Five months after finalizing their contentious divorce, Hugh Jackman and his ex-wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, are “doing better now” as friends, a source exclusively tells Us Weekly.
“They have been slowly rebuilding communication the last couple months,” the insider shares. “It was so difficult when they were dealing with business stuff. It was tense. Now it has shifted toward more emotional closure.”
The source tells Us that Jackman, 57, and Furness, 69, have even “talked and met on a few occasions to talk about unresolved issues.”
“The groundwork began after they wrapped legal filings, and that was helpful so they could have a meaningful dialogue to figure out a way to move forward,” the insider explains. “The recent progress is the most substantial in a positive direction since the split.”
Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness’ Divorce Is Finalized: Timeline
Jackman and Furness announced their split in September 2023 after 27 years of marriage. The pair share two children: son Oscar, 25, and daughter Ava, 20.
“We have been blessed to share almost three decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage,” they said in a joint statement at the time. “Our journey now is shifting, and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth. 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.”
One year later, multiple sources told Us that Jackman had started dating his Music Man costar Sutton Foster while still married to Furness. (Foster, 50, was also married, to screenwriter Ted Griffin, at the time.)
After Furness filed for divorce in May, she released a statement about navigating the “traumatic journey of betrayal,” which an insider confirmed to Us was “alluding to” Jackman’s affair. The exes finalized their divorce in June.
“The situation was hard for both of them,” the source now tells Us. “Lawyers were telling them not to speak, so there was distance. [Furness] really wanted clarity and accountability, and it wasn’t about the money.”
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The insider notes that it was only “a matter of time” before Jackman and Furness made peace.
“Everyone wants it to be amicable,” the source says. “They spent such a significant part of their life together, and they have a bond and history together, so it has been hard on Hugh and difficult for him. They didn’t work as a couple, but he still wants to be a part of her life.”
Ultimately, Jackman decided family was more important than the “advice of his attorneys,” according to the insider.
“[Jackman and Furness have] gone through ups and downs, have been together for so long and have gone through so much that they want to find a way to fix it moving forward,” the source adds. “Not just because he misses her in his life but also for the kids.”
Us Weekly has reached out to reps for Jackman and Furness for comment.
