Hugh Jackman auctioned off his signed Harold Hill hat for charity during The Music Man on Saturday night, but was stunned to see longtime friend Nicole Kidman standing tall as the highest bidder.
The audience at the Winter Garden Theatre erupted in shock and delight as Kidman announced a $100,000 bid to support Broadway Cares.
“I just want to be clear, this is not Australian dollars,” Jackman joked.
The $100,000 bid translates to nearly $150K Australian dollars at current conversion rates.
After she strolled down the aisle to hug Jackman at the edge of the stage, he placed the straw hat on her head and she borrowed the auctioneer’s microphone to share a message.
“I love you. I love Broadway. And I love what they do at Broadway Cares,” she said, blowing kisses to the rest of the company on stage.
Jackman also took to Twitter after the performance to share a video of the big moment that left him “speechless.”
Kidman’s bid kicked off the final week of Red Bucket Fall fundraising for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, a nonprofit that raises funds for AIDS-related causes across the country.
“Broadway Cares is blessed with friends across Broadway. We have no greater champion than Hugh Jackman. This extraordinary gift from his pal Nicole is by far the largest donation for any one auction item ever,” the organization wrote in an Instagram post with a video of the special moment.
According to the organization, Kidman’s donation will cover 20,000 meals and 2,000 doctor visits this holiday season for those living with HIV/AIDS, struggling with COVID-19 or facing other life-threatening challenges.
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