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Australian actress Deborra-Lee Furness has opened up about the emotional toll of her separation from Hollywood star Hugh Jackman, describing the experience as a “traumatic journey of betrayal.” In a candid statement released to the media, Furness, 69, reflected on the recent dissolution of her 27-year marriage, expressing both pain and personal growth.
“My compassion goes out to everyone who has traversed the traumatic journey of betrayal,” she said. “It’s a profound wound that cuts deep. However, I believe in a higher power and that God/the universe... is always working FOR us.”
Furness and Jackman filed for divorce in New York on 23 May 2025, several months after they had publicly announced their separation in September 2023. The news shocked fans, especially given the couple’s appearance together at the 2023 Met Gala just months before the announcement.
Jackman, 56, internationally known for his role as Wolverine in the X-Men film series, has not responded directly to Furness’s recent remarks. He did, however, post a video on Instagram shortly after the statement surfaced, showing him skipping to NSYNC’s hit song Bye Bye Bye, a move that drew mixed reactions online.
In her statement, Furness suggested that the breakdown of their relationship had taught her deep personal lessons. “Sometimes the universe has to create arduous circumstances for us to walk through in order to find our way home, back to our true essence and the sovereignty of self-love,” she wrote.
“It can hurt, but in the long run, returning to yourself and living within your own integrity, values and boundaries is liberation and freedom,” she added. The statement was first published by the Daily Mail.
When the couple initially announced their separation, they issued a joint statement describing the decision as a mutual and respectful shift in their journey. “We have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth... We undertake this next chapter with gratitude, love and kindness,” they said.
Furness and Jackman first met in 1995 on the set of the Australian television series Corelli, not long after Jackman had graduated from drama school. They were married the following year and went on to adopt two children.
Their separation marks the end of one of Hollywood’s longest-lasting relationships, with Furness now stepping forward to share her truth—and her strength—amid heartbreak.
