Hugh Jackman SPLITS with wife Deborra-Lee Furness: Couple separate after 27 years of marriage – as they issue statement saying they’re moving forward ‘with gratitude, love, and kindness’
- Hugh Jackman, 54, and wife Deborra-Lee Furness, 67, are ending their marriage after 27 years
- The Australian couple share two children together; Oscar, 23, and Ava, 18
- Pair issued a joint statement Friday confirming the shock split
Hugh Jackman and wife Deborra-Lee Furness have announced that they’re ending their marriage after 27 years as husband and wife.
‘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,’ the couple said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.
‘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 was signed was signed off as ‘Deb and Hugh Jackman’ by the pair, adding: ‘This is the sole statement either of us will make.’
The Australian couple share two children together; Oscar, 23, and Ava, 18.
At 67, the Australian blonde is 13 years older Hugh, 54, and they’ve previously stated that they have never spent more than two weeks apart since their 1996 wedding.
This April marked the pair’s 27th wedding anniversary and the Wolverine star posted a gushing tribute to his wife.
‘I love you Deb. Today is our 27th wedding anniversary. 27 years! I love you so much,’ the actor gushed to his 79.1M social media followers.
‘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. I love you with all my heart.’
While he is undoubtedly more well known than his wife, Deborra-Lee had already shot 20 movies by the time she and Jackman met while co-starring as a prison psychologist and a brain-damaged convict in ABC’s 10-episode series Correlli in 1995.
In 2000, The Music Man thespian and Furness adopted son Oscar Maximilian, 23, in 2005, they adopted now 18-year-old daughter Ava Eliot.
‘I think honesty and intimacy and making time [are the secret to a long and happy marriage]. You can’t just assume that things will just tick along okay. You have to make time,’ Hugh told Smooth Radio in February.
Deborra-Lee most recently played Jill Bailey alongside Eric Bana in Robert Connolly’s sequel Force of Nature: The Dry 2, which was released in Australian and New Zealand theaters on August 24.
Hugh has never been shy about speaking on his marriage, and praised Deborra-Lee when promoting his hit film The Greatest Showman in 2017.
In an interview, he called Deborra-Lee his ‘best friend’ and main source of support in both his career, and personal life.
Hugh said of his partner: ‘I’m married to the greatest woman alive. She’s amazing. We’re best friends, and we share everything. She’s smart.’
Talking about how they never spend longer than two weeks apart, he explained that it was because they wish to ‘share everything’ together.
He continued: ‘We always said we’d never spend more than 2 weeks apart. Sometimes life and work does get crazy.
‘But we met on my first job when she was already a big star, I was a nobody. So we have shared everything, all the ups and downs, and always will.’
