Sutton Foster's pal dishes on her relationship with Hugh Jackman after Deborra-Lee Furness broke 'secret agreement' with actor
On Sunday, the Broadway star, 50, made her first public appearance since Deborra-Lee Furness, 69, filed for divorce from Jackman.
Walking the red carpet at the annual Drama Desk Awards in New York, Foster clearly wanted to avoid any personal talk and awkwardly dodged questions concerning her romance with the 56-year-old actor.
However, Michael Urie, who played Foster's on-stage lover in Broadway production Once Upon a Mattress, gave details on the new relationship in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail.
Urie, 44, said: 'I mean, she's my colleague and my friend, and I love her and I know that she's a really great person and she surrounds herself with really good people, like, all the time.'
Directly addressing Foster's romance with Jackman, with whom she went public in January, Urie continued: 'I believe in her and I believe that she's happy.'
When asked if he believes the pair are a good match, Urie said: 'They seem great. I love him. He's cool. He's very cool. He came around and saw the show.'
Urie, who is in a relationship with Ryan Spahn, added that Foster and Jackman are so compatible that he thinks they should team up on Broadway.
The actor said: 'I say they should do Much Ado About Nothing. That would be amazing. They would be amazing in that together.'
The Shakespeare play is notably centered around two couples who fall in love despite the challenges put in front of them.
Controversy started to swirl around Jackman when, in September 2023 he and Furness announced their separation after 27 years of marriage.
Rumors soon followed that the actor had already jumped into a new relationship with his The Music Man co-star, Foster.
At Sunday's awards ceremony, Foster had been nominated for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical for her role in Once Upon A Mattress, but she lost out to Jasmine Amy Rogers from Boop! The Musical and Audra McDonald from Gypsy.
Urie continued: 'Playing her prince, getting to be a leading man is a complete dream. She made me better. Every night was different. We played, we were like kids, but I got to grow up before your eyes. It was a dream. I didn't want it to end.'
When asked if the play could return, he added: 'Maybe! Who knows. I would do that show with [Foster] in a barn. I don't care where we go. I would go anywhere with her.'
Foster is currently on a solo tour promoting her music while Jackman has his own solo show at Radio City Music Hall and is currently wrapping up his off-Broadway play, Sexual Misconduct Of The Middle Classes.
On Friday, Jackman was spotted in public for the first time since Furness gave a blistering interview about her feelings of 'betrayal' to the Daily Mail.
Despite the comments the actor seemed in high spirits and showed off a big smile as he signed autographs and took photos with fans.
The appearance came two days after Furness opened up about her 'traumatic journey of betrayal' in the wake of her divorce filing last month.
Furness said: 'My heart and 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, whatever you relate to as your guidance, is always working FOR us.'
She continued: 'This belief has helped me navigate the breakdown of an almost three-decade marriage. 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.'
She concluded her statement by adding the 'one thing' she has learned, which is 'that none of this is personal.'
Jackman is yet to release his own statement on the split, but a source told the Daily Mail that he has been left 'extremely disappointed' by Furness's words as he believed they had an 'understanding' that they would not publicly trash one another.
The insider said: 'There was no stipulation that she could not address this but there was an unwritten understanding that she would not trash him to the press.
'She got around this by not naming him - instead focusing on how she felt.'
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