Hollywood star Hugh Jackman has an odd way of preparing for teary film scenes - he tugs at his own pubic hair.

The upbeat actor admits he struggles to conjure up tears on cue for movies but has started taking fellow Australian Geoffrey Rush's advice and inflicting pain on himself just before a director calls, `Action!'

The X-Men tough guy reveals he used this odd technique to conjure up floods of tears for one scene in new movie The Fountain.

He explains, "I remembered a great story from Geoffrey Rush, who had to cry in a scene in a play, so he was experimenting with different ways. Finally, near the end, just before he'd walk out on stage, he used to pluck out a couple of nose hairs and he'd get that first moment of a tear and then he'd go on and start crying. It's very technical and it works! Try it at home. Pubes work even better!"

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)