BY JELENA ASKA
Are there red flags in Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster’s relationship? My feature in Glam exposes their known hazards and workable outcomes. #celebritynews #hughjackman
When news emerged in 2023 that Deadpool & Wolverine star Hugh Jackman was splitting from his wife of 27 years, Deborra-Lee Furness, many were stunned. In a joint statement shared via People, the couple expressed gratitude for their nearly three decades together, describing their marriage as loving and wonderful. They explained that their journey was evolving, leading them to separate in order to focus on personal growth.
However, when Jackman was later linked to his The Music Man co-star Sutton Foster earlier this year, speculation arose about whether their time working together on the Broadway revival in the early 2020s played a role in his breakup.
Glam journalist Jelena Aska writes, “For further insight, we talked to New York City-based relationship expert Susan Winter, the author behind the bestselling book “Breakup Triage: The Cure for Heartache.” Exclusively for Glam, Winter shares what some of the couple’s potential red flags might be.
Sutton Foster and Hugh Jackman began their romance as a proximity relationship
The first red flag that Susan Winter points out to us is the fact that the two Hollywood stars probably fell in love while working together on “The Music Man,” a musical revival that premiered on Broadway in February 2022.
“Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster’s affair began as a proximity relationship,” Winter explains exclusively to Glam. “Working on stage together for two years creates a strong bond of intimacy and ‘sense’ of knowing each other. Relationships born of situational romance can end just as quickly as they began,” the expert tells us.
“The location and conditions of how a couple finds their way to love is aided by the bubble in which they were living. Once removed from the bubble, these couples often struggle to create the same level of intimacy and urgency.”
Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster’s relationship timeline feels rushed after their recent separations
Foster only finalized her divorce toward the end of 2024. Some may even consider the couple’s romance a rebound — and we all know that catching feelings in a rebound fling is challenging. “The timeline for this affair has led to speculation that the relationship began long before either Jackman or Foster were single again,” Susan Winter shares exclusively with Glam. “Jackman announced his separation from his wife in September 2023, while Foster’s divorce from her husband wasn’t finalized until October 2024,” she adds.
“Considering their shared time working on ‘The Music Man’ from 2021 to 2023, it seems plausible that their current relationship may have stemmed from a prior emotional or romantic affair,” the expert says.
The nature of the industry isn’t working in Sutton Foster and Hugh Jackman’s favor
“On-stage and on-camera affairs are rampant,” Susan Winter tells Glam exclusively. “Situational romances like these occur frequently in the entertainment business. That’s why so many of us marvel that certain Hollywood couples have stayed married for 20+ years.” In this vein, the fact that Jackman was with his wife for over two decades is a rarity in this industry. “Remaining together is unique given the nature of this industry,” the expert adds. “Long periods away from spouses and the constant presence of new romantic possibilities creates tempting opportunities for these types of romances.”
