'Pan' 's Blackbeard, Hugh Jackman, Says Son Jokingly Calls Him 'Black-and-White Beard'

Hugh Jackman's son pokes fun at his 46-year-old dad's salt-and-pepper hair

Hugh Jackman‘s children might be his toughest critics – especially his son.

The Aussie actor, 46, plays Blackbeard in Pan, but his 15-year-old son Oscar wasn’t convinced. “I went off to work one day, and of course the beard gets colored, and my son goes, ‘Dad, are you sure it’s Blackbeard? It looks more like black-and-white beard,’ ” Jackman told PEOPLE at the New York City premiere of Pan. “It’s a good way to go to work,” he added, laughing.

While his son enjoyed poking a little fun at his dad’s salt-and-pepper facial hair, he thoroughly enjoyed the end product. “Oh, they loved it,” he said when asked what his kids thought of Pan. “They wanted to bring their friends so they’ve seen it twice already.”

His 10-year-old daughter Ava loved it so much that it’s now her favorite movie of his, Jackman told PEOPLE, while Oscar is partial to Flushed Away and Real Steel.

Jackman revealed in an interview with Parade that his own childhood wasn’t much different than Peter Pan’s.

“My mum left when I was 8. My anger didn’t really surface until I was 12 or 13. It was triggered because my parents were going to get reconciled and didn’t. All those years I’d been holding out hope that they would,” he told the magazine.

While Peter had the Lost Boys to turn to during rough days, Jackman had his friend Gus. “I can look back at one mate Gus who’s been my mate since I was 5,” Jackman told PEOPLE.

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And four decades later, Gus is still standing by Jackman’s side. “We’re still best mates. He’s at my house now. He’s here for a week, he’s just arrived from Australia,” Jackman added. “There’s been a few breakups where I’ve had some scotch with him on the roof of my house and a few all-nighters. He’s probably the guy.”