It felt like the ground shifted under Hollywood when they announced it. After 27 years, Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness weren't just a couple; they were an institution. In a world where celebrity marriages are often measured in months or "eras," they were the gold standard.
Then came September 2023. The joint statement. The "individual growth" line.
Honestly, it caught everyone off guard because, just months earlier, Hugh was posting these incredibly sappy, beautiful tributes for their anniversary. You've probably seen them. He called her the "greatest gift." So, what actually went down? Why did the "nicest guy in Hollywood" and the woman he once called his "rock" decide to call it quits just shy of three decades?
The Fall of the House of Jackman
For a long time, the narrative was simple. They met on the set of the Australian show Correlli in 1995. Hugh was the "new guy," and Deb was the established star. He had a crush. She had a crush. They got married in 1996 and became this unstoppable force of positivity.
But as 2024 bled into 2025, the "amicable" facade started to show some cracks. It turns out that long-term separation—the kind where you're both pursuing massive international careers—takes a toll that even the best meditation apps can’t fix.
The Finalization and the "Betrayal"
By May 2025, the legalities were finally wrapping up. Deborra-Lee officially filed for divorce in New York. While the initial split was painted in shades of "love and kindness," things got real pretty fast.
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Deborra-Lee eventually broke her silence, and she didn't mince words. She spoke about a "profound wound" and a "traumatic journey of betrayal." That’s a heavy word. Betrayal. It’s a far cry from the "shifting journey" language we got at the start.
The Sutton Foster Factor
You can't talk about Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness without mentioning the elephant in the room: Sutton Foster.
Speculation had been bubbling for ages. Hugh and Sutton starred together in the Broadway revival of The Music Man in 2022. If you watched them on stage, the chemistry was... let’s just say it was palpable. People noticed.
By early 2025, the rumors became reality. Hugh and Sutton were spotted holding hands in LA. Sutton had filed for divorce from her husband, Ted Griffin, in late 2024. Suddenly, the timeline started looking a bit messy to the public eye.
- The Overlap: While no one has explicitly said "there was an affair," the timing of both marriages ending right after a year of working closely together on Broadway raised every eyebrow in the industry.
- The Engagement Rumors: Fast forward to January 2026. Word out of Australia is that Hugh and Sutton are looking at a 2026 wedding. Insiders say Hugh has told his team to keep a window open for the ceremony and a subsequent European honeymoon.
Life After the Split
So, where does that leave everyone now?
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Hugh is 57. He’s still Wolverine (apparently "until he's 90," according to his recent jokes). Marvel is actually looking to cast a younger Logan for the mainline MCU while keeping Hugh as the "Old Man Logan" mentor figure. It’s a smart move. It keeps the nostalgia alive without requiring him to maintain that insane 5,000-calorie-a-day physique forever.
He’s also hanging onto his $15 million Bondi Beach penthouse. He hasn't been back to Sydney much lately, opting to spend the start of 2026 in Costa Rica with Sutton.
Deborra-Lee’s New Chapter
Deb is 70 now, and she seems to be leaning into the "liberation" side of things. She’s been working on a series called Antibody Heat and there's serious buzz about her joining Dancing with the Stars in Australia for the 2026 season.
She’s spoken about returning to her own "integrity, values, and boundaries." It sounds like she's doing the hard work of rediscovering who she is without being "Mrs. Wolverine."
The Reality of the $250 Million Fortune
There was no prenup. Can you imagine? After 27 years of building a massive global brand, they had to divide an estimated $250 million.
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- The New York Penthouse: Their massive $60 million home was put on the market.
- The Assets: Reports from mid-2025 suggested a "bitter dispute" over the fortune, which is usually what happens when that much money is on the table and emotions are raw.
- The Kids: Their adult children, Oscar and Ava, have stayed remarkably private through all this. Both Hugh and Deb have consistently said the kids are the priority, and by all accounts, they’ve managed to keep the family unit somewhat intact, even if the marriage is gone.
What We Can Learn From Them
It’s easy to look at Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness and feel cynical. If they can’t make it, who can? But that’s the wrong way to look at it. 27 years isn't a failure. It’s a massive success that reached a natural (if painful) end.
Sometimes people grow in different directions. Sometimes a "betrayal" is the catalyst for a change that was already coming.
Takeaways for the rest of us:
- Communication isn't a cure-all. You can talk until you're blue in the face, but if the core goals have shifted, the relationship will eventually crack.
- Privacy is a choice. They managed to keep the real "why" under wraps for nearly two years. You don't owe the world your trauma the second it happens.
- Reinvention is possible at any age. Whether it's Hugh finding new love in his late 50s or Deborra-Lee hitting the ballroom floor at 70, life doesn't stop after a divorce.
If you’re following their journey, keep an eye on the Australian press. They usually get the scoop on Hugh before the US outlets do. With a potential wedding on the horizon for Hugh and a reality TV stint for Deb, 2026 is shaping up to be the year they both finally step out of each other's shadows for good.
Check the latest property listings in North Bondi if you want to see where Hugh might be hiding out—that penthouse isn't going anywhere, even if everything else has changed.