Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness recently announced their separation after nearly three decades of marriage. The couple, who married on April 11, 1997, and share two children, Oscar (23) and Ava (18), have kept the details of their separation private.
Despite this unexpected news, Hugh had celebrated their 27th anniversary with a heartfelt Instagram post, showing the depth of their relationship at that time.
The reasons behind their separation have not been disclosed, leaving fans to speculate and reflect on the couple’s long and public relationship.
“I love you so much. Together we have created a beautiful family. And life. Your laughter, your spirit, generosity, humor, cheekiness, courage and loyalty is an incredible gift to me.”
Deborra-Lee Furness shared with People that a key to her and Hugh Jackman’s long-lasting marriage was their practice of meditating together, sometimes with friends, followed by breakfast.
This routine contributed to their deep connection over the years.
In the film Deadpool & Wolverine, Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) made a humorous comment about Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), saying he’s let himself go since a fictional divorce.
While Wolverine’s character hasn’t been divorced, Jackman himself is navigating a real-life separation, which has added an ironic twist to the joke.
“We have been blessed to share almost 3 decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage. Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth,” they wrote.
“Our family has been and always will be our highest priority. We undertake this next chapter with gratitude, love, and kindness. We greatly appreciate your understanding in respecting our privacy as our family navigates this transition in all of our lives.”
The statement concluded:
“This is the sole statement either of us will make.”
The separation between Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness might have been in the works for some time, with friends and family reportedly aware of the situation before it became public.
The couple first met while working together on the Australian TV show Corelli.
Hugh Jackman reminisced about their initial meeting, recalling how Deborra-Lee introduced herself in a memorable and charismatic way, which left a strong impression on him.
This early connection between them highlights the deep and enduring nature of their relationship, even as they now navigate their separation.
Hugh Jackman has shared that his initial crush on Deborra-Lee Furness was common among the crew of Corelli, where he admitted that everyone admired her. After acknowledging his feelings, Jackman and Furness married about a year later.
Jackman often spoke about the ease and comfort he felt with Furness from the beginning, emphasizing that this genuine connection was crucial for their lasting relationship.
He highlighted that being able to be themselves and not constantly trying to impress each other contributed to their enduring bond.
Just a month before their separation announcement, Jackman discussed the importance of these elements for a happy and long-lasting marriage.
“I think honesty and intimacy and making time. You can’t just assume that things will just tick along. You have to make time.
And intimacy is about really sharing what you’re going through, feelings and checking in with the other person, checking in what they need from you, checking in, how they’re doing, checking and beyond,” he said.
He continued: “Just because it’s so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day of life. That’s hard enough. Kids, school runs, whatever it is, sleepless nights, it’s tiring.
So you have to be checking in with each other. We have time together every morning, so we make sure of that as the day can get away from you.
And sometimes in the evening, I’m sorry, that’s not the best version of me by the evening. I’m tired, I want to check out. I run out of words for the day. They say men have 2,000 words a day.”
Following their separation, Hugh Jackman has been reported as “devastated” by the split, but he and Deborra-Lee Furness have managed to maintain a cordial relationship.
