Hugh Jackman, Sutton Foster’s Romance 'Is the Reason' He Divorced Wife

On October 26, gossip blogger Tasha Lustig spilled some major tea on Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster on her Instagram account. “Do y’all remember when I told you this man was up to no good,” asked the content creator as she pointed to a photo of the Music Man costars looking lovey-dovey on a red carpet. Lustig went on to say that Jackman had “blindsided” his ex-wife, Deborra-lee Furness, by “running off with the mistress” and that the Broadway stars were planning to “soft launch” their relationship publicly.

The juicy post quickly gained a ton of viewers — including Furness, who “liked” it from her private account (only visible to people she follows on the platform), along with over 25,000 others, and Furness’ close friend, British media personality Amanda de Cadenet, who wrote: “You are on point with this one. My beloved friend Deb is about to have her glow up any moment fyi!”

The social media activity seemed to confirm rumors of a secret romance between Jackman, 56, and Foster, 49, who starred together in the 2022 Broadway revival. (Jackman and ex Furness announced their split in September 2023; Foster filed for divorce from screenwriter Ted Griffin on October 25.) Sources confirm in the latest issue of Us Weekly that Jackman and Foster are currently together — and that their friendship turned romantic during the show’s 11-month run, while they were married to other people.

“Sutton and Hugh’s relationship is the reason Hugh and Deb got divorced,” says a Foster source. “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.” According to the source, Jackman and Foster are still going strong: “They are really happy now.”

Instant Connection

Jackman and Foster have run in the same Broadway circles for years. During a late-night appearance, Jackman revealed he’d “watched everything she’s done” and joked that he’d seen Foster star in Thoroughly Modern Millie when she was “like, 4 years old.” (Foster won a Tony for her performance in 2002, when she was 27). Raved Jackman: “[She’s] amazing.”

They hit it off immediately after being cast in The Music Man. In 2022, Foster told Vogue Jackman had become one of her closest friends — and noted that they even had family get-togethers. (Jackman and Furness, 68, adopted son Oscar, 24, in 2000 and daughter Ava, 19, in 2005; Foster and Griffin are parents to Emily, 7, who they adopted in 2017.) “You usually go into these things thinking, ‘Well, I hope we get along,’ ” she explained, “but we just spent Memorial Day with our families.”

Foster also revealed that she and Jackman had adopted an intimate ritual in which they’d sit on the floor of her dressing room and chat before each show. “It’s such a wonderful thing,” Foster said during an appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan. “We just talk and catch up on our day. That’s been one of the best parts of the whole thing,” she added, “that I’ve made this wonderful new friend.”

Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness' Relationship Timeline

During rehearsals, they often posted cute photos and videos to Instagram, gushing over each other. “This show is nothing without you,” Jackman wrote alongside a clip of them practicing a dance. On opening night, Foster shared pics of her and Jackman on the red carpet with the caption: “This man. An honor to be by your side. You. Are. The. BEST.”

Furness suspected nothing — even after watching her then-husband and Foster kiss passionately on stage night after night. “Deborra-lee was blindsided when she found out about the affair through the run of the show,” says an industry source. “It was apparently Broadway’s worst-kept secret, and Deborra-lee was the last to know.” Us has learned that Jackman never came clean about the affair. “He didn’t own up to it,” adds the industry source. Furness wanted to save the marriage, but Jackman’s relationship with Foster continued.

Painful Betrayal

(L-R) Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness

For decades, Jackman and Furness seemed like one of Hollywood’s most solid couples. The Wolverine star fell for Furness when they starred in the Australian series Correlli together. (Like Foster, Furness was his leading lady.) Just five months after meeting, Jackman popped the question. “I knew two weeks into meeting Deb that we were going to be together for the rest of our lives,” he once confessed.

During a 2016 talk show appearance, Jackman said his marriage “gets better and better” with time, adding, “She’s the greatest thing that ever happened to me.” The actor noted he was grateful he’d met her before he skyrocketed to fame in the early 2000s. “Everything that’s happened in my career and on screen, off screen, we’ve always done it together.”

In April 2023, Jackman celebrated his 27th wedding anniversary with a gushing post aimed at Furness. “Together we have created a beautiful family. And life,” he wrote. “Your laughter, your spirit, generosity, humor, cheekiness, courage and loyalty is an incredible gift to me. I love you with all my heart.”

Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness Split After 27 Years of Marriage

While one source notes that the affair between Jackman and Foster had already begun at this point, another source says they first heard of a romance between the pair last November, two months after the actor announced his marriage was over. “We have been blessed to share almost 3 decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage,” Jackman and Furness said in a statement at the time. “Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth.”

A friend of the couple tells Us Furness was heartbroken. “[For a] woman who’s been in a marriage for [27] years who then discovers her partner was unfaithful and isn’t trustworthy, it’s a pretty devastating life experience,” says the friend, noting that Furness has been exceedingly gracious behind the scenes in order to protect her family. “I think many people were shocked [Hugh] could do this to her, especially as she’s the mother of his children, and they’ve navigated three decades of life together,” says the friend. “A little respect may have been in order.” A source familiar with Furness says she’s a survivor: “[Deborra-lee] is a strong, resilient, creative woman.”

What’s Next

As for Jackman and Foster, things are moving forward. “They don’t live together because of their kids,” says a source from the theater world. “But Sutton has told people on Broadway about the relationship. Everyone [there] has known about this for a long time.” A resident in Sutton’s NYC building has told other neighbors they’ve seen Jackman, who also lives in the city, coming in and out.

The Foster source says Jackman knows his reputation is on the line. “Hugh’s whole image is that he’s the nicest guy in Hollywood,” explains the source. “So he doesn’t know what to do 
with this.”

For more on Hugh and Sutton, watch the exclusive video above and pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly — on newsstands now.