Hugh Jackman knows what it is like to walk into a room and change the energy. He has played superheroes, sold out arenas, and spent decades being the center of attention. But one quiet night tells you everything you need to know about Neil Diamond.
Jackman was invited to dinner at Neil Diamond’s home. Just conversation, laughter, and time passing the way it does when you are comfortable. Then Neil casually asked a question that did not sound historic, but absolutely was.
“Do you wanna do karaoke?”
Jackman later said there was only one possible answer. Because when Neil Diamond invites you to sing, you do not treat it like a joke. You treat it like a once in a lifetime event.
This was not about surprise or celebrity fun. His songs live so deep inside people that even a global movie star becomes a fan again the moment Neil walks into the room.
That same pull is why Jackman built an entire film around Neil’s music. Song Sung Blue tells the real story of a couple who formed a Neil Diamond tribute band. It is why Jackman and Kate Hudson keep finding themselves singing his songs in bars, theaters, and packed rooms without planning it.
Hugh Jackman Recalls Singing Karaoke with Neil Diamond | When Neil Says Karaoke, You Say Yes
Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson are not just acting as a Neil Diamond tribute duo in Song Sung Blue. They have been test driving that chemistry onstage, in real rooms, with real fans. At Radio City Music Hall, Hudson stepped into Jackman’s concert and they tackled “Sweet Caroline” together with a full orchestra behind them.
Kate Hudson & Hugh Jackman Sing “Cherry, Cherry” + “Sweet Caroline” | Radio City 10/4/25
Before Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson turned “Sweet Caroline” into a full-room singalong at Radio City, it was Neil Diamond’s signature moment, built for crowds that want to shout every word back to him. This live Greek Theatre performance shows the original magnetism in real time. The pacing, the grin, the way the audience becomes part of the chorus.
Neil Diamond – Sweet Caroline (Live At The Greek Theatre / 2012)
