Hugh Jackman is mourning the death of his acting teacher and mentor Lisle Jones.
The 51-year-old actor has paid a touching tribute to his "dear friend" on Wednesday (01.01.20) after he passed away last week (26.12.19) at 89-years-old.
He shared a photo of the two of them on Instagram and wrote alongside: "Last week I lost a dear friend and certainly one of the single biggest influences on me as an actor both on stage and off. Lisle Jones. I feel tremendous gratitude toward him as a teacher and mentor. His deep love for the craft of acting was palpable, his generosity unmatched. Lisle will be greatly missed but leaves behind a legacy and troth of knowledge that will be past down for generations of actors to come."
Hugh praised his lifelong mentor as he remembered the valuable advice he once gave him.
He continued: "Anyone on this planet on their day, when everything is going right, can be a great actor. These next three years are about the other 90% of the time! Lisle Jones, I am forever grateful to you."
The veteran acting coach taught a ray of famous faces – including Marcus Graham, Frances O’Connor, William McInnes and Robert Taylor – over 12 years at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. He retired from his role a year after Hugh graduated in 1995 moving from Perth to Melbourne where Hugh paid him a visit in 2017.
At the time, ‘The Greatest Showman’ star praised Lisle with an Instagram post dubbing him the "most influential acting teacher I ever had."
He wrote: "Lisle Jones is the most influential acting teacher I ever had. Still as sharp as ever. A quick reminder of the three things he taught me about acting … breathe, breathe, breathe! Love you, Lisle."
Hugh Jackman mourns acting teacher and mentor Lisle Jones
