The friendly split between Hollywood star Hugh Jackman and his wife of 27 years, Deborra-Lee Furness, has now turned bitter. Furness recently filed for divorce, nearly two years after the couple announced their separation, and she gave a statement to the Daily Mail that tells a very different story from the quiet, respectful breakup they had originally described. Her words reveal a deeply personal and emotional experience, calling the divorce a painful “journey of betrayal.”
Furness’s statement does not directly accuse anyone, but it makes clear that she has gone through serious emotional pain because of the end of her marriage. She described the betrayal as leaving a “deep wound,” showing how much-broken trust has hurt her.
“My heart and compassion goes out to everyone who has traversed the traumatic journey of betrayal. 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.”
Hugh Jackman’s ex-wife speaks up
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.”
Despite the hurt, Furness sees her experience as a journey of personal growth. Her message focuses on how she has become stronger and more self-aware because of this hardship. By talking about the importance of staying true to herself, her values, and her boundaries, she describes her healing process as a way to rediscover who she is and find freedom even after her marriage fell apart. Her statement implies that this journey of self-discovery and a renewed focus on her own values has finally given her a sense of liberation.
Furness seems to view the pain of separation in a detached way. She suggests that the hurt of divorce is not a personal attack but rather a natural result of two people moving in different directions in life. This seems like an attempt to take the pain less personally and to see the situation as a chance for both people to grow, even though the pain of betrayal is still very real.
The timing of Furness’s statement, coming right after her divorce filing and mentioning betrayal, has led people to think about Hugh Jackman’s relationship with Sutton Foster, his co-star in the Broadway show The Music Man. Jackman and Foster were rumored to be romantically involved after the couple announced their separation in 2021. Furness did not name Foster in her statement, but the timing and context strongly suggest that Jackman’s new relationship may be part of why she called the divorce a “journey of betrayal.”
The couple’s long marriage, which lasted from their wedding in 1996 until their separation in 2021, makes the emotional pain Furness describes even more understandable. Being together for nearly thirty years shows how strong their commitment once was, and the end of such a long relationship must be a huge life change for both of them.
Published: May 28, 2025 12:03 pm