Hugh Jackman felt ''powerless'' as a boy.

The 'Wolverine' star was abandoned by his mother at a young age and he admits it has had a drastic effect on his life.

He said: ''From the moment mom left, I was a fearful kid who felt powerless. I was the youngest. I used to be the first one home and I was frightened to go inside. I couldn't go into the house on my own. I'd wait outside, scared, frustrated. Growing up I was scared of the dark. I was scared of heights.

''It limited me. I hated it, and that contributed to my anger. Isn't most anger fear-based, ultimately? It emanates from some kind of powerlessness. I was really feeling that.''

It is not the only hardship the 46-year-old actor has had to endure during his life after him and wife Deborra-lee Furness struggled to have children of their own.

Hugh - who adopted son Oscar, 15, and daughter Eva, ten - told Parade magazine: ''It was a hard time. We went through IVF. Deb doesn't give up. At a certain point I was like, 'Deb, let's adopt now.

''In Australia at the time, you couldn't do IVF and adopt simultaneously. So we adopted, and it has been the greatest, most fulfilling and challenging role of our lives.''