons learned—failures and all. Plus, let’s face it: if anyone will initiate a conversation while ringing up your Slurpee, we’re happy it was Hugh Jackman.
