Actor Hugh Jackman is interested in buying a stake in English football club Norwich City, according to reports published by sports news outlet The Athletic.
No official steps have been taken toward a formal acquisition, but the Australian star has held preliminary discussions with the owners of the EFL Championship side.
Speaking on British sports radio station talkSPORT, Jackman said he was very, very interested in purchasing shares and confirmed he was actively discussing the potential investment. He also praised fellow actor Ryan Reynolds, who co-owns Welsh side Wrexham AFC, encouraging Reynolds to keep doing his thing while adding that he himself is backing the Canaries.
Jackman was born and grew up in Australia, but he sympathises with Norwich City because his mother comes from that region of eastern England. Best known globally for his long-running role as the superhero Wolverine in the X-Men film series, the actor has maintained a personal connection to the Norfolk area.
Championship status and growing celebrity investment
Norwich City currently competes in the EFL Championship, the second tier of the English football league system. The club suffered relegation from the top-flight Premier League at the end of the 2021 to 2022 season and has been aiming to secure a return to the Premier League for several years. The Canaries finished in ninth place in the Championship standings last season.
Movie stars and prominent athletes have increasingly turned to investing in English football clubs. Reynolds' co-ownership of Wrexham remains the most visible example of Hollywood involvement in the sport, but film stars are also actively involved at other English teams.
At West Yorkshire club Leeds United, actors Russell Crowe and Will Ferrell hold investment stakes alongside former NBA Most Valuable Player Russell Westbrook and professional golfer Jordan Spieth. If negotiations progress, Jackman could become the latest high-profile entertainment figure to acquire an ownership share in an English club.
