When James Martin was born, doctors told his parents that he might never speak. However, he did not only learn to speak, but 31 years later, on his birthday, he walked on Hollywood’s biggest stage to collect his Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film, An Irish Goodbye. James became the first actor with Down syndrome to win an Academy Award. And, as icing on the cake, the entire audience sang “Happy Birthday” to him.
James Martin never let his condition hold him back.
James Martin’s father, Ivan Martin, is very proud of his son and revealed that he does everything with great gusto, and he’s very glad that his efforts have paid off.
“He has spent his life pushing the envelope. People are very good at saying, ’You can’t do this, and you can’t do that’… He’s done it, and he does it consistently,” he said.
Martin is the first person with Down syndrome to win not just a BAFTA but an Oscar too, and he’s very proud of himself. “It doesn’t matter if you have Down syndrome, as long as you’re doing what you do. I do what I can to be funny,” he said.
His girlfriend also supports him and says the win was a magical moment. “It shows to everyone that it’s changing your mindset on how people with disabilities can achieve as much as everyone else can,” she declared.
For the past 10 years, Martin has been working at Starbucks.
His co-workers and manager at Starbucks are very proud of Martin and his acting success, and to support him, good-luck posters were placed in the coffee chain’s city stores.
However, Martin’s dad revealed that despite the fame, he doesn’t see his son quitting his job as a barista anytime soon.
Martin caught the acting bug after he joined the Belfast-based Babosh theatre company for children with learning disabilities.
There, Martin did all types of shows, and he enjoyed every moment spent there. This was a stepping stone for him, as he later managed to land the lead role in Ups and Downs, starring alongside actress Susan Lynch.
Martin then went on to land a role in the series, Marcella, but his role in An Irish Goodbye, which won him both a BAFTA and an Oscar, is his most high-profile role to date.
Preview photo credit MICHAEL TRAN/AFP/East News, An Irish Goodbye / First Flights and co-producers
Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Separate After 27 Years of Marriage and the Reason Is Unexpected
One of Hollywood’s longest lasting couples, Hugh Jackman, 54, and Deborra-Lee Jackman, 67, shocked audiences when they shared the news that they are going their separate ways. The duo, who share 2 children, have been together for half their lives and the reason for their soon-to-come divorce has been revealed, and it’s nothing like what people expected.
Hugh and Deborra-Lee met in 1995.
Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness met on the set of the Australian TV series Correlli in 1995, on the first day of the actor’s first job after drama school.
“She was a big star. Everyone loved Deb. I get picked up by the car and Deb is in the front seat of the car. I get in the backseat. She had sunglasses on, she took off her seatbelt, turned around and said ‘Hi, I’m Deborra-Lee Furness, nice to meet you.’ and I remember thinking, ‘I like this girl’.”
6 weeks into filming, Jackman noticed a man courting Deborra-Lee, and he thought “that man has a crush on her”. That’s when he realized he was actually jealous of the man, and he had a crush on her himself. A few days later, after not talking to her for one week, he confessed his feelings and to his surprise, she reciprocated; she told him she was also crushing on him and that’s how their love story began.
After 11 months of dating, Hugh and Deborra-Lee tied the knot.
Over the following years, the couple struggled with infertility and experienced many failed IVF attempts and sadly, multiple miscarriages, all of which were “particularly difficult on Deb,” Jackman shared. Becoming parents was always their plan, Jackman shared, “We thought we’d have a kid or two biologically and then adopt. But when we decided we’d had enough of IVF, we went ahead with adoption.”
In 2000, they adopted their eldest son, Oscar, now 23 years old, and their daughter Ava, in 2005, who recently turned 18.
Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee had a happy life together.
The two never missed a moment to show each other and the world how much they mean to each other. Every single year Jackman honored his wife by publicly sharing how much he loves her and fans always admired and gushed over the outpour of love.
In April 2023, on their 27th and last wedding anniversary, Jackman shared a loving tribute to his wife, stating, “27 YEARS! I love you so much, and together we have created a beautiful family. And life. Your laughter, your spirit, generosity, humor, cheekiness, courage, loyalty is an incredible gift to me. I love you with all my heart.”
Just a few months later, one of Hollywood’s most loved duos announced their separation.
In a joint statement, Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee announced, “We have been blessed to share almost 3 decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage. Our journey now is shifting, and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth.
Our family has been and always will be our highest priority. We undertake this next chapter with gratitude, love, and kindness. We greatly appreciate your understanding in respecting our privacy as our family navigates this transition in all of our lives.”
2023 brought many Hollywood couples to a stop, with many celebrities divorcing after years spent together. Another recent divorce was Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner’s and their reason, although different than the ex-Jackmans’, is equally devastating.
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