HUGH JACKMAN on Oscar Diversity

When the Oscar nominations were announced earlier this month, Hugh Jackman admits that the lack of diversity among acting nominees didn’t immediately stand out to him – and that was a bit of a wake-up call.

“It never flagged in my head that this was an issue, and that gave me pause later,” he tells PEOPLE. “So this is something that we need to talk about.”

Jackman, 47, pointed out that while he “actually vote[d] for some African Americans,” the diversity issue in Hollywood extends beyond race.

“Not just race – sex, sexuality, every front, films are there to tell the stories of our time,” he explained. “[They] need to reflect the world, the real world, and so it’s a great conversation to have.”