In September 2023, Hugh Jackman and Deborra Lee Furness confirmed their separation. Going through our archives, I was surprised to see how quickly everyone figured out exactly what happened. There had been rumors about Hugh and Sutton Foster for so long, and a couple of months after Hugh and Deborra’s separation, the tabloids confirmed that Hugh was/is “besotted” with Sutton. Sutton ended up filing for divorce from her husband last fall, and then by January of this year, Hugh and Sutton were doing exclusive, coupled-up photoshoots for People Magazine. Well, now Deborra has filed for divorce and given an exclusive statement to the Daily Mail:
Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness’s divorce is one key step closer to being official. Furness, 69, has filed for divorce in New York almost two years after the former couple announced the amicable ending of their marriage in September 2023. The Daily Mail was first to report the news.
Furness’ lawyer, Elena Karabatos, also submitted filings relating to the duo’s settlement, health care coverage and medical child support, PEOPLE has learned. Jackman, 56, and Furness, who wed in 1996 after meeting in 1995, share two children: son Oscar and daughter Ava.
The filings indicate the terms of the Australian actors’ divorce are uncontested and will only need a sign-off from a judge. A rep for Furness did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In case you missed it, they’re basically indicating that Deborra and Hugh have likely worked through everything in mediation, and the “filing for divorce” is just the official paperwork ahead of the divorce decree. Their divorce will probably be finalized in a matter of days, I’m assuming. Deborra issued a statement to the Daily Mail, and she spoke of “betrayal.”
Deborra-Lee Furness took a swipe at her estranged husband, Hugh Jackman, amid the flurry of rumors that he cheated on her with his current girlfriend Sutton Foster. Following her decision to officially file for divorce from the Deadpool & Wolverine star, 56, two years after announcing their separation, the Australian actress, 69, addressed her heartbreak in an exclusive statement to DailyMail.com.
‘My heart and compassion goes out to everyone who has traversed the traumatic journey of betrayal,’ she said. ‘It’s a profound wound that cuts deep, however I believe in a higher power and that God/the universe, whatever you relate to as your guidance, is always working FOR us.’
She continued, ‘This belief has helped me navigate the breakdown of an almost three-decade marriage. I have gained much knowledge and wisdom through this experience. Even when we are presented with apparent adversity, it is leading us to our greatest good, our true purpose. It can hurt, but in the long run, returning to yourself and living within your own integrity, values and boundaries is liberation and freedom.’
She concluded her statement with the ‘one thing’ that she has learned, which is ‘that none of this is personal,’ adding, ‘We are all on our individual journeys and I believe that the relationships in our lives are not random. We are drawn to people, we invite them in, in order to learn our lessons and to recognize and heal the broken parts of ourselves…I remain grateful.’
It’s sort of slipped under the radar, but Deborra and her side have been consistently leaking versions of “Hugh betrayed Deborra, Hugh let her down, Deborra is very upset about his relationship with Sutton.” It absolutely felt like Hugh and Sutton left their spouses for one another, and Deborra was left reeling from it. I feel so sorry for her. I also wonder if all of their Aussie friends have taken her side? Like… I need to know how Nicole Kidman feels about this.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- Hugh Jackman, Deborra-Lee Furness attends The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 02, 2022 in New York City,Image: 688275385, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Hugh Jackman, Deborra-Lee Furness, Credit line: – / JPI Studios / Avalon
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- Sutton Foster and Hugh Jackman attends The 88th Annual Drama League Awards Luncheon on May 20, 2022 at The Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York, New York, USA.,Image: 693129960, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Sutton Foster and Hugh Jackman, Credit line: Robin Platzer / Twin Images / Avalon
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- Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster attend the 75th Annual Tony Awards on June 12, 2022 at Radio City Music Hall in New York, New York, USA.,Image: 699184976, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster, Credit line: Robin Platzer / Twin Images / Avalon
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- Hugh Jackman, Deborra-Lee Furness attends “The son” red carpet at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on September 07, 2022 in Venice, Italy.,Image: 720366152, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Maria Laura Antonelli / AGF Foto / Avalon
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- Hugh Jackman, Deborra-Lee Furness attends “The son” red carpet at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on September 07, 2022 in Venice, Italy.,Image: 720366158, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Maria Laura Antonelli / AGF Foto / Avalon
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- Premiere du film The Son en presence de Hugh Jackman et Deborra-Lee Furness au Normandie,Image: 757773703, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Jonathan Rebboah / Panoramic / Avalon
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- Hugh Jackman attends the 2023 Costume Institute Benefit (Met Gala) celebrating “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City.,Image: 773488872, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Hugh Jackman, Credit line: – / JPI Studios / Avalon
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- Hugh Jackman and wife, Deborah Lee Furness, pictured leaving Scotts restaurant in London, England. 20 July 2023,Image: 790729994, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris_James / Avalon
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- 75th Annual Tony Awards Meet The Nominees Press Event Featuring: Hugh Jackman, Sutton Foster Where: New York, New York, United States When: 12 May 2022 Credit: John Nacion/startraksphoto.com/Cover Images
I feel for Deborra and hope that she will take her time to heal. What a shitty thing to do to someone you’ve spent most of your life with—Hugh and Sutton should be ashamed. I feel for both of their former spouses and their children.
The Hugh age gap could have been a factor in Jackman’s decision. Never right to cheat, announce your intention then separate is always the honorable thing to do. 13 years do not seem like much when you are younger but as you go through the aging process it becomes huge.
This can be true. My aunt and uncle were married for almost 30 years and had a 12 year age gap. They always seemed solid. Then he retired and things got weird. He wanted her to change her life because he was moving on to his next chapter and she wasn’t willing to do that. They ended up divorced.
Why is it people only seem to say this when the woman is older? Rarely a comment when it’s reversed and usually it’s related to “the woman was a gold digger” and nothing related to the age difference.
Because it’s a documented phenomenon that men will end a marriage when their wife becomes old or ill at a rate of about 500% more than a woman would leave her husband in the same circumstances.
She was a pretty significant star in Australia when they first met and Hugh was literally unknown. She opened a lot of doors for him and gave him a lot of support. Without her, he might not have had any significant career.
Yeesh. And the media and society wonders why women are staying single…
I don’t feel sorry for her at all. She sounds great, like she’s gotten herself back after this experience. She seems like she’s in a much better place than he is.
Women don’t need men to be successful or fulfilled.
God bless.
what a beautiful statement and a really great way to frame what must have been devastating for her.
Her statement shows such strength and class, even without the comparison to Hugh and Sutton’s tacky paparazzi shoots. I wish her all the best.
(Alice Evans could learn a thing or two from Deborra imo)
I still can’t get over Hugh and Sutton thinking that the LA wildfires was the perfect time to do their first publicity run. That was an unforced error worthy of KP…put together.
If the thought about it at all (and not saying they did) maybe they thought it would be buried on page 65 because all the news was about the wildfires
I agree with you on the age difference thing. He was 26 when they met and she was 39. That’s a pretty big gap I think. I’m 41 and I could never get serious with a 28 year old, especially not start a family. It seems like her biological clock might have started ticking pretty loud and he was there. I’m sure they cared about each other to stay married and faithful for so long, but maybe he didn’t really know what he was missing until he had a real connection with someone from his own generation.
Gross. He was a grown-ass man. If he didn’t want someone older, he shouldn’t have married her and been married to her for almost 30 years.
The way people will justify their fave’s cheating, bullshit behavior. smdh
Exactly! He could have not married her. Or parted ways earlier if he was unhappy in the marriage.
Instead he bailed after 30 years to hook up with a married younger woman (and the 2 of them parading around publicly like they were teens, flirty and gropey was incredibly gross, immature and disrespectful to their spouses, kids.)
Yuk! I no longer want to see any of their work, interviews, appearances after that jackassery.
They are now in the same rancid celebrity bucket as those 2 GMA twits. Go be self-involved cheaters in your own homes, you’re not the first humans to have crushes, to have sex, you’re not super gloriously special so you don’t need to be on display with love struck pap walks or podcasts.
I hope Deborah lives a rich, full happy life and a hope all the kids are okay.
Where did I say he was my fave? Life is messy and unpredictable. It’s definitely not cool to cheat but it doesn’t make him undeserving of love. If he and Sutton are a better match who is anyone to say they can’t pursue it? Plenty of people have stuck by spouses they aren’t truly happy with because it’s the “right” thing to do, for the kids and the vows. And then missed out on true love. Life is short, no one is perfect.
Yes. I’m with North of Boston. Unless she kidnapped him or hid her true age, he knew about the age difference. People rationalizing his cheating by bringing up her age are playing into society’s view of women of a certain age. They are seen as used up and useless as sex partners. It’s okay to just discard them for a younger model.
Mrs. Banjo and North of Boston, thank you! I’m sick of grown men being infantilized when they do dumb shit.
@Courtney Sorry, this narrative of “deserving of love” and “didn’t know what he was missing” is just really saccharine spackle — especially for the people who were HURT by their betrayal. Sutton has a young daughter! Given what is going on in the world, (imho) it is really important that we not make excuses for cruel and dishonest behavior.
And I’m not convinced the thing with Sutton isn’t pure PR anyway. Having fans project love and light all over them — it’s icky to a lot of us for very good reason.
Yeah the whole “he’s deserving of love” he could’ve missed out on the love of his life nonsense … I’m not having it.
If someone is unhappy in their marriage, there are other options available besides blatantly have an affair with a married co-worker, so blatantly that it’s an open secret to co-workers (and maybe puts some of them in not-great positions) and is obvious to casual observers while you’re doing public work for your job AND parade around on PDA pap walks , parking and necking in public like teens.
Like, IDK, work with your partner to try to fix your marriage, and if that doesn’t work, get a divorce. And THEN you’ll be free to chase your one twoo luv (though maybe still skip the PDA pap walks, because you can afford hotel rooms)
Basically be honest and respectful and don’t treat your LT partner like trash. Because even if you don’t love them, they’re a human being, and also the mother of your children, there’s no need to be cruel as you’re swanning out the door.
(And don’t get me started on staying “for the children” and “it’s the right thing to do” because in most situations the staying together causes more lifelong damage to the kids than parents splitting and dealing with each other like grown ups, co-parenting respectfully while doing what’s best for the kids)
It seems like plenty of people, men and women, in May-December romances that get serious don’t really think of the future and how we all change. Every marriage matures, and staying married is a choice you make every day. But most May-December marriages encounter biological facts that can’t be denied. If the older person is the one holding the purse strings, I think that it makes it harder for the younger person to leave. Hugh Jackman has a lot of money and a thriving career, so he left. If he really loved her, he would have stayed.
Hugh should have been smarter about how he left if he was going to do it. He could have left with dignity. Instead he blew up two marriages. He was the last celeb I thought would so spectacularly mess up his divorce. I can’t look at him the same way again, and I know I’m not alone.
Yes, I’m totally over both Hugh and Sutton. I am a big broadway fan and have seen both of them on stage several times – but I have no further desire to do so. There were plenty of ways to handle this situation with class and sensitivity, but they couldn’t be bothered.
@Kittenmom, yes they could have handled this with class and sensitivity, but they chose not to do so. Why? Because they wanted what they wanted and they wanted it right now. Selfish all the way.
@Courtney Just curious if you have a romantic partner, and if so, would you feel the same way if you found out today that they were cheating on you?
That it’s totally fine and not hurtful to you at all, because this other person is their true love!?
Of course everyone deserves to find true love, people drift apart, etc but that’s no excuse for not being open and honest with your life partner about wanting to leave the relationship. They were together for decades, had kids, etc – doesn’t she deserve more respect than to find out he’s dating someone behind her back?
I wish her the best, and I’ve definitely lost respect for him.
I’ve always thought of her as a very kind, grounded, and genuinely nice person. While serving as an usher at church, I’ve had a few interactions with the family, and she’s always been friendly and gracious.
I still remember that several weeks after first meeting them, I was walking near the church when she spotted me. She greeted me so warmly—it wasn’t something she had to do. She could have easily walked by without acknowledging me, but she didn’t. That simple act of kindness really stayed with me.
I sincerely wish her joy, peace, and an abundance of love.
I hope Deborra takes that Wolverine money, surrounds herself with her kids and her best girlfriends, and builds herself a life fit for a queen.
She should enjoy her money and family and friends! And she is gorgeous! She can date or not.
She has so much to offer no matter what she chooses to do. She comes off as emotionally stable, smart, and as beautiful inside as she is outside.
Today is my 43rd wedding anniversary. I cannot fathom the incredible hurt and feelings of betrayal that Deborra has. Hurting others and behaving despicably is no way to begin a new relationship.
I love that she “went there” in her statement. It was hopeful and thoughtful but also called out his cheating derrière.
I’ve only heard very good things about her. Even Hugh in his interviews said people liked her more than him. I hope she has good people around her and can find love again, if that’s what she wants.
“…people liked her more than him.” Wow. Damn. Really? Being a charming nice guy in rl was a major part of his appeal.
Ugh. I still side eyed him because it was obvious what was going on. She had to put up with the gay rumors and that he can’t really want to be with someone like her for like 30 years. Ugh.
I’m really happy Deborra has the attitude she does. I think she’s proven to be an absolute class act throughout all of this and she recognized her worth and got it. She put up with a lot during their marriage. Although, I can’t imagine Team Hugh is happy with her statement but I’d tell them to pound sand.
I’ve lost all respect for Hugh and I have no desire to see any of his films again given how he handled this situation. Hugh and Sutton better hope their relationship lasts beyond the mid-life crisis.
From a purely PR standpoint, Hugh and Sutton were idiots flaunting their relationship earlier this year. If they had waited several months after both their respective divorces were finalized, more people (not all, but more) would be saying “Yeah, they hooked up while married. Not cool.” And everyone would move on without a second thought beyond an eye roll.
But they couldn’t resist and couldn’t wait and I guarantee you this has severely damaged his PR and her Broadway career. He’ll still have a career, she’ll still get Broadway roles but never the same level of respect again. There will always be whispers around them now.
eh, probably not — at least in his case — it didn’t hurt Tom Hanks, Garth Brooks, Tiger Woods, Dominic West….those are just a couple that popped into my head.
I beg to disagree. Dominic is still with his wife and I do think his situation was more creepy acting methods. Tom Hanks’ ex wife was someone with severe mental illness. Garth Brooks was/is a philanderer and takes long breaks from his career to remind you why he’s great which works in his favor (for better or for worse). Tiger Woods, his career has never been the same since his affair scandal so hard disagree on that one.
And there are plenty of men in similar situations to Hugh who blew up their careers for similar reasons: Mike Meyers (in fairness he was difficult to get along and work with and Hollywood was looking for an excuse), Billy Crudup, Jude Law, Ryan Philippe, Robin Thicke (the Paula album really didn’t help). Like I said Hugh will have a career in the end but it’ll be followed by whispers of “remember what he did to his ex wife?”
We can disagree — none of those listed were as well known or beloved as Jackman.
My point really was that infidelity doesn’t really stick to famous men.
I am responding to your comment below, but I really disagree that Tom Hanks is not as well known or beloved as Jackman. Tom Hanks is actually pretty far above Jackman in the hierarchy. He’s the America’s Dad of actors.
Didn’t hurt Paul Newman either. It’s so hard for me to judge, because it was pretty obvious Paul and Joanne were soulmates, whereas he and his first wife weren’t. I just read Sidney Poitier’s “Spiritual Autobiography” and he talks about needing years of therapy from the incredible guilt he felt leaving his wife for Joanna Shimkus, but the remainder of the book makes it pretty clear that she was his everything for their 46 year marriage. How do you condemn someone who makes a leap for happiness? I suspect that her statement is correct: we are on different paths, we choose relationships for a particular reason in our soul’s journey. Some people bail for cosmetic and shallow reasons, but maybe some do because they can’t deny a destined pull??
At the time, the Jude Law thing was HUGE news.
Then the child he never has even met!
So Hugh will be fine here. His career will be just fine.
I feel like Ewan MacGregor’s fame never quite recovered from the way he ended his marriage. He’s still busy, but his career feels dimmed over the past decade for sure.
You’re right, @Ariel.
Dimmed is a good word to describe Ewan’s career now. Yeah, he still gets work. But there’s that whisper in the background, and less of a desire to see him in things outside of Star Wars.
@Nikki
Also, not saying that it doesn’t happen. People can fall in love with others while married to someone else, maybe even your soulmate. However, I will say that I do think in both Paul Newman and, especially, Sidney Poitier’s case, they handled it with some modicum of respect of their former spouses, whether it was a sign of the times with less intrusive media, it’s hard to say. In Poitier’s case, he left his first wife, Juanita, to be with Diahann Carroll, and his marriage to Diahann was very unhappy over the guilt he felt for leaving his first wife and kids behind. He was long divorced from Carroll when he and Joanna Shimkus got married.
My point is it does happen but what does the damage is how it plays out in the media. Not that the action happens. And yes, if it were a woman, no matter how well it’s played, the damage would be catastrophic. I’m not denying that.
I don’t think Law’s reputation ever really recovered from that. Sure, he gets lots of work as a character actor. But that mess arguably kiboshed him as a bankable leading man. Husband falling for nanny is in the top five of marital betrayals.
This is for Nikki, cannot reply directly. Nikki we don’t begrudge people their „leap for happiness“. Even marriage is not a guarantee for everlasting love and your spouse might still meet his true(r) love. But there are ways to do this. I think what hurt Deborrah most (according to authorized statements of her friends after Hugh and Sutton first stepped out officially) is that he completely gaslit her and made her think, this was only in her head; there was nothing going on between him and Sutton, her jealousy is unjustified, he is leaving for other reasons etc. All the while she knew in her guts that he was lying but also you want to trust that someone who has been your best friend for 30 years would not lie to your face like that. What a bastard.
@Sun- The rate at which men leave their wives WITH CANCER is absolutely wild.
I didn’t realize Deborra was that much older than him, but the timing of it all definitely tracks.
I know a couple where she stuck with him, cared for him, nursed him back to health from a serious illness.
Then she got diagnosed with cancer and he bailed on her. In their 70’s.
She got an apartment and built a close community of friends and neighbors who are in each other’s day to day lives, recovered and is still doing great.
He got an apartment, did what he pleased … and collapsed and died at home It was sad, tragic. No one found him for days. There’s a good chance he would have survived had he still been living with her. But he made his choices.
Deborra sounds like a wonderful lady. I hope she finds happiness again with a partner, but even if she doesn’t, she seems to have the inner resources that will make the rest of her journey meaningful and bright. I envy people who carry that light within them. Good on you Miss!
Totally disgusted with him. Not interested in seeing any more of his movies!
Am I in an alternate universe? I’ve been a celebitchy reader for over a decade, and I remember reading an article more or less than a year ago about their divorce. Deborah Lee received $100M in settlement with an NDA. Reading the comments, we all speculated what kind of damning info she knew about Hugh Jackman that warrants that lump sum, including speculation that he’s DL in real life. And I’m not even a fan, but I remember this because of her settlement $$ wth
Who says it had to be damning info? She was married to him for 27 years and that included well before he had the kind of career and money he has. She directly helped him get where he is, so that money was earned. There’s zero reason she shouldn’t be entitled to a fat check after all that time.
Either reading comprehension skills is lacking or you just like to run your mouth. I didn’t say she didn’t deserve her settlement did I? The whole point is, I simply remembered their status as being divorced already, with her receiving her settlement. That is all
I think they just completed their paperwork and presented to the judge. You probably remember early reporting of their negotiations. They have been married for a long time, probably they owned a lot of assets together. It takes time to agree on who gets what.
Dear Sutton,
Just remember how you got him will be how you lose him. And you blew up your whole family to be a side piece. Good luck to you.
Deb is such a class act and not a more perfect statement could be crafted. He shouldn’t get a pass because everyone loves him as Wolverine. But she walks away with her head held high. She still had a successful almost 30 year marriage with two lovely children. That is in itself is a great accomplishment.
Also,
Dear Hugh
Just remember how you got her is how you’ll lose her. And you blew up your whole family to be a shiny new plaything. Good luck to you.
Eh not always. Look at Joane Woodward, Matthew Rhys, Rita Wilson, or Rachel Weisz. Sometimes the side piece ends up being the soulmate. I’ve know a few in real life too. Still he could have gotten divorced before acting on his feelings for Sutton.
Damn I used to love Hugh, but now: 1) friends with Ivanka, 2) besties with Ryan Reynolds, 3) cheated instead of ending it like a grown up. 3 strikes!
Yeah, a major fall from grace for Jackman. I couldn’t get into Younger b.c of this debacle.
On the other hand, If I were married to a guy who wanted to be with someone else I’m not sure I’d want him to stay with me just because he signed a contract, unless he could really disconnect his energy from that other person and move forward with me.
My impression is that marriage is a decision that people decide to continue over and over, on an ongoing basis. I can’t really hold someone to maintaining loving and positive feelings toward a spouse because they signed a contract 30 years ago… They have to make a choice to do that and making the opposite choice unfortunately is a part of human nature.
I agree that she deserves her share of his earnings throughout the years they spent together. She made a statement that was not bad or tasteless but unnecessary at this point in their story. She was at the height of her success when they met, because she became a household name (?) in Australia right at that time for being in two tv series. And that is as far as her career went mostly, including as a producer which was about one reality series. She probably spent her time supporting Hugh and his career, but you really can’t say her influence is what took him where he is.
OMG! He’s getting a younger BEARD – and he wasn’t supposed to! He’s Great friends with Ivanka and Jared… We really don’t know him at ALL!!!
Exactly, swapping out for a new beard.
No time for either of them really since I heard about them palling around with Rupert Murdoch (I think they were godparents to his kid with Wendy Deng, along with Tony Blair).
molly, Newt Gingrich, Mr. Family Values, left his wife while she had cancer to marry a much younger woman.