Hugh Jackman in Talks to Buy Stake in Norwich City

Hugh Jackman is in talks to buy a stake in Norwich City – and he insists this is the year the Canaries go up.

The Wolverine star, a lifelong Norwich fan through his Norfolk roots, revealed live on TalkSport that he is negotiating with the club’s board over purchasing shares.

"I'm very, very interested – and talking about it right now," he said. "You're the first one to know that. There's a little exclusive.

"Good on Ryan, you do your thing, I'm all about the Canaries."

From Carrow Road teenager to potential investor

Jackman’s connection to Norwich runs through his mother, who is from the city and still lives there. He first visited Carrow Road as a teenager and says the club has been his team ever since.

“I went to Carrow Road a couple of times, and I love the Canaries, and this is the year we’re going to get promoted. That’s my prediction,” the 57-year-old said while promoting his new film, The Death of Robin Hood.

Born in Australia to English parents, Jackman grew up watching English football from the other side of the world.

"When I was in Australia, growing up, I had English parents who emigrated to Australia,” he explained. “We used to watch the FA Cup. It was the only thing we were allowed to stay up for, 3 o'clock in the morning. We had to go to bed first, and we were woken up to watch it.

"So I was seeing all these teams, Arsenal and all these teams, and I was like, I've got to pick a team.

"I said, 'Mum, where are you from?' She went, 'Norwich'.

"I went, 'Is there a football team in Norwich?' She went, 'Yep'. I said, 'That's my team'."

He has leaned into that allegiance over the years, even owning a replica of Norwich’s 1984 Milk Cup commemorative shirt. On a 2023 visit he was spotted at the Waffle House on St Giles Street, telling staff he drops in every time he’s in the city.

Second chance at ownership

This is not the first time Norwich have sounded Jackman out over investment.

Back in 2011, when Delia Smith was still the majority shareholder, the club approached him about becoming a minor celebrity backer.

"I got a letter about a year ago saying, 'Being such a huge Norwich City fan would I like to be a celebrity investor?', like a small part-owner," he recalled at the time.

"I said, 'I think that's a little stretched; I've been to Carrow Road once, my mum took me', so I decided not to invest."

The tone is different now. Jackman, reported to be worth around £100m, is understood to have been in discussions with the club for some time, with any deal expected to involve investment directly into Norwich City rather than into the Norfolk Holdings group that controls it.

Norfolk Holdings, led by Mark Attanasio, took over from Delia Smith and Michael Wynn-Jones as the dominant force in the boardroom in March last year. The group now owns about 85% of the club’s shares. Smith and Wynn-Jones, the celebrity pairing who fronted the club for 28 years, still hold around 10%, with the rest spread among independent fans and small investors.

Attanasio also owns Major League Baseball franchise Milwaukee Brewers, and his arrival marked a shift towards American-style ownership at Carrow Road. Jackman’s potential involvement would add Hollywood star power to that mix.

Part of a growing American-led celebrity wave

Norwich would not be alone in turning to big-name entertainment and US sporting figures for profile and investment.

Jackman’s close friend Ryan Reynolds has already helped transform Wrexham’s global profile. Reynolds co-owns the Welsh club, now also in the Championship, and has turned their rise into a worldwide story.

NFL legend Tom Brady holds a minority stake in Birmingham City. Fellow former NFL star JJ Watt is a minority shareholder at Burnley. Will Ferrell is part of the 49ers-led ownership group at Leeds United, while Snoop Dogg has taken a slice of Swansea City.

Norwich, with its community feel and long-standing ties to figures like Smith and Wynn-Jones, has always done things a little differently. Now the club stands on the brink of something new: a familiar yellow-and-green scarf in the stands, and a Marvel hero in the boardroom.

If Jackman’s prediction of promotion comes true, Carrow Road might soon have a very famous part-owner celebrating in the directors’ box.