Hugh Jackman on Hosting TONYS: 'Like the Olympics for An Athlete'

In an interview posted on today's Billboard.com, Hugh Jackman spoke about hosting this year's TONY AWARDS, which will be broadcast on CBS live from New York's Radio City Music Hall on Sunday June 8th at 8/7c

"It's like the Olympics for an athlete or the Super Bowl for a football player," explained the Tony-winning actor. "You want to do your best, and, of course, you only get one shot at it. But they're the things you look back at the end of the day and say, `I'm glad I had a go at that."

Jackman is no stranger to hosting the annual awards event, returning this year for his fourth go-around. "I've done it three times, the Tonys. For me it's one of the best shows out there. It is one of the most accepting, generous audiences you can ever get at Radio City Music Hall," He adds, "I never take for granted how lucky I am to be embraced by that community. After all, I'm an Aussie, but I've always felt at home there."

Just yesterday, BWW reported the official announcement that Sonia Friedman Productions will present the Royal Court Theatre production of THE RIVER, a new play by Jez Butterworth, starring Jackman, along with Laura Donnelly and Cush Jumbo, and directed byIan Rickson. The production will open on Sunday, November 16 on Broadway at the Circle in The Square Theatre.

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Jackman was recently seen in Prisoners alongside Jake Gyllenhaal. Other upcoming big screen projects include X-Men: Days of Future Past and The Greatest Showman on Earth. Other films include The Wolverine and the Oscar-nominated movie adaptation of Les Miserables.

Jackman has appeared on Broadway in Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway, A Steady Rain and The Boy From Oz -- for which he won the 2004 Tony Award -- as well as off-Broadway's Carousel. In 2012, Jackman was honored with a Tony Award Special Award for Extraordinary Contribution to the Theatre Community.

Photo courtesy of CBS