Hugh Jackman's wife confirms his Sutton Foster affair was the cause of their divorce: report

A new report blames Hugh Jackman's divorce from longtime wife Deborra-lee Furness on his alleged backstage affair with Sutton Foster, his co-star in the hit Broadway revival of “The Music Man.”

“Sutton and Hugh’s relationship is the reason for Hugh and Deb’s divorce,” a source close to Foster tells Us Weekly for a new cover story out this week.

“A lot of people on Broadway knew and we kept it a secret because they're both such nice and great people,” the source continued. “Everyone respected their privacy. But there was an affair and overlap.”

But more than that source's statement, Us Weekly's report also explains how Furness, 68, herself appeared to confirm that her husband's secret romance with Foster led to their divorce after 27 years of marriage.

Late last month, news broke in the tabloids that Jackman, 55, had begun a relationship with Foster, 49, during The Music Man's run from late 2021 to early 2023 – while both were married to other people. The affair reports began when Tony Award-winning Foster filed for divorce from screenwriter Ted Griffin last month after a decade of marriage – “amid rumors” that she was now dating Jackman.

On October 26, gossip blogger Tasha Lustig spilled “big tea” about Furness being “blindsided” by her husband's romance with his co-star, Us Weekly reported.

Lustig said in an Instagram video, “Remember when I told you this man was up to no good?” She posed the question alongside a photo of Jackman and Foster looking “in love” on a red carpet, she said Us Weekly.

Lustig continued that the “Wolverine” star “blindsided” Furness, who gave him “her entire life and her entire career,” by “eloping with the mistress.” Lustig also said that the Broadway stars planned to publicly “kick off” their relationship.

Furness has not publicly commented on Jackman's alleged affair with Foster. But among the more than 26,000 who viewed and “liked” Lustig's post was Furness, Us Weekly reported. She “liked” the post from her private account – which is only visible to people she follows on the platform.

Additionally, Furness' close friend, British media personality Amanda de Cadenet, also commented on Lustig's claim, Us Weekly reported. “You are correct. My darling friend Deb will be making her shine any moment, FYI!”

For some reason, Furness struck a much more conciliatory tone when she and Jackman announced their split in September 2023. A source told the Daily Mail that Furness was determined at the time “not to speak out against Hugh.”

“When they divorced, they agreed to keep everything that happened during their marriage a secret,” the source also told the Daily Mail.

The estranged Australian couple then issued a polite and friendly-sounding statement, saying they were “fortunate to spend almost three decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage.”

The couple, who share children Oscar, 24, and Ava, 19, also spoke about how their “journey” was “changing” and how they “decided to separate to further our individual growth.”

Now it turns out that Jackman's “journey” included his romance with Foster – a journey that was apparently an “open secret” in Broadway circles.

The romance developed while Jackman and Foster worked together on the classic musical comedy set in small town America at the turn of the 20th century. His con man and her librarian fall in love through a series of music and dance routines.

When Jackman and Foster promoted the show, they made no secret of their mutual appreciation. During an interview on “Live with Kelly and Ryan” in 2022, Foster admitted that she and Jackman had developed a very close bond, explaining how they began a pre-performance ritual that took place while they were alone in their dressing room were.

“We call it carpet chat,” Foster revealed in the interview.