Actor Hugh Jackman's wife warned him against taking the biggest role of his career in the `X-Men` movie franchise because she found the idea of her husband playing Wolverine "ridiculous".

The Hollywood hunk has appeared as the hirsute, clawed mutant in all of the blockbuster superhero film instalments, including 2014's `X-Men: Days Of Future Past`, but he admits his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, initially urged the star to decline the role, reports contactmusic.com.

Jackman tells Vulture magazine: "She read three pages and was like, 'You got claws coming out of your hands? This is ridiculous. Don't do it'."

The actor's role in the franchise has earned him millions of dollars and Furness has since revealed she is glad her husband took the role.