The bad boy of X-Men and nice guy of Hollywood Hugh Jackman tells Hot Press about playing Jean Valjean in Tom Hooper's epic musical, Les Misérables.

"In a way this was the most challenging because my character undergoes such a transformation during the movie."

The accomplished actor also reveals that getting a part in Les Mis feels like fate, because he actually used a song from the musical in his first ever audition.

"The audition was for Beauty & the Beast... To be honest, it was the only thing I had music for."

Jackman also sings the praises (pardon the pun) of director Tom Hooper.

"What Tom Hooper realised is that you want it to feel live, you want it to feel like it's happening."

Read the full interview in the new edition of Hot Press which is in shops now. In the jam-packed first edition of 2013 we also have interviews with Villagers Conor J. O'Brien, new Irish rugby captain Jamie Heaslip, US sister-trio Haim, The Lumineers, The Strypes and Derry singing sensation SOAK. Order this issue here.