As Hugh Jackman and his new actress girlfriend Sutton Foster finally confirmed their romance last week after months of heated speculation, his ex Deborra-lee Furness was believed to be in hiding as she continues to pick up the pieces of her life.
On January 14, Deb was seen watching the men’s single first-round match between Daniil Medvedev and Kasidit Samrej of Thailand during day three of the 2025 Australian Open.
Deb was all smiles as she arrived at Rod Laver Arena with her 19-year-old daughter, Ava, despite the recent images of her ex-husband.
Deb showcased a vibrant look in a $1,100 violet silk shirt from the luxury US brand BODE.
It’s clear that the Australian actress is set on spending time with her family and what better way than to travel back to her roots for the Aussie tournament!
The actress, 69, hasn’t been spotted around her New York home for quite some time and didn’t appear to join her kids, Oscar, 24, and Ava, 18, in Australia over the festive season.
And insiders speculated that Deb’s keen to keep up the disappearing act, especially now Hugh and Sutton are openly flaunting their love.
TRUSTED FRIENDS
“Deb has been focused on her kids and is sticking with a very small circle of longtime trusted friends, spread around New York, Bedford and the Hamptons,” a source reveals.
“She’s learned a thing or two about how to avoid being photographed and, yes, she has been keeping a low profile. She’s a hot target since news of Hugh’s new relationship and she has no interest in playing ‘First Wives Club’ games.”
One of Deb’s loyal friends is podcaster Amanda de Cadenet, who publicly stood up for Deb in November when rumours surfaced that Hugh had started seeing his Music Man theatre co-star Sutton.
“You are on point with this one,” Amanda commented on a social media video, while Deb also “liked” the post. “My beloved friend Deb is about to have her glow-up any moment.”
NEW YEAR, NEW DEB
According to insiders, the Aussie actress has indeed been using this challenging time to better her life, with encouragement from friends.
“It’s easy to imagine Deb’s hiding away licking her wounds, but that’s not entirely true. She has an amazing group of girlfriends, many who have gone through hellish divorces, and none of them are letting her play the victim,” the insider says.
“She’s been taking extremely good care of herself, doing yoga and detoxing. She intends to look gorgeous the next time she’s spotted, even partly just to show Hugh what he’s missing.”
Although Hugh, 56, and Deb announced their 27-year marriage was amicably over back in September 2023, things turned nasty just over a year later when Sutton filed for divorce from her husband Ted Griffin.
Soon after, there were reports that Hugh and Sutton’s close friendship while they were on Broadway together was “the reason” he split with Deb, and that after their break-up Deb “was the last to know” about the new romance.
PUBLIC BREAKDOWN
While Deb is doing her best to move on from the pain of her very public marriage breakdown, it’s still difficult for her to face the Hugh and Sutton situation.
Last week he flew to LA to support Sutton at the closing shows of her Once Upon A Mattress play, and on January 6, they were smiling and strolling hand-in-hand after a date night in Santa Monica.
“It’s not easy for her to see Hugh when he’s back in New York or having to see him and Sutton together,” the insider says, adding that whispers the pair are house hunting in LA was “enough to keep her hunkered down”.
“She’s heartbroken, and a part of her would be happy to just retreat from life, but she’s not that type,” the source says.
“She’s excited about exploring all kinds of options, even going back to school! She’s eyeing up a documentary or podcast production course, and she’s had everyone from Housewives bosses to The View producers reach out to her.”
DEB’S SECRET FALL OUT WITH BLAKE!
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds come as a package deal, and the actress was never really far from his side when he spent time with his good friend Hugh. And according to reports, it was this alliance that left Deb fuming as she believed Blake knew about Hugh and Sutton – and didn’t tell her!
“She knew they would side with Hugh when they split, but what has disturbed Deb is the very real possibility that Ryan and Blake must have known about Sutton,” an insider says.
“Truth be told, it was always difficult for Deb to bond with Blake because they’re so different, but she felt they got on just fine.”
Though Deb has tried to take the high road in the divorce and would never wish ill will on anyone, a source says, “Watching this legal nightmare unfold around Blake’s latest film, and how Ryan and Hugh had to skip the Globes because of it, must feel just a bit karmic.”
