Hugh Jackman Tests Positive for COVID, Pulls Out of ‘Music Man’ Shows

Hugh Jackman poses as he arrives for the 75th Annual Tony Awards in New York City, US, June 12, 2022. (Reuters)
Hugh Jackman poses as he arrives for the 75th Annual Tony Awards in New York City, US, June 12, 2022. (Reuters)
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Hugh Jackman Tests Positive for COVID, Pulls Out of ‘Music Man’ Shows

Hugh Jackman poses as he arrives for the 75th Annual Tony Awards in New York City, US, June 12, 2022. (Reuters)
Hugh Jackman poses as he arrives for the 75th Annual Tony Awards in New York City, US, June 12, 2022. (Reuters)

Actor Hugh Jackman has had to back out of performing in Broadway show "The Music Man" for the next week after he tested positive for COVID-19 a second time.

The Australian star, 53, posted a video message on his Twitter page late on Monday. The news came a day after the "X-Men" and "The Greatest Showman" actor performed at the Tony Awards.

"I wanted you guys to hear it from me first that unfortunately this morning I have frustratingly tested positive for COVID again," said Jackman, who plays con man Harold Hill in the musical revival.

"So my incredible standby Max Clayton is going to go on for me. Max and I have been working together on this show for over two years... I can tell you from being in the room with him and from experience he's absolutely extraordinary so I'm just frustrated that I won't get to see him and cheer him on."

The production, showing at New York's Winter Garden Theatre, cancelled performances last December after Jackman contracted the virus.

"This is another reminder to me... that the real heroes of Broadway are our standbys, our understudies and swings and never has that been more obvious than in the past year," Jackman said.

"They give meaning to the phrase 'The show must go on' and it will go on and it will be amazing."

Jackman said he would be back as soon as possible. A post on the production's Twitter page said he would return on June 22.



Slovakia Festival Hosting Kanye West Cancelled after 'Heil Hitler' Furore

Kanye West's song 'Heil Hitler' ends with a speech by the Nazi leader. KEVORK DJANSEZIAN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Kanye West's song 'Heil Hitler' ends with a speech by the Nazi leader. KEVORK DJANSEZIAN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
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Slovakia Festival Hosting Kanye West Cancelled after 'Heil Hitler' Furore

Kanye West's song 'Heil Hitler' ends with a speech by the Nazi leader. KEVORK DJANSEZIAN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Kanye West's song 'Heil Hitler' ends with a speech by the Nazi leader. KEVORK DJANSEZIAN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

The Slovakia festival due to welcome Kanye West next week has called off the event following the uproar over the US rapper's May release of a song glorifying Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

Before the July 20 gig was cancelled, Bratislava's Rubicon hip hop festival was set to be West's only confirmed live performance in Europe this year.

Though he has won 24 Grammy Awards over the course of his career, the erratic rapper has become notorious in recent years for his increasingly antisemitic and hate-filled rants.

West, who has legally changed his name to the shorthand "Ye", released the song "Heil Hitler" on May 8, the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.

In the wake of the announcement of West's appearance at Rubicon, thousands of people signed a petition against the gig.

The rapper -- a vocal supporter of US President Donald Trump -- is "repeatedly and openly adhering to symbols and ideology connected with the darkest period of modern global history", two groups behind the petition said.

In a statement on Instagram late on Wednesday, the festival's organizers said the decision to cancel the event was "due to media pressure and the withdrawal of several artists and partners".

"This was not an easy decision," the organizers said, without drawing a direct line between the rapper's planned appearance and the cancellations.

Contacted on Thursday by AFP, the Rubicon festival did not offer further explanations.

Styling itself as the central European country's premier hip hop hang-out, the Rubicon festival was set to run from July 18 to 20.

US rappers Offset and Sheck Wes were set to share top billing with West.

Australia cancelled West's visa on July 2 over "Heil Hitler", in which West raps about his custody battle with ex-wife Kim Kardashian before the song ends with an extract of a speech by the Nazi dictator.

West's wife, Bianca Censori, is Australian.