MILWAUKEE — Students at Milwaukee High School of the Arts got an unexpected holiday surprise Monday when actor Hugh Jackman walked into their music class with a special message and gifts.
The visit wasn't just a celebrity appearance. For students like Jasper Davidson, a senior creative writing major, it felt like validation of their artistic dreams.
"It felt validating, it felt like we were appreciated," Davidson said.
Students initially thought they were getting a preview of Jackman's new film "Song Sung Blue" until the actor himself walked through their classroom door, prompting screams and cheers from surprised teenagers.
"It was lovely to see the arts exalted like that," Davidson said.
Jackman, accompanied by director Craig Brewer, stopped at the Milwaukee Public Schools arts magnet before the premiere of their film. They donated brand new instruments to the students, but Jackman said the real gift was his message about following dreams.
"I said whatever it means to you, follow it, and there is no one else like you," Jackman said. "This was in many ways the most important day of this whole journey because we love this story about these folk heroes, Lightning and Thunder, Mike and Claire but also this, It's a love letter to this town, to this, to Milwaukee, to musicians, to places like this all around the world, so we had to come here."
For Davidson, who hopes to study film in college, Jackman's advice about pursuing big dreams resonated deeply.
"A big part of it was like, follow your dreams, don't be afraid to have magnificent dreams, expect to be successful in ways that you couldn't expect to be," Davidson said.
James Ferguson, a Milwaukee Public Schools Board Director and MHSA alumnus, witnessed the excitement firsthand.
"It was exciting to watch them be so excited for Hugh Jackman coming here. So, the videos don't do the moment justice, though when they actually saw him walk through the door it, it was electrifying," Ferguson said.
Ferguson calls MHSA "magical," describing it as a place where young artists discover their identity and build confidence that lasts a lifetime.
Watch: Actor Hugh Jackman surprises Milwaukee High School of the Arts students with holiday gifts
For Davidson, the visit reinforced the importance of maintaining his individual artistic style while incorporating inspiration from others.
"Maybe I'll take bits of that and incorporate that into my own style, but I think that maintaining my own style is really like the core of that, and I think that that bleeds over to everything, not just writing," Davidson said.
The superstar visit left a lasting impression on students who saw someone who once shared their passion for theater and music encourage them to chase their biggest dreams.
"I think it was beautiful and important for a lot of people to see him here and see him supporting arts, supporting us," Davidson said.
Davidson wants to see others follow Jackman's example and invest in local youth arts programs.
Ferguson summed up the visit's impact simply: "What was possible for him is possible for all of us."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
