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Deborra-Lee Furness has issued a statement about her divorce from Hugh Jackman. It speaks volumes.

Hearts broke when Hollywood's golden couple, Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness, announced they were going their separate ways in 2023.

First announcing their separation in 2023, the pair initially described the end of their marriage as "moving forward", saying they had been "blessed to share almost three decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage".

Now, almost two years on, it appears Furness has made a final decision. She officially filed for divorce in New York, People reports.

Watch: A look back on Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness' relationship. Post continues below.


Video via Mamamia.

Her lawyer, Elena Karabatos, also reportedly submitted filings relating to the actors' settlement, health care coverage and medical child support.

The filings indicate the terms of their divorce are uncontested and will only need a sign-off from a judge.

However, hours after the divorce news circulated, Furness issued a powerful statement of her own which could suggest the split wasn't amicable.

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"My heart and compassion goes out to everyone who has traversed the traumatic journey of betrayal," she said, in the statement shared with Nine and Daily Mail.

"It's a profound wound that cuts deep, however, I believe in a higher power and that God/the universe, whatever you relate to as your guidance, is always working FOR us."

"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 said.

Furness reflected on her marriage breakdown, saying it's helped her find "liberation and freedom".

"One thing I have learned is that none of this is personal, we are all on our individual journeys and I believe that the relationships in our lives are not random.

"We are drawn to people, we invite them in, in order to learn our lessons and to recognise and heal the broken parts of ourselves."

She finished: "I remain grateful."

It was a move nobody saw coming.

Deborra-Lee Furness and Hugh Jackman's relationship timeline.

It was 30 years ago that the pair first crossed paths.

Furness, 69, and Jackman, 52, met on the set of the Aussie TV drama Correlli in 1995. They were married the next year and have two adopted children together: Oscar, 25, and Ava, 19.

Reflecting on their first meeting, Furness said there was an "instant attraction".

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"He said he knew two weeks in," she explained on Anh Do's Brush With Fame in 2020.

"I remember I was sitting in his kitchen and he was cooking for a dinner party and I said, 'You haven't been coming into my trailer lately, we always used to hang out', and he goes, 'Yeah, I know, I haven't, I've got a crush on you', then I said 'I've got a crush on you too' and that was it, we admitted it, and I don't think we ever spent a day apart."

By 1996 they were married.

On their 27th wedding anniversary in April 2023, Jackman shared a beautiful tribute on Instagram: "I love you so much. Together we have created a beautiful family. And life. Your laughter, your spirit, generosity, humour, cheekiness, courage and loyalty is an incredible gift to me."

Hugh Jackman and Debora-lee Furness.The pair were most recently pictured together at the Met Gala back in May. Image: Getty.

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Over the years, Furness said the most common response to her marriage from the tabloids was that she's "lucky".

"Lucky! Like I won a chook raffle," she told Anh Do on his show Brush With Fame in 2020. "People don't realise that it's actually rude to say that. Lucky because he's a stud muffin, but that's showbiz and Hollywood and the brand of Hugh Jackman."

Asked about her reaction to Jackman being named 'Sexiest Man Alive' in 2009, Furness laughed.

"Hey sexy, your turn for the garbage," she said.

In 2023, Jackman said the 'secret' to his decades-long marriage was "honesty and intimacy and making time".

"You can't just assume that things will just tick along okay. You have to make time," he said on Smooth Radio.

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"And intimacy is about really sharing what you're going through, feelings, and checking in with the other person, checking in what they need from you, checking in, how they're doing, checking and beyond.

"Just because it's so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day of life. That's hard enough. Kids, school runs, whatever it is, sleepless nights, it's tiring. So you have to be checking in with each other."

Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness  at the 79th Venice International Film Festival in September 2022.The couple have officially filed for divorce. Image: Getty.

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In September 2023, the pair officially announced their separation in an official statement.

"Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth," it said, per People.

Their statement continued: "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."

Life after separation.

Since the separation, both have quietly entered new chapters — with a few public plot twists along the way.

Let's start with Jackman.

In the months following their split, rumours began to swirl that the Wolverine star had found love again, this time with his longtime friend and The Music Man co-star, Sutton Foster.

The whispers grew louder when Foster filed for divorce from her husband of 10 years, screenwriter Ted Griffin.

Then came the "are-they-aren't-they?" moments before they appeared to confirm their connection in a seemingly staged stroll through New York in January 2025. Their unofficial public debut, if you will.

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"They are 100 percent together and are in love and want to spend the rest of their lives together," a source told Page Six.

And while that love story quietly bloomed, Furness was writing a new one of her own.

Ava Eliot Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness attend the 2025 Australian Open.Ava Eliot Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness attend the 2025 Australian Open. Image: Getty.

Just months after the separation, Furness spoke about what life post-marriage might look like — and honestly, her perspective was refreshingly hopeful.

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"You know what, change, transition, evolution is a little frightening and we are all a bit scared of it but I think it is probably our greatest gift," she told The Daily Telegraph.

She doubled down on that sentiment while promoting her film Force of Nature: The Dry 2 last May, telling People, "I've learned that I'm strong and resilient… We are all a constant evolution."

She also made it clear she's not doing this solo, at least not emotionally.

"I say this to all women, your girlfriends are a necessity in life," she told Page Six, adding that the initial months after the separation were "scary" and came with "every other adjective", but that ultimately, she's "grateful" for this next chapter.

She added that while the initial months were "scary" along with "every other adjective", she was "grateful" for this new chapter.

And honestly? She seems to be thriving. Furness has been spotted out and about with daughter Ava, including at the Australian Open, and she's working, smiling, and seemingly living life entirely on her terms.

This article was first published on September 16, 2023 and has been updated.

Feature Image: Getty.

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