Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster are thrilled to have gone public at long last. Now they’re on a mission to end any bad blood with his estranged wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, as well as Sutton’s estranged husband, Ted Griffin, and their respective kids — and his goal is to have a “dream blended family” with everyone involved, an insider exclusively tells Closer.
“Hugh still has a lot of love for Deb. He had three decades with her and doesn’t want to lose her as a friend so he’s ready and willing to do whatever he can to make peace and create a new chapter of their relationship,” the source reveals.
The insider explains, “Hugh very much wants to have Deb as a part of his life, not just for his sake but for his kids as well.” The Tony Awards winner feels that “doing family holidays is something he wants to continue with and that ultimately will mean Sutton has to be in the mix as well. It’s just a matter of Deb being comfortable with it.”
The Deadpool & Wolverine star, 56, married the Jindabyne actress, 69, on April 11, 1996. The former couple met and fell in love the year prior on the set of the Australian TV show Correlli. The duo adopted a son, Oscar, in 2000, and added to their family with the adoption of daughter Ava in 2005.
Hugh and Deborra announced their separation in September 2024. Neither party has filed for divorce as of January 28.
“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,” they said in a joint statement to People.
Hugh and Sutton, 49, grew close after starring together in a revival of Broadway’s The Music Man. The production ran from December 2021 to January 2023. The duo shared messages of support and attended events together professionally before their romance developed.
As for Sutton and Ted, 54, they tied the knot in 2014. The Younger alum filed for divorce from Ted, 54, on October 22, 2024, after nearly 10 years of marriage. They share a daughter, Emily, whom the former couple welcomed via adoption in 2017.
Hugh is “totally open to having Sutton’s estranged husband and daughter” be a part of their big, happy blended family, the source adds. “That is the ideal scenario but of course that again will be up to Ted,” the source continues. “Hugh is eager to do what he can to win Ted over, but obviously he also realizes that will take time so he’s not going to be pushy. But for both Hugh and Sutton the goal is conscious uncoupling, neither of them just wants to leave their exes in the dust.”
Sources told Us Weekly in November 2024 that Hugh and Sutton were a couple after months of dating speculation. Insiders told the outlet that the pair were “happier than ever” and described the romance as “lighthearted” and “joyful.”
That same month, Deborra-Lee seemingly reacted to Hugh’s new romance with Sutton by reportedly liking an Instagram post from her private account in which a blogger claimed The Greatest Showman star had blindsided the Australia native by sharing his romance with Sutton publicly.
Deborra-Lee’s friend Amanda de Cadenet commented on the post, writing, “You are on point with this one. My beloved friend Deb is about to have her glow up any moment fyi!”
Hugh and Sutton officially confirmed their romance when they were spotted holding hands as they stepped out in Santa Monica, California, for a rare dinner date on January 6. Six days later, the couple was photographed kissing in a car while waiting in the drive-thru line at an In-N-Out restaurant in Los Angeles on January 12.
Sutton was a beaming girlfriend as she watched Hugh perform during the opening night of his concert series – From New York, With Love – on January 24. She joined the star’s best friend, Ryan Reynolds, at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall for the first of Hugh’s 23 performances.
