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Politics in the Trump era has lifted some of its narrative from the script of the latest X-Men film, according to Hugh Jackman, aka Wolverine.
The 10th film in the franchise, Logan, features a past-his-prime Wolverine who is caring for an ailing Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) in a hideout on the Mexican border.
Logan is the last time Jackman and Stewart will star in the 17-year-old film series, and both told Lateline it was a perfect ending.
Donald Trump's wall idea in Logan script
"I got to tell you, two years ago when I saw a first treatment, there was talk of a border wall — and about a year later as the [US election] primaries were happening I was like, 'I think someone's leaked our script'," Jackman said.
Sir Patrick said he never could have predicted that the theme of the movie would be as pertinent as it is now.
"The three principal characters have one overriding objective in this film: to reach a border, to cross it into safety," he said.
"And as we speak there are hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people whose only hope, whose only chance of survival, is to reach a border and to cross it to safety. So suddenly our film has become extraordinarily relevant."
Jackman reluctant to weigh into American politics
"I live and work in America very gratefully on a visa. I'm very aware that I'm literally inside someone else's home," he said.
"Obviously I get asked all the time about America. It's a brave person who can go into someone else's house and tell them how they should live."
Sir Patrick dismayed by populist politics, Brexit
"I am deeply dismayed that we should be in the process of separating ourselves from the European Union. It was for me one of the most profound and heart-warming political decisions of the 20th century," he said.
"I was born in 1940 so I just have memories of World War II and my father coming home from that. When we said officially, formally, Europe is united, it made me so happy.
"Now we're in the process of unravelling. This cannot come to good."
Logan brought both men to tears
Sir Patrick said he only decided that Logan would be his final appearance in X-Men while watching a screening of the film in Berlin a few days ago.
"At one point just a few moments before it ended, Hugh reached over and took my hand and then I saw his hand go up to his face and I realised I needed to do the same thing.
"You know, here's these two strapping actors, grown men, and we were sitting shedding a tear at our own movie.
"Then they ran the credits. During that time the realisation came to me that there could be no more perfect way to say goodbye to Charles Xavier than what I had just watched."
Jackman on Wolverine's workouts
"I'm in a lot better shape than I would be at age 45 if I hadn't done these films, that's for sure," he said.
"I've got a few little niggles there, a shoulder thing and I was very tired on this film, I have to admit.
"It was a gruelling shoot but we embraced it. I kind of wanted it to be. When you know it's your last game of footy you leave it all out there on the field."
Topics: film-movies, arts-and-entertainment, action, actor, australia, united-states
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