This really shocked me, not because I thought Hugh Jackman and Deborra Lee Furness are some kind of magical, perfect couple, but because they’ve truly weathered every storm before now. Hugh and Deborra are separating after 27 years of marriage. They were both actors when they met in Australia in 1995, but as his career reached all kinds of crazy heights, Deborra phased out her acting career and raised their two children, Oscar and Ava. Predictably – you can really set your watch to this – Hugh and Deborra are separating soon after their youngest turned 18 years old.
Hugh Jackman and his wife Deborra-lee are amicably ending their marriage. The couple say in a statement exclusively shared with PEOPLE: “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.”
“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, signed “Deb and Hugh Jackman,” concludes: “This is the sole statement either of us will make.”
The Aussie pair, who share two kids, Oscar, 23, and Ava, 18, have been married for 27 years.
As I said, they seemed like they were in it through thick and thin, come what may. They seemed like best friends, like they enjoyed each other’s company and they understood each other. But! Sources told Page Six that their split had been “a long time coming” and that “It happened a while ago. Friends and family knew about it.” For what it’s worth, they went to the Met Gala together this year, so… I don’t know about that. This might have been a slow-burn pandemic split too, because there’s some indication that they really started having problems in 2020-21, and Deborra was barely around when Hugh went back on Broadway for The Music Man in 2022. Plus, you know, so many couples are just limping along for those last few years before their kids leave for college. I feel for Ava!
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
Am kinda shocked at this as well but it does sound as if they stayed together until their youngest came of age.
I was so shocked I spent an hour online to get all the details yesterday, I thought it wasn’t real at first!
Like you, I think it’s fair to assume they stayed together until both their kids were over 18.
It’s so odd because I read in a few places that the marriage really fractured during the pandemic, and then the strike made it worse. But I would assume (?) that they were spending more time together during lockdown, and same if neither can work due to the strike. I was thrilled when I got to see so much more of my husband at the beginning of COVID (obviously not thrilled with the reason); we got to spend more time just hanging out together than we had in years, and it was great.
It seems like these two did better when they were both busy doing their own thing, and saw less of each other? I totally understand that there are probably plenty of couples like that, and I don’t judge them at all — everyone should do whatever works for them — but I just can’t relate to the idea of spending MORE time with my husband being a negative thing or having a negative effect on our marriage.
But who knows what really happened…all we know is what they said in their statement to the press, so it could be any number of things that led to this. It’s sad, though…I always thought they were a couple that would last and was shocked by the announcement.
A friend of mine’s parents waited until their kids were all 18+. They didn’t want the kids to have issues in school… My friend and his siblings had no idea that a divorce was coming until it dropped. He has trust issues with his parents because they were lying, they have trust issues with partners, he and his siblings feel guilty that their parents stayed together for them. Don’t stay together because of the kids until they are adults if things aren’t working out, or at least be honest with what’s going on if you do.
They were also together quite happily at Wimbledon sitting in the box with Djokovic’s family and team. Perhaps they just grew apart over the years? Became less lovers and more friends? They always looked to me like brother and sister. My sister once saw them with their kids eating at diner here in NYC. She remarked how down to earth and loved up they were together and with the kids. Sad. I wish them well.
I agree. Debora seems really cool – I saw a show about her fight to change Australian adoption laws and was really impressed by her smarts and energy. I could see how they just started having different interests.
If it was “a long time coming” but they stayed together until their youngest was 18, then it’s entirely possible this split is very amicable and they’re on good terms.
They certainly have always seemed like very amicable people, so that wouldn’t surprise me.
“Grew apart but remain friends” is definitely the vibe I’m getting. I doubt it was any kind of bombshell thing. They’ve been together for a long time. I think people can love each other an not want to be together.
I always found it strange everybody kept saying she was his beard. And then TikTok is full of “he was hooking up via ig dms”.
Who knows. As long it is amicable and respectful, cool
What??!! I’ve blocked about 30 accounts claiming to be the PA of the real Mr Hugh Jackman or the man himself in the last month…that could’ve been my chance 🫣🤭😜
My kids are 22 and 18 now, and the number of friends I have with kids the same age who are divorcing is really something. Even folks that I couldn’t have told you were growing apart. Not acrimonious divorces, just……it was time to move on. I’m continually readjusting my ideas of divorce as failure. 27 years is an achievement. I wish them both the best, and their kids, too.
Absolutely. When a marriage ends it doesn’t mean it was a failure. Creating a life together for years is an accomplishment in itself.
I was talking about Hugh and Deborah during the chris Evans Alba baptista marriage discussion. (Similar age gap starting at similar ages). Of course everyone who disagrees have been gloating. But I say what you said. Thirty years, two children and a seemingly still loving relationship (even it’s become love and not in love) is not a failure.
I’ve never understood when couples, who have been together this long, split and say, Everything’s fine; we’re just moving on in different directions. They make it sound like their careers and their marriage are permanently intertwined. So, yes, this did surprise me. I assumed that this one was going the distance. Now, I wouldn’t be surprised if Hugh quickly turned up at some event with a new woman. But, who knows? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
“Hugh turned up with a new woman, but who knows?” 🥹
I wouldn’t discount the mid-life realisation for a lot of people of “do I really want this for another 20-30 years?”
In your 50s is young enough to potentially find another partner to enjoy a shared lifestyle and certainly too young to “stick it out” if you feel like your partner is no longer the person for you.
I feel like that is what happened to the Trudeaus too particularly with Sophie.
Moving in different directions could have nothing to do with careers. One person might want to hike the Appalachian trail while the other wants to go to fashion shows or art galleries. Especially when you are near I ng retirement age, how you want to spent the last part of your life is a huge deal.
I don’t know if there is a right time for kids to go through a divorce. My parents divorced when I was in my late 20s, and it messed me up horribly. I had learned a lot of bad habits that I brought into my own relationships. When they got divorced, I decided to proactively strip that away and just do whatever I wanted. It has been an ongoing process of un-learning, but I hope that that my now adult kids have had a more realistic example. And I’ve had lots of conversations about, “This is how we make it work, but that doesn’t mean you have to do it the same way or have the same expectations.”
My parents split was I was 8 and while it was awful at the time I’m so glad they got it over with. Staying together for the kids can absolutely work in some cases but for most it’s best for everyone to get on with their lives. In my case it meant I didn’t have to hear “Sarah, go and play outside’” endlessly.
I’m curious when staying together for the kids has actually worked out. Most of my friends whose parents tried to stay together for the kids said it was a relief when their parents finally gave it up and divorced.
Although I suppose it’s different when you’re rich and can basically live separate lives. In that case I guess “staying together until the kids turned 18” is code for “divorced, but we don’t want to deal with custody.”
Anna, it works when you have seen what an absolutely terrible parent your legal spouse is and you will not risk a split custody order from a judge who does not get it when your lying spouse goes in to court and everything is he said she said with no witnesses.
The only people who are willing to divorce when the kids are young are the people who are not that worried about what their kids will have to endure for long unsupervised stretches with the other parent.
People change after the baby comes.
“I’m curious when staying together for the kids has actually worked out.”
Sometimes it can be a financial issue. If separating means that neither can afford to stay in their current school zone, they might opt to wait until the kid graduates high school.
Obviously, If the parents are at each other’s throats constantly, that is not a great idea. In a case like that, splitting up, moving to cheaper locations and having the kids start at a different school even in 10th grade would likely be the best choice.
But I think there are a good # of splits where the couple can get along well enough to make cohabitating work.
Agreeing with @B in response to Anna. This was/is my situation exactly. I will always question my choices, but I realized about 10 years ago, my narcissistic husband was starting to treat our kids the same way he treated me (anger management issues, controlling, treating us like his accessories, no empathy, etc.). I couldn’t stomach the thought of him being alone with them 50% of the time without me there to remind them how awesome they were. He is very charming in public and it definitely would have been a he said/she said situation and we would have had shared custody. My kids are now 18 and 19 and we are finally getting divorced. They weren’t surprised at all when we told them and, yes, I do worry they learned terrible relationship behaviors. But, after talking it through, they also understood that their lives would have been turned upside down (we’re financially stable, but definitely not rich) and why I chose to stay. There is simply no perfect solution in situations like that.
I am all for it. Life is a long time, and at this stage in their lives they both have money, if not time. Twenty seven years was a good run. People change careers and countries for the better. It’s probably the same re divorce.
It does seem like they waited until the children both became adults to split. My theory is covid has made a lot of celebrity couples take stock of their marriages and some have decided that they’re better off divorced.
I agree, and not just celebrities, it made someone I know finally call it quits on a bad marriage.
This one surprised me though, I thought they were in it for the long haul.
I once heard about a proposal that marriage be a renewable 7-year endeavor. If you don’t want to continue, you part ways but if you do, you stay together. That seems way more healthy than FoReVEr. People change and what you want changes. There’s also a U-curve in most people’s happiness. They’re happier when they’re young and when they’re old but they reach peak unhappiness at around age 47. Partnering should fit more with people’s natural ebbs and flows.
I guess that could work for some, but it feels sort of sad and cynical to me. I want a love that lasts forever and loves me even when I’m old.
We all want that J. And then some of us realize that the other person actually only loves themselves. So then we move on.
Huh! I have never heard this, but I just turned 47 (yesterday, in fact) and these past six months have been the unhappiest I have been in my life for no discernible reason. Maybe I’m just going through the mid-life slump!
I’m sad for Hugh and Deborrah-Lee – they seemed like a really solid team. Even if it’s the right choice for them, I’m sure it’s still a painful process. I’m wishing them both, and their children, all the best.
ANNERS- I hope you feel better soon.
Maybe stop by your doctor’s for a thyroid panel? Or the OBGYN can maybe do that along with checking some hormone levels?
The romance is probably gone but the friendship remains strong. Best of luck to them!
My hubby and I were 23 and 21 when we married. Our kids are now 28, 25 and 21. We used to have regular date nights, even if they were at home after the kids were in bed. We made an extra effort because he was in the Air Force and gone for chunks of time. The kids used to tease us about it sometimes. But I didn’t want to reach the age the last one was out the door, look at my hubby, and just not know him anymore. You have to stay a couple and not just parents. And it’s not always easy! It can be easy to get caught in the currents of parenthood. And now, after 31 years of marriage he’s still my partner, best friend and lover. (And there’s no more trading from our kids!)
I have to say, this one really shocked me. Hugh’s been #1 on my List for over two decades! They seemed so in love and solid. I just have a feeling that this was her decision more than his.
@BQM: maybe I’m just old, but I have the same feeling about marriage or any long term life partnership. Unless there is abuse or irreparable infidelity, I don’t understand the urge to terminate the relationship while there is still love and a shared history. It’s treating the relationship as disposable. It’s a mindset. If the thrill is gone, that doesn’t mean the marriage isn’t worth saving. And it doesn’t mean that the thrill can’t be revived with a little effort. Not saying that’s the case here, but 27 years is a long time to just chuck it. And I do think there is more to the story.
Tbh, I think if a couple can weather everything if they stay married for so long. That’s it; unless a horrible, mind-turning secret is discovered, or there’s an affair that turns into something else. Whatever other reason, people who’s stayed through thick & thin for 30 yrs can manage. I’m not implying anything specific about why they split; just stating my point. No one knows what happens behind closed doors.
Exactly brassy rebel. If there is friendship, that is truly everything you need for the long haul. A fire Can be rekindled despite how a dry spell can feel, it can and often is temporary if you have a lasting friendship w your spouse. I really do hate to see ostensibly healthy loving marriages end like this.
Brassy,
I agree with your sentiment. Sadly, what I think happens frequently is that the “thrill” you mentioned dims with the years and one party ACTS on it. Then comes the affair you also mentioned. And once that goes down, there are two outcomes, the cheater moves on with their affair partner OR the betrayed spouse decides they would prefer to move on alone sans cheater.
Obviously, it doesn’t have to be that way. With the right communication and open-mindedness, a couple with 2 decades under their belt could avoid the affair and move on together, happy.
I am not saying there was cheating here at all. More just that I think it happens a lot.
Divorcing after a long marriage like this is not a spur of the moment decision. A marriage that has been on the rails for a long time, long enough to come to peace with the decision to divorce, is pretty common. The final step is just a formality and it’s no surprise to the adult children, who have probably been aware of discord for a long time and adjusted to it long ago.
This makes me sad but I hope for nothing but the best for both of them and their children.
I truly appreciate that they waited until the children were older to understand and accept it-they at least cared enough about their kids feelings to wait-not to bring other people into their kids lives which can be stressful and downright awful for them. best of luck to them and their children.
Eh, this comment has some kind of uncomfortable undertones to me. Yes, if this marriage was comfortable and made for a happy household and their children grew up happily, it sounds like it worked well for them to wait.
If a marriage was unhappy, staying together for the kids is more likely to result in children who feel like the rug was pulled out from under them as adults and who may not have a healthy model of what a relationship should look like. Parents who divorce when their kids are young don’t not care about their kids.
Signed, someone whose parents divorced when she was young and really appreciates the lesson on having a partnership in which both people feel supported, loved, and happy to be there.
@Tweetime, co-signed
Thank you for this!! Biased I’m sure but my parents divorced when I was younger and though it was very amicable my mom told me when I was a bit older that she knew she had to leave when she realized she was setting the example for us to settle for a partner who wasn’t right. They’ve been with both of their spouses now longer than their marriage and if either of those split it would be way harder on me now, but I’d still encourage them to do what’s right.
I have little respect for the people who “stick it out for the kids”. It’s actively harmful.
I’ll come at it from another vantage point. My parents divorced when I was 11, and my older brother was no longer a minor. They chose to do this when, supposedly, we were “old enough to understand “. As the youngest, it felt horrible to be the apparent lynchpin in the timing of my parents’ marriage— especially when, had they asked me several years earlier, I would have suggested that they separate, and save us all a lot of pain.
Waiting until the children are “old enough to understand “ has its own “downright awful “ aspects too — including putting burdens on the kids that really don’t need to be there.
I wholeheartedly disagree with the undertones of the comment. My parents divorced when I was 10, and it was honestly a relief to me. Looking back, I truly wish they had long before then. While I’m not casting aspersions on Hugh and Deborra, I firmly believe if the marriage is unhealthy, then ‘staying together for the children’ is honestly very damaging for the very children one is trying to save or spare.
As for everyone saying if they’ve lasted this long, and they still care about each other, they could make it work again… I’m of two minds about that. I agree that if the love/care is still there they probably could rekindle everything; however, they may have two very different ideas of what they each want in the years ahead. Particularly with the pandemic (and didn’t they both get Covid at one point really early on, when the hospitals and morgues were still overflowing, as well?), I can believe that prompted discussions about the future and the increased ‘down-time’ just reinforced the knowledge of the different paths they wanted to be on. And that can’t always be compromised on in a way that makes both happy. And from their statement, that is what is happening and has been happening. Obviously, we don’t know everything, and if more information comes to light, I reserve the right to drastically change my opinion, but right now I believe NAH. Just two people who have gone in increasingly different directions over the years.
Here’s the thing, divorces happen for so many reasons and people are all different so no two marriages/divorces are the same.
But usually there is a pretty good REASON. Now, Hugh and Deborra seem to get along really well. Maybe their marriage was no longer at all romantic and was purely platonic. If so, and if one or both is interested in romance, they deserve to pursue that. I am using that as an example as I think two people in that boat could successfully stay married for the kids sake and have it be ok.
But those cases are likely rare. More often, the marriage is not working and staying together is NOT good for the kids. You want your kids to grow up thinking that yelling or disrespect or whatever other ailment befell the marriage is normal / healthy and what they should expect?
People have a hard enough time leaving a bad marriage without making it sound like they are bad parents for making that choice.
Young husbands ALWAYS leave
Actually the 2 couples I’ve known where the woman was older, it was also the woman to decide to divorce…
One who didn’t was John Lydon surprisingly. Stayed with his much older wife all the way thru to her death of Alzheimer’s
Wasn’t Tina Turner married to a significantly younger man who stuck with her till the end, too?
Sascha, this comment isn’t meant to argue your point….just something that I came across recently that kind of fits here.
I had seen a few tik toks where men who I presume were Men’s Rights Activists were saying that 70% of divorces are filed by women. And they were all “SEE! It’s the women leaving not men.” These are also men that want to end no fault divorce.
And that may be factually true, but I also follow a board that supports victims of infidelity. It’s for men and women, but there happen to be more women there. And over and over are stories of women that were cheated on, and the husband moves in with his new gf WHILE still married and then waits and waits until his wife files.
But to Sascha’s point, I don’t know enough divorced people to say if younger husbands leave more than older husbands. I do think that men in general may FEEL they have more options out there than women. There are always outliers and I am sure plenty of women past a certain age CAN find love after divorce if that is what they want. But I feel like the message we get is that men have it easier with dating. So I can see men being more willing to leave a marriage of 2 decades to go looking, where maybe women are less interested. ( I see a LOT more women that get divorced over 50 that are looking forward to being single…so)
My jaw dropped reading this.
I guess sometimes you just drift apart.
Best wishes to both, this cannot be easy. 27 years is a long time, then to move away from your best friend.
Same at the surprise of it. I also hope their friendship remains because that was what I found so endearing about their relationship.
My husband and I have been married for 23 years, and although we are content and have no plans on splitting, I can absolutely see why/how marriages fall apart after a couple of decades. There’s a lot of realizing that traits driving you crazy are never changing and that life is finite. It’s super natural to look across the room and ask, “Is this what I want for the rest of my life?!?”
For women, too, there’s often a renewed sense of vigor after menopause and after rearing children is done (especially if you’ve been the main child-wrangler). Most of the men in their 50s I know get more settled in their ruts, while the women in their 50s are getting more adventurous. That can be hard for both parties to manage.
All that said, I’m no expert! I with their children the best, though. It’s hard to live through your parents divorcing when you’re just starting out on your adult life.
Seems like the marriage has been over for a while and, like everyone said they seem to be waiting for the youngest to turn 18 to divorce.
I will never look at them the same way and always side-eye them for their continued friendship with Ivanka Trump; it says a lot about them and what type of people they are.
my first thought was who keeps Ivanka and Jared
This makes me so sad. This was the one Hollywood marriage (though they are not really based there) that I rooted for. He was still absolutely gushing about her for their 27th anniversary in May on Instagram and looked at her so lovingly at some event in April. I just don’t understand this. What has happened in those three four months? You are not best friends in a marriage and still rave about your partner in May and then split in September „because you grew apart“. This makes me so sad also because it confirms that in the long run men do not stay with an older woman, especially if they are rich and or famous enough to have easy success with younger women. No one would raise eye brows if Hugh started dating a 39 year old, he would be respected for not going for a starlet in her twenties. And yet that 39 years old would be 30 years younger than Deborah.
I think it’s a matter of them still respecting each other and still being good friends. You can always tell when a marriage is coming to a bad end, the antipathy is very obvious (e.g. Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Philippe), but these two seem to have the utmost esteem for each other and it shows, even through a separation which seems to have been in progress for many months.
I don t belive that the age gap was the problem or that younger Men always leave…look at macron and brigitte!!
Brigitte and Macron are no example lol. She preyed on her teen student and he has long term trauma bonded with her, imho
She is 67. I feel for her, because while he can pick right up with whomever he chooses as a huge star in his early 50s……her options will likely be limited.
If she wants to be in a relationship. Maybe she wants to be single? Being a single woman is underrated.
Agreed, Ocho!!! Being single is awesome, too 🙂
I found the love of my life at 63…but as others say, being single is great. I was happily single for a decade until Mr. Jaded walked into my life.
That’s beautiful, Jaded
and gives me hope, even in this town of 12 women to every man!
Shoot, after a long marriage, multiple-kid raising, and dealing with mega-celebrity stress—she’s probably past ready for some personal downtime not doing a darn thing—especially dating. Alone does not mean lonely, and single sure doesn’t mean lonely.
I feel like this is aligned with the Trudeau split up, long marriage, seemingly happy etc. I think in the Trudeau case, Sophie pulled the plug and didnt want another 20 or 30 years with him. Sophie did look unhappy at Canada day which was the first glimpse I saw of unhappiness.
67 divorcing is another level though compared to 40s and 50s, but we only have one life to live, best we make the best of it!
I was shocked to hear this news, but only they know what they each need and want out of life now. Freedom seems to be it for at least one of them.
Really surprised, but they’ve often given me a good friends vibe, so maybe this is a case of the romance running its course. Hope they will always care about the well-being of the other. They both seem like lovely people. I don’t follow celebrity divorces. The Costner headlines alone are awful, so definitely wouldn’t want to read the articles under it.
It’s gotta be hard to be the spouse of a Very Famous Person and always live in their shadow but still under a microscope. I imagine now that their kids are over 18 and fairly independent Deborra wants to live a different life other than “wife of”. She strikes me as a very accomplished person who now wants to spread her wings. I wish them well.
Agreed—being a celebrity wife is very similar in some ways to being a cop’s wife or an army spouse. More perks, but insane stress. And their life is in good part most of yours.
yeah, that part about limping through the final years is so real..
we need to stop equating a ‘successful marriage’ with its duration. so many people out there approach their marriages with a sunk-cost rationale; like, they’ve long fallen out of love with their spouse but they won’t separate or divorce for fear of disrupting their kids’ lives, social stigma, and they think “well, we’ve come this far, might as well keep going”.
also, noone wants to be back in the streets lol. sadly, too many people stay in dismal relationships because they don’t wanna start all over again, or be alone.
My parents always brag how they have been 48 years married, and myself having seen 42 years of hell personally between them begs to differ. My mother is quite the narcissist coupled with some undiagnosed mental health issues that makes her go from nice to blind rage in under 60 seconds. The verbal abuse that I have witnessed her giving my father over the years is not what I call a healthy, something to be proud of, longevity marriage. But, my mother gave up her career when she married my father, only went back to work in her 40s to get enough quarters for social security, and then “retired” for good at 55, so now at 75, she is stuck unless she somehow finds a wealthy man. She has no friends to speak of and always likes to be around men, so I would bet if my father goes first(he is nearly 81), she will have a new boyfriend in under 6 months despite the long marriage praise bit.
sorry for your painful family situation.
yep, for many people out there, marriage is an apparent end unto itself – they like to be married just to say that they’re married, bragging rights and all, while totally miserable behind closed doors.
Have seen too many random comments, plus looked up his situation with John Palermo, to believe these two were ever anything more than best buddies and co-parents. Apparently in LA’s agency circles, it’s taken for granted these two were just that and Hugh is actually you know. I hope Hugh finds the strength to come out at some stage.
Mocha, I agree. There were so many comments from industry insiders (!) over the years that this is just a (happy) arrangement. Maybe he will eventually come out, if not as gay, then as bi? If these rumors are true. But he might never – they have both been so vehement and vocal in denying the rumors. As for Deborra, whatever she’s done with her face, she looks very different, but stunning.
This one shocked me. But we still have pierce brosnan and his wife Keely, Kurt Russel and Goldie Hawn although they’re not married. Hope they stay together.
Kurt and Goldie are open but think Pierce Keely and Matthew M and Camila A are not and are the real deal.
Ah, I’m sad to hear this. I really have liked them together and as individuals. They both seem like decent, caring people, and I wish them both the best.
I wonder who will keep Jared and Ivanka? Divorced couples (both) don’t usually keep their friends – I know High thinks the world of them. Never heard of read what his wife thoughts were…