Hugh Jackman soaks up the late afternoon sun in Paris where he was on location shooting for “The Son.” Image from Instagram / @thehughjackman
Hollywood actor Hugh Jackman has announced that he has undergone medical tests to determine whether his skin cancer has returned, a routine checkup he’s been undertaking ever since he was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma in 2013.
In his Instagram post on Tuesday, April 4, Jackman was sporting a bandage strip on the tip of his nose, saying that he’s had two biopsies done on “little things” seen by his doctor, and he would find out in two days if these were basal cell.
“I’ll find out in two or three days, and as soon as I know, I’ll let you know,” he said.
The “Wolverine” star, however, assured his fans that basal cell carcinoma is the “least dangerous” type of skin cancer, caused by long-term exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
Jackman likewise advised his fans to always use sunscreen with high SPF, especially when going out under the sun, in order to prevent cancer because “it’s simply not worth it.”
“If I can just take this opportunity to remind you that summer is coming. For those us here in the northern hemisphere, please wear sunscreen. It is just not worth it. No matter how much you want a tan, trust me, trust me. This is all the stuff that happened 25 years ago, and it’s coming out now. Put some sunscreen on. You’ll still have an incredible time out there,” the Australian actor said.
In his caption, “The Greatest Showman” star said that while he has already dished out about his propensity to reacquire his basal cell carcinomas before, “I’m going to keep talking about them, if need be. And if it reminds even one person to put on sunscreen with a high SPF, then I’m happy.”
This is not the first time that Jackman has been diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma. The actor has had several surgeries to remove the cancerous cells in the past. Despite his health condition, he continues to be an active and successful actor, shooting films such as the “X-Men” series, where he played the invincible Wolverine/Logan, “Chappie,” “Pan,” “The Greatest Showman,” and “Les Miserables,” where he won best actor at the Golden Globe Awards.
In June 2022, he tested positive for COVID-19 a second time, prompting him to back out of performing in the Broadway show “The Music Man”.