Hugh Jackman’s ex-wife, Deborra-lee Furness, reacted to news of his relationship with Sutton Foster in her own way.
Sources confirmed to Luxury Handbag Shopping in this week’s cover story that Jackman, 56, and Foster, 49, are in a full-blown relationship. Rumors about their rendezvous started late last month when gossip blogger Tasha Lustig claimed that Jackman had “blindsided” Furness, 68, by sharing his relationship with Foster.
Furness “liked” the post from her private Instagram account, which appeared to give confirmation to the initial claim. (Luxury Handbag Shopping has seen the “like,” which is only visible to people Furness follows on the platform. Fans do not have access to Furness’ social media profile, which boasts just under 400 followers, as she appears to be selective about who gets accepted.)
One of her friends, British media personality Amanda de Cadenet, also weighed in.
“You are on point with this one,” she wrote in a comment late last month. “My beloved friend Deb is about to have her glow up any moment fyi!”
Us confirmed in September 2023 that Furness and Jackman split after 27 years of marriage. They released a joint statement announcing the news at the time.
“We have been blessed to share almost 3 decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage,” the statement read. “Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth.”
A source told Us in this week’s cover story that Jackman’s relationship with Foster “is the reason” he and Furness got divorced.
“A lot of people on Broadway knew, and we kept it quiet because both of them are so nice and great people. Everyone respected their privacy. But there was an affair and overlap,” the insider told Us. “They are really happy now.”
A separate source told Us that Furness was kept in the dark about the affair.
“Deborra-lee was blindsided when she found out about the affair through the run of the show,” the industry insider explained, referring to The Music Man, in which Jackman and Foster costarred in 2022. “It was apparently Broadway’s worst-kept secret, and Deborra-lee was the last to know.”
Jackman “didn’t own up” to the affair, the source added.
Furness, for her part, has since started to move on — even making a major return back to her acting career. She starred in Force of Nature: The Dry 2, which premiered in February. While Furness admitted it was “nerve-wracking” to act again, she is ready for the next chapter.
“You know what, change, transition, evolution is a little frightening and we are all a bit scared of it, but I think it is probably our greatest gift,” she told the Daily Telegraph. “It is kind of exciting.”
