Hugh Jackman ‘heartbroken' over Deborra-Lee Furness' explosive statement
Hugh Jackman is 'heartbroken' over a blistering statement released by his estranged wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, after she filed for divorce this week.
Furness, 69, spoke out on Tuesday, just four days after she submitted paperwork to end their marriage of almost three decades amid reports the pair had privately reached a settlement which involved a 'handsome spousal support payment'.
'My heart and compassion goes out to everyone who has traversed the traumatic journey of betrayal. It's a profound wound that cuts deep,' she told the Daily Mail.
'However, I believe in a higher power and that God/the universe, whatever you relate to as your guidance, is always working FOR us. This belief has helped me navigate the breakdown of an almost three-decade marriage,' she continued. 'I have gained much knowledge and wisdom through this experience. Even when we are presented with apparent adversity, it is leading us to our greatest good, our true purpose. It can hurt, but in the long run, returning to yourself and living within your own integrity, values and boundaries is liberation and freedom.'
'The statement took Hugh and mutual friends by surprise, because she wasn't very direct with who she was speaking about but was alluding to Hugh, and that added emotional weight to it,' an insider told US Weekly.
The source added, Jackman, 56, was 'heartbroken' but has no plans to retaliate with a statement of his own.
'Hugh loves and respects Deborra-lee Furness. He will always love her and won't allow it to get ugly,' they said.
The former couple, who share 25-year-old son, Oscar, and 19-year-old daughter, Ava, announced they were splitting 'with gratitude, love and kindness' in September 2023.
It was confirmed the following year that Jackman had been quietly dating his Music Man co-star, Sutton Foster.
The pair was seen kissing in public for the first time in January.
Meanwhile, Jackman's close friend, radio presenter Gus Worland, shared new insight on the situation in the wake of Furness' statement this week.
'No one wants anyone to go through what [Jackman] is, and he is going through it publicly because of his fame,' Gus Worland said during an interview on 2GB's Ben Fordham Live on Thursday.
'One thing I have been really strict on is to let Hugh and Deborra-lee Furness do what they have had to do. I was over in New York with him last month and he is fine. He is going along well.'
Worland went on to add that Jackman is 'moving on with his life'.
'I hope Deb does as well. They were together for 30 years and have two beautiful kids together,' he said. 'I go to their kids and ask them what we can do to make sure they get through this as best as possible.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Super Netball round 8: Melbourne Vixens 71 d. Giants 61
The Kiera Austin-led Melbourne Vixens defied the unlikely return of a netball great and the hot shot of Matisse Letherbarrow to stage a strong fightback against the Giants and propel themselves to the edge of the top four with back-to-back wins. After regaining their mojo last week against the Queensland Firebirds, the Vixens recovered from a shaky start and a six-goal deficit in the second quarter to score a critical 71-61 win at Ken Rosewall Arena. With the spotlight on the shock comeback of 40-year-old former Silver Ferns captain Casey Kopua as an injury replacement for the Giants, the Vixens were led by an MVP performance from goal attack Austin, who finished with 22 goals from 28 attempts, including six from nine from two-point range, alongside her 33 feeds. The Vixens claimed consecutive wins for the first time this season to keep themselves within striking distance of a top four assault and have now drawn level with the fourth-placed Adelaide Thunderbirds on points, but remain just outside of the top four on percentage. The Vixens didn't take the lead in the match until early in the third quarter and managed to find momentum from there as they started to capitalise on turnover ball and stave off the sharpshooting threat of Letherbarrow, who had been on fire in the goal circle for the Giants. 'We probably started a little bit slower than what we would have wanted, but we were able to come out after halftime and hit it hard, which we should have been doing from the get-go,' Austin said. 'They are a really good super-shot threat, so I'm really proud of the defenders, I thought they stayed switched on the whole time. 'I think we probably could have rewarded them a little bit more in the first half, but we're building and it's good things to take from it and lots to look forward to for next week.' Sophie Garbin (43/51) topscored, while captain Kate Moloney and wing attack Hannah Mundy also starred in the midcourt for the Vixens, who face the Mavericks in the Melbourne derby next round. CASEY COMEBACK All eyes were on the comeback of former Silver Ferns captain Casey Kopua after the Giants pulled the biggest selection shock of the season this week. Called on to replace the injured Jodi-Ann Ward, Kopua has been retired since 2019, but was thrust straight into the action at goal keeper on Diamonds' goal shooter Sophie Garbin. Kopua showed she had lost none of her goal-circle smarts, causing trouble for the Vixens' gaolers with her long reach and ability to read the play. Kopua, whose instruction for the Giants' young defenders Erin O'Brien and Amy Sligar out the front was also invaluable, played the full 60 minutes at goal keeper. Pre-game, Giants' coach Julie Fitzgerald defended the decision to bring Kopua in as an injury replacement instead of a pathway player. 'If you look at it we are by far the youngest team in the league,' Fitzgerald said. 'I think the best thing I can do for those young pathway athletes is to put someone out there with a bit of experience and guidance who can lead them around the court a bit.' But Fitzgerald was unable to shed any light on how long the Kopua comeback would last. 'How long she will be here for is a little bit debatable at the moment,' Fitzgerald said. 'But we will see. I asked her on Tuesday, she was on a plane Wednesday and at training on Thursday, which I think is pretty incredible for a mother of three.' While the spotlight was on Kopua, it was Letherbarrow who lit up the goal circle at the other end with her long-range shooting. Letherbarrow, starting at goal shooter, was on fire during the power play period and equalled her own best of nine supershots. The 23-year-old finished with 40 from 50 for the match alongside goal attack Sophie Dwyer (10 from 12).
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Diwali relishes the step up to two miles in the Sandown Cup
Developing stayer Diwali caused a minor upset in the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m) on Sunday. Diwali, aptly-named and trained for success on Australian Steeplechase race day, capitalised on the slowly-run Sandown Cup and finished better than favourites Through Irish Eyes and Alma Rise. A horse named Diwali, trained by the late Rick Hore-Lacy, won the 1982 Australian Steeplechase. Former jumps jockey-turned-trainer Gavin Bedggood, who trains the current Diwali, rode three Australian Steeplechase winners including Mazzacano (2007 and 2009) and Vindicating (2011). 'He presented well, he'd (Diwali) been running well… and the race was there,' Bedggood said. 'We thought it was probably going to end up like it was, horses from the Andrew Ramsden, a few jumpers… we were untried at the distance range but we thought with the right run in transit it should work well for him.' Diwali won a 2400m Benchmark 58 Handicap at Moe three back and most recently placed second at Sandown over the same distance in a midweek Benchmark 70. The four-year-old worked smartly last week, which convinced Bedggood to go for the Sandown Cup. Diwali relishes the two-mile test of the Listed Sandown Cup â�ï¸� @GavinBedggood 's strong form continues ðŸ'¥ — (@Racing) June 1, 2025 'We came here today with reasonable confidence, obviously a horse with a low benchmark rating but on fresh legs I suppose,' Bedggood said. Bedggood said the Deane Lester Flemington Cup (2800m) on July 19 at Flemington could be viable winter finale for Diwali. 'We got six weeks, we'll probably send him to the beach tomorrow and give him a week to freshen up a little bit,' Bedggood said. 'Maybe look for a 2500m run at Flemington in between time, we might get three weeks, three weeks into that race (Flemington Cup) and use it as our final.' Experienced jockey Joe Bowditch praised Bedggood's placement of Diwali. 'Can't this bloke train a racehorse? Never put anything past Gavin,' Bowditch said. 'I won a Benchmark 58 at Moe on (Diwali) three starts back, he was impressive but I wouldn't have thought we'd be here… full credit to Gavin.' Bowditch had the race won a long way out on Diwali, who turned for home with plenty to offer. 'Once we came past the winning post (the first time) the anchor went out and everything steadied up,' Bowditch said. 'I was quite glad to see Linda (Meech) take off and get going and that just allowed me to get away from the fence and get off the back of Glentaneous. 'Bided my time and once Declan (Bates) got going I was able to get a beautiful cart up… I was a bit worried I was going to get there a little bit too soon. 'The horse was travelling that well I didn't want to stop his momentum over this trip, stop start on him, I just kept letting him flow and he was too good.'
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Queensland government commits more land to national parks, but still a long way short of target
The Queensland government will expand protected areas for the state's endangered species and "get serious" about managing the land with more rangers, Premier David Crisafulli has announced. About 8,700 hectares will be added to national park conservation areas, with about a quarter set aside for new nature refuges on private land under deals with landholders. While Mr Crisafulli conceded the numbers announced on Sunday were small — Queensland covers 172 million hectares — he said it was a start. "If we can increase that threshold of protected areas, it sends a strong message about how much we value the environment," he said. The Queensland government has set an "ambitious" target to protect more areas at a greater rate in one term than the previous government did in the past 10 years. Mr Crisafulli said the plan would include hiring 150 more wildlife rangers and committing more funding to groups that manage their resources. The announcement comes just days after environmentalists blasted the government's decision to open tenders for nine new areas of gas exploration. Queensland Conservation Council director Dave Copeman called that decision "devastating and deceitful" and said it covered a much larger area than the total amount of protected land. About 8.59 per cent of the state — a total of 14.55 million hectares — is protected, a long way short of the government's target. "The Queensland government's protected areas strategy says we need to get to 17 per cent," Mr Copeman said. "We can't get there if we keep granting exploration permits for mining leases and gas over all of Queensland." Asked how the government's new gas exploration sat with its land protection strategy, Mr Crisafulli said it was "about balance". "Gas is going to become a really important part of our energy mix as part of the transition to a more renewable future," he said. He added that gas exploration would only be allowed in areas where there is "minimal environmental impact." Mr Crisafulli and Environment Minister Andrew Powell made their announcement at the Daisy Hill Koala Centre, south of Brisbane. Koalas are endangered in Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT, where threats to them include habitat loss, disease, car strikes and dog attacks. "We've got some major populations of koalas that are in real threat if we don't do something," Mr Crisafulli said. The 18 new nature refuges include several that seek to protect koala habitat, partly by forming corridors to larger national parks. They include 184.3 hectares of land at Quad's Nature Refuge in Mackay and the new 21.4 hectare Rowlands Nature Refuge, west of Gympie. The largest of the protected parcels designated for koala habitat is the 1,372.49 hectare Parrattamow Creek Nature Refuge north-west of Augathella, north of Charleville. Koala conservation groups say valuable koala habitat is being destroyed by developers, who they claim are knocking down mature trees to build new infrastructure. Rebecca Larkin, from the Ipswich Koala Protection Society, said humans and koalas needed to co-exist and good planning could allow both to thrive. "All the scientists agree that if we keep going the way we're going, there aren't going to be any left in south-east Queensland," Ms Larkin said. The government will announce its 20-year tourism vision on Monday, with one eye on the Olympics in 2032 and the huge influx of visitors expected to visit the state. Promoting the state's natural beauty is expected to form part of the tourism strategy.
