Deborra-Lee Furness and Hugh Jackman were once the epitome of a picture-perfect couple – making their shock split sting that much more.
Soon after, rumors of a romance between Hollywood’s Mr. Nice Guy, 56, and his younger Broadway costar Sutton Foster erupted, satiating fans’ desperate need to know what went so catastrophically wrong.
Furness’ silence in the wake of the fallout was unfaltering – that is at least until she took a jaded swipe at her estranged husband in a defiant statement to the Daily Mail this week, nearly two years after they announced their separation.
The Australian actress, 69, spoke tersely about the ‘traumatic journey of betrayal,’ describing it as a ‘a profound wound that cuts deep’ just days after she officially filed for divorce.
Now, the Daily Mail can reveal an ‘extremely disappointed’ Jackman was blindsided by her words, as he believed they had an ‘understanding’ they would not publicly trash one another.
‘Hugh was extremely disappointed after reading what his ex had said,’ our insider explained.
Hugh Jackman is ‘extremely disappointed’ over ex Deborra-Lee Furness’ stunning jab, an insider has told the Daily Mail (pictured together in 2013)
Jackman and Furness announced their separation in September 2023, not long before rumors of Jackman’s romance with Sutton Foster erupted (Jackman and Foster pictured together in 2022)
‘There was no stipulation that she could not address this but there was an unwritten understanding that she would not trash him to the press.
‘She got around this by not naming him – instead focusing on how she felt.’
Furness officially filed for divorce on May 23, nearly two years after their separation announcement in September 2023.
Back in January, the Daily Mail exclusively reported that the estranged spouses had yet to file for divorce as their decision to dismiss a prenup was proving to be a point of contention.
But Furness finally reached a stage where she could file because Jackman ‘caved in to all of her divorce requests’ – making her statement this week all the more painful.
‘Hugh knows that he cannot change anything, and it is unfortunate that Deb feels the way she did given the fact that he caved in to all of her divorce requests,’ our insider added.
The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for Jackman and Furness for comment.
Furness’ silence in the wake of the fallout was unfaltering, that is until she took a jaded swipe at her estranged husband in a defiant statement to the Daily Mail this week (pictured together in 2022)
Furness spoke tersely about the ‘traversed and traumatic journey of betrayal,’ describing it as a ‘a profound wound that cuts deep’
Furness broke her silence on their divorce on Wednesday, telling the Daily Mail that being ‘presented with apparent adversity’ helped her gain ‘knowledge and wisdom.’
‘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 by announcing the ‘one thing’ she has learned, which is ‘that none of this is personal.’
‘We are all on our individual journeys and I believe that the relationships in our lives are not random,’ she added.
‘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.’
In January, the Daily Mail revealed Furness and Jackman were struggling to come to terms on divvying up their assets.
‘Hugh and Deborra-Lee have not yet filed for divorce because they are struggling to reach an agreement on how to divide their assets,’ said a source at the time. ‘Deborra-Lee feels entitled to more money than Hugh is willing to offer.’
‘Hugh was extremely disappointed after reading what his ex had said,’ our insider said. ‘There was no stipulation that she could not address this but there was an unwritten understanding that she would not trash him to the press’
Furness officially filed for divorce on May 23, a year and a half after they announced their separation (pictured in May 2023)
Furness’ insistence on getting a bigger chunk of their estimated fortune was said to be fueled by the murky origins of his romance with Foster, 50 (Jackman and Foster pictured in 2022)
Her insistence on getting a bigger chunk of their estimated fortune was said to be fueled by the questionable origins of his romance with Foster, 50, with whom Furness felt he was having ‘an emotional affair.’
Their marriage started to fall apart during the COVID-19 pandemic, around the same time Jackman struck up a friendship with Foster, his costar on the 2022 Broadway revival of The Music Man.
Foster was married to Ted Griffin at the time. The estranged spouses are also in the midst of finalizing their divorce.
Furness and Jackman met in 1995 on the Australian TV show Correlli, when she was a major star, and he was enjoying his first role fresh out of drama school.
He proposed four months later, telling Today in 2018 that he knew two weeks into meeting Furness that they were ‘going to be together for the rest of our lives.’
They were married in Melbourne, Australia, in April 1996 before adopting a son Oscar, now 24, in 2000.
Five years later, they completed their family unit when they adopted a daughter Ava, now 19.
Since tying the knot, Jackman has amassed an eye-watering fortune, estimated to be around $200 million, thanks to his turn as Wolverine in Marvel’s blockbuster comic book franchise.
