Hugh Jackman and Deborra Lee-Furness have decided to go their separate ways after nearly three decades of marriage, stating, “Our journey now is shifting, and we have chosen to separate in order to pursue our individual growth.”
Hugh Jackman and Deborra Lee-Furness are officially ending their long-standing marriage.
The former couple, who tied the knot in 1996, just a year after meeting on the set of an Australian TV series, recently announced their decision to separate after 27 years of marriage.
“We have been fortunate to spend nearly three decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage,” the pair shared in a joint statement to People on September 15. “Our journey is now taking a different direction, and we have decided to separate in order to focus on our personal growth.”
Hugh and Deborra, parents to their children Oscar, 23, and Ava, 18, further expressed, “Our family has always been and will remain our top priority. We embark on this new chapter with gratitude, love, and kindness. We sincerely appreciate your understanding and respect for our privacy as our family navigates this transition in all of our lives.”
Their enduring love story began when they crossed paths on the set of “Correlli,” where they felt an immediate and profound connection.
“I feel blessed that I experienced that. I feel like I met my soulmate,” Deborra remarked during a September 2020 episode of “Anh’s Brush With Fame,” adding, “whatever that is.”
She went on to say, “When you find a partner in crime that you share and grow together with—and life is tough, as we know it, it’s not all good—and when you have someone there that is so supportive…you can really stand buck naked. You have to.”
For Hugh, it was love at first sight.
“My first job out of drama school—it was a massive break for me,” the Emmy winner recalled during a 2017 interview with Jess Cagle on People TV. “I was really scared. Deb, she was a big star. I get picked up, and Deb is in the front seat of the car. I’ll never forget. She took off her seatbelt and she turned around and put out her hand and took off her sunglasses and said, ‘Hi, I’m Deborra-Lee Furness, nice to meet you.’ I remember thinking, ‘I like this girl.’”
And that “like” swiftly turned into love, with the Tony winner recognizing their potential long before his future wife did.
“I knew very early,” he revealed during a 2018 episode of the “Aussies in Hollywood” podcast. “I knew before Deb knew, even when she tried to break up with me, I knew. I managed to talk her out of it, thank God. I’m a very indecisive person, you know this about me, Deb really knows this about me. I can count on one hand the amount of times in my life anything has felt that clear to me. I just knew 100 percent.”
Their affection for each other remained unwavering over the decades, with Hugh writing a heartfelt tribute to his wife in 2021 on their 25th wedding anniversary.
“Being married to you, Deb, is as natural as breathing,” the “X-Men” star penned in an Instagram post at the time. “From nearly the moment we met… I knew our destiny was to be together. In our 25 years – our love has only grown deeper. The fun, excitement, and adventure more exhilarating; the learning even greater.”
“I’m forever grateful to share our love, our life – and, our family together,” he added. “We’ve only just begun.”
Take a look at the couple’s journey throughout the years:
A Pair of Young Lovebirds This photo captures the youthful and hopeful spirits of the couple in 1997, just a year after they exchanged vows.
Love at First Set The two actors, both hailing from Sydney, first crossed paths in 1995 while working on the Australian TV series “Correlli.”
Mutual Attraction Following a few drinks one evening, Hugh openly confessed his feelings for his blonde co-star, much to the amusement of their colleagues.
A Love That Endures To his pleasant surprise, Deborra reciprocated his feelings. It seems their love story was destined from the start.