The thing about Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness is that they were Australia’s golden couple for decades. Deborra was a famous actress within Australia when she met Hugh, who was at the time an up-and-coming talent but nowhere near as famous as Deb. When they got married, she pretty much retired from acting and she became a full-time mom and supportive wife to Hugh. Hugh and Deborra were friends with pretty much everyone in the Australian film/television/theater community. All of which means that Hugh and Deb’s divorce is huge news in Australia, a country with its own peculiar tabloid system. The Aussie tabloids are doing their own reporting on everything that’s gone down. Deborra issuing a statement about Hugh’s “betrayal” started all of this – the media can now freely report that Hugh left Deb for Sutton Foster, and they can position Deborra as a sainted and beloved figure who got dumped by Jackman (which is actually the truth, imo).

So, what’s the gossip in Australian media? There’s a lot of talk about money, and Aussie sources suggest that money was the biggest issue as Deb and Hugh negotiated their divorce. Reportedly, Deborra is happy that she is getting what she thinks she deserves, and she should have more than enough to support herself from here. Apparently, Hugh is keeping their New York penthouse, which has become a matter of contention because Hugh is apparently moving Sutton Foster into the penthouse. Reportedly, “Deb is shattered knowing Sutton is making the penthouse her own – the place she poured her soul into.” Meanwhile, never underestimate Jackman’s damage control. One of his friends conveniently gave an interview to an Australian radio show on Thursday:

Hugh Jackman’s childhood friend is opening up about the actor’s divorce following his ex-wife Deborra-Lee Furness’ recent comments about “betrayal” in their marriage. While speaking on the Thursday, May 29 episode of Australia’s Ben Fordham Live breakfast radio show, Gus Worland — who said he’d known Jackman, 56, since kindergarten in 1973 — was asked about Furness’ statement, in which she reflected on the “breakdown of an almost three-decade marriage” and navigating the “traumatic journey of betrayal.”

The comments came after Furness filed for divorce on May 23, nearly two years after she and Jackman announced a seemingly amicable separation. TV and radio personality Worland said, “It’s not just that statement, but just the last couple of years have been difficult.”

“No one wants anyone to go through what they’ve been through, and, of course, they go through everything publicly because of the type of people and the fame that they have,” he added.

Worland continued, “One thing that I’ve been really strict on, or disciplined on … is to let them do what they’ve had to do. I was over in New York with [Jackman] just last month and he’s fine. He is going along well. He’s moving on with his life and I hope that Deb does as well.”

He added that he and Jackman were godparents to each other’s first children. The Greatest Showman actor and Furness, 69, share two kids together: Oscar, 25, and Ava, 19. Worland, who said it was “a long, long time” that the couple were together, continued on the radio show, “I just go to the kids and go, ‘What can we do to make sure that they’re going to get through this as well as possible?’”

[From People]

“He’s moving on with his life and I hope that Deb does as well.” Yeah, we’ve all seen Jackman moving on with his life in the exclusive People Magazine photos with Sutton Foster. Jackman’s team is positioning Deb, his wife of 27 years, as someone who refuses to “move on.” All because Deb spoke about how difficult it’s been to navigate a divorce from someone who betrayed her. Anyway, the more damage control Jackman does, the sleazier I find him.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.