Hugh Jackman is taking on a new position, but don’t expect to see him on a film set. The 57-year-old has been announced as Head of Impact for Humanitix, an Australian ticketing platform founded in 2016 that directs all of its profits to charity rather than corporate gain. The role comes with zero financial compensation, making it quite the departure from his usual Hollywood ventures.
The unlikely partnership began through a chance introduction. Philosopher and author Peter Singer, himself a famous Australian, connected Jackman with high school friends Joshua Ross and Adam McCurdie, the platform’s founders. As Ross explained to nine.com.au, the connection was immediate: “Turns out Hugh’s read a bunch of Peter’s books, so have we, and so he thought we should have a conversation.”
What followed was a phone call that Ross described as “uncanny”. The conversation revealed surprising common ground between Jackman and the founders. “We’d read all the same books about social enterprise and philanthropy,” Ross said. “It then became a conversation that naturally evolved to ‘Well, how do I get involved? How can I help you guys? This is amazing’?”
McCurdie faced some personal pressure to include his wife and mother-in-law on the call with Jackman. His family had been integral to Humanitix from the beginning, volunteering their time since the company’s inception over a decade ago. “When I started dating my wife over 10 years ago when this all began, she and my mother-in-law helped us out significantly with volunteer hours. They’ve seen this whole journey since the beginning and they really wanted to join the call with Hugh,” McCurdie explained. Ultimately, he kept the meeting professional, though his family remained “incredibly excited” about Jackman’s involvement.
Humanitix operates as a user-friendly platform for booking tickets to events ranging from workshops to large festivals, with all proceeds supporting social projects. The platform has already donated more than $20 million to high-impact charities and aims to reach $100 million within five years. Jackman’s involvement is expected to accelerate the company’s global expansion.
What sets this partnership apart is Jackman’s genuine commitment rather than a typical celebrity endorsement. “It’s not a typical celebrity endorsement. He’s not getting paid for this. He’s doing this because he’s genuinely passionate,” McCurdie emphasised. The actor is prepared to actively participate in the business’s growth, bringing both expertise and influence to the role.
McCurdie expressed his admiration for Jackman’s dedication, noting “It’s unbelievable how well-read he is already on social enterprise and how much more engaged he wants to continue to be. When we showed him our numbers, when we talked through our model, he’s 100 steps ahead already.”
In a statement about his new role, Jackman highlighted the platform’s impact: “Most of us don’t think twice about ticketing fees or where the profits go. Humanitix flips that on its head by turning those fees into real impact for real people. It’s such a simple shift, but it has already changed tens of thousands of lives and has the potential to change millions more.”
