Hugh Jackman has seemingly sent a thinly-veiled message to his ex-wife Deborra-Lee Furness after she requested to meet his new girlfriend Sutton Foster. The Australian actor, 57, stepped out holding hands with Sutton, 51, after it was claimed that Deborra-Lee, 70, wants to meet Sutton to help gain closure on their relationship.
However, soon after the reports emerged about Deborra-Lee's request, Hugh appeared in New York wearing a hoodie with the slogan 'finish it'. The couple were spotted heading to the gym together as they continued their normal routine after Hugh's ex-wife's unusual demand. Hugh, who looked animated as he walked alongside Sutton, is said to have been left feeling 'blindsided' by the fact his ex wants to meet his new love.
Hugh and Sutton publicly confirmed their romance in January 2025, a year after he announced that he and Deborra-Lee Furness had split. Just days ago, it was claimed that Hugh's ex, Deborra-Lee, wants to meet Sutton so they can all move forward following the acrimonious split.
'This isn't about Deb being angry or wanting to read Sutton the riot act. It's about closure,' an insider told last week's New Idea magazine. They added that while Deborra was initially reluctant to meet, she now wants to in an attempt to minimise some of the perceived tension.
'For the longest time, Deb swore off the idea of even being in the same room as Sutton,' the insider added. 'But at this point it feels like something she needs to check off her list, if only to put an end to the awkwardness... also so she can speak her truth.'
They said that Hugh and Sutton have been very public about their new romance, which had come as a shock to his ex, as they were visiting all the places that she used to go to with him. 'Watching Hugh and Sutton parade around the city, openly flaunting their romance and mingling with all the same people they used to socialize with as a couple, is incredibly painful and humiliating,' they added. 'It might be easier to take if they weren't constantly all over each other.'
The source said that Hugh and Sutton were surprised by Deb's request – but were open to the idea so they could clear the air of any perceived tension. Hugh was recently slammed for attending this year's Met Gala with Sutton after previously attending year after year with Deb. Their appearance was a brutal final blow to his ex-wife, who he finalised his divorce from last June, after they separated in September 2023.
Hugh's romance with Sutton is said to have begun in late 2024, after they met while starring in Broadway's 2021 revival of The Music Man. Hugh and his ex-wife previously attended multiple Met Galas, with their last joint appearance being in 2023. He notably showed up to the 2024 soiree solo and skipped the event altogether last year amid their high-profile split. And for his grand 2026 return to the Met Gala, Hugh had Sutton by his side as he trekked up the Metropolitan Museum of Art's iconic staircase.
The couple looked totally smitten as they were caught sharing loving glances during their red carpet stint. Their Met Gala debut as a couple comes amid rumors that a wedding between the pair is close at hand. Back in February, the Globe claimed that Hugh rejected the idea of drawing up a prenup with the Broadway star. Hugh's fortune is worth a reported $170 million compared to Sutton's estimated $4 million, but he seemingly has no fears about sharing it with his future second wife. He 'won't even entertain' the idea, an alleged insider told the magazine, and considers the suggestion 'offensive.'
According to a source close to the couple, the wedding will take place as soon as Sutton's divorce from her ex, Ted Griffin, is finalized. '[Hugh's] told his team to keep a big window open for him and Sutton to tie the knot and have a "honeymoon tour" of Europe, where they can see his mum,' an insider told New Idea. The source added that the couple are planning a small, 'intimate' ceremony in New York during spring or summer for their 'theatre pals.'
