Deborra-Lee Furness, the former wife of actor Hugh Jackman, has confirmed that the couple’s separation was caused by his alleged affair with a woman named Sutton Foster.
On October 26, a gossip blogger posted a video on Instagram, which claimed that Jackman allegedly ran away with the mistress after leaving his wife.
According to a report by Lustig, Foster and Jackman wanted to “soft-launch” their rumored affair during their time working together in the Broadway musical “The Music Man.”
The rumors about their relationship first emerged during their time on the show. In the musical, a con artist named Harold Hill falls in love with Marian Paroo, a librarian.
The Broadway musical “The Music Man” started in February 2022 and ended in January 2023 at Manhattan’s Winter Garden Theatre.
Appearing alongside Furness in the video, Amanda de Cadenet, a friend of the former couple, said that she was also aware of the rumors about their affair.
A source close to Foster claimed that the couple’s relationship was the reason why they separated.
Many people in Broadway knew about the relationship between Jackman and Foster, but they kept it quiet as they were both very nice and great people. According to an industry insider, Furness was surprised when she learned that the couple had an affair during the run of “The Music Man.” She reportedly thought it was “Broadway’s worst-kept secret.”
A friend of the couple said that Furness was devastated by the news, and many people were shocked by how Jackman had behaved. It’s not clear when the affair started, and both Foster and Jackman have not commented on the matter.
Rumors about the relationship emerged days after Foster filed for divorce from her spouse, Ted Griffin, on October 22, citing irreconcilable differences. A year later, Furness and Jackman announced their separation.
Last month, Page Six reported that the couple was keeping their relationship a secret. According to one of the sources, the pair were merely keeping their relationship a low-profile. Another claimed that Foster and Jackman were both 100% committed to spending their lives with each other.
Another source close to the couple claimed that despite their efforts to hide their relationship, it’s still common knowledge about it. In 2022, Jackman opened up about his admiration for Foster during an interview for “The Music Man.” The interview was then re-emerged last month following the news about their split. Furness and Jackman first worked together on the Australian TV series “Correlli” in 1995.
In 2000, Jackman and Furness adopted their children, Ava, 19, and Oscar, 24. Foster, on the other hand, has a daughter named Emily with her spouse, Ted Griffin. The actress is known for her work on Broadway, but she also appeared in small-screen shows such as “Bunheads” and “Younger.”
She won a Tony award for her performance in “The Music Man” and “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” She also starred in other Broadway shows such as “Little Women” and “Sweeney Todd.” Currently, she is starring in the Broadway revival of “Once Upon a Mattress.”
In July, Jackman re-appeared as the titular character in the film “Deadpool,” and he’s also set to appear in the upcoming movie “Three Bags Full.” Furness opened up about her life following the couple’s separation earlier this year. She also reflected on her new single status.
In May, Jackman told People that he’s resilient and strong following the couple’s separation. He also noted that it had been a “year of evolution” for him.