Hugh Jackman is choosing grace amid heartache. The “Greatest Showman” actor is reportedly “heartbroken” following a pointed and emotional statement released by his estranged wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, just four days after she filed to legally end their 29-year marriage.
“My heart and compassion goes out to everyone who has traversed the traumatic journey of betrayal,” Furness said in a statement shared with the Daily Mail on May 27. “It’s a profound wound that cuts deep.”
Though she didn’t name Jackman directly, Furness’s words struck a chord with the actor and their mutual circle. “Her statement took Hugh and mutual friends by surprise,” a source tells Us Weekly exclusively. “She wasn’t very direct with who she was speaking about, but she was alluding to Hugh and that added emotional weight to it.”
Still, Jackman isn’t looking to escalate the situation. “Hugh loves and respects Deborra-Lee. He will always love her and won’t allow it to get ugly,” an insider told Us Weekly. “He’s hopeful that in time they will heal, be friends again, and resolve any misunderstandings.”
Deborra-Lee Furness Breaks Silence With Cryptic Message
Furness’s message, while introspective, raised eyebrows with its timing and tone. In it, she reflected on the lessons learned in the wake of what she called a painful chapter. “I believe in a higher power and that God/the universe, whatever you relate to as your guidance, is always working FOR us,” she wrote. “Even when we are presented with apparent adversity, it is leading us to our greatest good, our true purpose.” She concluded the message with a cryptic but hopeful note: “None of this is personal… I remain grateful.”
Jackman and Furness, who share son Oscar and daughter Ava, first announced their separation in September 2023 after nearly three decades of marriage, saying they were parting ways “with gratitude, love and kindness.” But behind the public statements, sources close to the couple say things have been more complicated. “Their current relationship is not ugly but is strained,” an insider noted. “They see things differently in terms of how things came to an end.”
While the couple remained tight-lipped following their initial split, speculation swirled last fall when Us Weekly confirmed that Jackman had begun a romance with his “Music Man” Broadway co-star Sutton Foster, while still married to Furness. “Sutton and Hugh’s relationship is the reason Hugh and Deb got divorced,” a source claimed in November 2024. “There was an affair and overlap. A lot of people on Broadway knew, and we kept it quiet because both of them are nice and great people. Everyone respected their privacy.”
Hugh Jackman Focuses on Family Amid Affair Rumors
Foster, 50, was also married at the time to screenwriter Ted Griffin, but filed for divorce in October 2024. Despite the swirling rumors, Jackman has refrained from commenting on the alleged affair and instead remains focused on preserving peace, especially for the sake of their family. “He’s doing his best to stay above the noise,” the source shares. “His priority has always been his children, and he wants to set an example by handling this with dignity.”
As for whether reconciliation is possible, at least on friendly terms, the door isn’t closed. But, for now, both Jackman and Furness are moving forward on their own paths, with mutual respect and, hopefully, healing to come.
