Hugh Jackman puts his kids "in charge".

Hugh Jackman and Deborra-lee Furness

Hugh Jackman and Deborra-lee Furness

The 'Wolverine' star thinks it is "very important" that his children - Ava, 12, and Oscar, 17, who he shares with his wife Deborra-lee Furness - feel that they "deserve respect" and to be treated well.

He said: "As a parent ... it's very important to me ... that our kids feel that they deserve respect, that they deserve to be treated well and that they will not stand for anything other because abuse of power comes in many many different forms.

"Sometimes it can appear to be very charming as well. It can be insidious and I absolutely am talking to them about that all the time. My mantra to my kids is, 'You're in charge.'"

And the 49-year-old actor feels it is important that he is a good role model for his kids.

He added to Entertainment Tonight: "I don't care what job you're in, it's hard, there's pressure. It's hard to get a job, it's hard to keep your job, a lot of people are after the same jobs. Let's not make it harder by creating these ridiculous obstacles."

Meanwhile, Hugh recently says he and Deborra-lee "always" knew they were going to adopt.

He shared: "Because of her age, we started [trying] straightaway when we were together. We struggled, a couple miscarriages, [in vitro fertilisation] - it was not easy. It was difficult, obviously particularly on Deb. I remember saying to her, 'We were always going to adopt - let's just adopt now.'

"Our motivation behind adopting was, 'Where is the need?' And we just knew from talking with people in that space, when we were looking around, that the biggest need is in mixed-race kids. A lot of people go into [adoption thinking] it's really important to them for the kid to look like them, and honestly, for Deb and I, that just never even was an issue."