Hugh Jackman says he didn't need years of blockbuster movies, Emmy wins or red carpets to realize Zendaya was headed for the top of Hollywood. According to him, he knew on her very first day working on The Greatest Showman.

Jackman recently reflected on meeting and working with Zendaya on the 2017 musical, revealing that her performance immediately convinced him that the then-young actress was destined for an extraordinary career.

“I remember on day one saying, ‘This young woman is going to be the biggest star of her generation,’” Jackman recalled during a conversation with Bilt founder Ankur Jain.

Nearly a decade later, the prediction stands out because of what happened next. Zendaya went from a Disney Channel star transitioning into major films to an Emmy-winning actress with prominent roles in Euphoria, Spider-Man, Dune and Challengers. But according to Jackman, her potential was already apparent before much of that résumé existed.

Her First Take Apparently Said Everything

Jackman's memory of Zendaya's first day on The Greatest Showman included a behind-the-scenes story involving director Michael Gracey and Zac Efron.

Zendaya apparently delivered her first take so well that Jackman couldn't understand why Gracey asked the actors to do the scene again. Jackman said he pulled the director aside and questioned the decision because he thought Zendaya's first attempt had already been excellent.

“What are you doing, her first take was amazing,” Jackman remembered telling him.

According to Jackman, Gracey's response had nothing to do with Zendaya needing another attempt. The director jokingly told him he didn't want to embarrass Jackman or Efron by allowing Zendaya to nail everything in a single take, so he had her do another one.

It was a humorous exchange, but it also explains why Zendaya made such an immediate impression on an actor who was already an established Hollywood star.

Jackman had spent years playing Wolverine, performing on Broadway and leading major studio films by the time The Greatest Showman entered production. Zendaya was at a very different point in her career. She had established herself with younger audiences through Disney Channel projects including Shake It Up and K.C. Undercover, but she had yet to accumulate the collection of prestige television and blockbuster film roles that would later define her adult career.

Jackman nevertheless believed he was watching the beginning of something much bigger.

‘The Greatest Showman’ Arrived at a Turning Point for Zendaya

Zendaya played Anne Wheeler in The Greatest Showman, an aerial performer who develops a relationship with Zac Efron's Phillip Carlyle. Jackman starred as P.T. Barnum.

The role placed Zendaya in a large-scale movie musical alongside a cast of established stars and required more than acting. She performed aerial work for the production and sang alongside Efron on “Rewrite the Stars,” which became one of the film's signature songs.

Director Michael Gracey has previously spoken about how quickly Zendaya impressed him as well, telling Vogue that she “blew me away” and praising her ability to incorporate direction while performing demanding aerial work.

The movie arrived during a transitional period in her career. In 2017, Zendaya also appeared as MJ in Spider-Man: Homecoming, introducing her to another enormous global audience and beginning what would become one of the defining film franchises of her career.

From there, the trajectory accelerated.

Jackman Watched His Prediction Become Reality

In 2019, Zendaya debuted as Rue Bennett in HBO's Euphoria, a performance that dramatically changed how she was viewed as an actress. The role ultimately earned her two Primetime Emmy Awards for lead actress in a drama series.

At the same time, her movie career continued expanding. Her role as MJ grew across the Spider-Man films, while Denis Villeneuve cast her as Chani in the Dune franchise. She later took center stage in Luca Guadagnino's Challengers, where she also served as a producer.

Those projects moved Zendaya far beyond the child-star transition that can prove difficult for performers who become famous through Disney.

Jackman's story suggests that, from his perspective, the transformation wasn't surprising.

The interesting part of his prediction isn't simply that Zendaya eventually became enormously famous. By the time The Greatest Showman was being made, she was already a recognizable celebrity with millions of fans.

What Jackman says he saw was something more specific: the ability to become one of the defining performers of her generation.

And apparently, he saw it in one take.

Nearly a Decade Later, Jackman Still Remembers Day One

Jackman's comments came while he was participating in Bilt's “Rent Free” initiative in connection with a partnership involving Global Citizen. Jackman, a longtime Global Citizen ambassador, is also scheduled to host the Global Citizen Festival at Central Park's Great Lawn on Sept. 26.

But it was his story about Zendaya that offered one of the more revealing glimpses behind the scenes of The Greatest Showman.

Hollywood careers are often easier to understand in hindsight. Once an actor has accumulated major awards, blockbuster franchises and high-profile roles, it can seem obvious that stardom was inevitable.

Jackman's recollection comes from before most of those achievements existed.

Zendaya walked onto the set of The Greatest Showman, delivered her first take, and Jackman says he had already reached his conclusion.

“This young woman is going to be the biggest star of her generation.”

Nine years later, he's still telling the story.