Hugh Jackman is reportedly facing a delicate family hurdle as he plans a wedding with Broadway star Sutton Foster in New York, with sources claiming his adult children are reluctant to embrace the new marriage after his 2023 split from Deborra-Lee Furness. According to theNational Enquirer, the Hollywood actor has proposed to Foster, but the path to the altar is far from straightforward.
Most, if not all, fans are aware thatHugh Jackman, 57, and Furness, 70, finalised their divorce last summerafter one of showbusiness's more surprising separations. The pair, long considered one of Hollywood's most solid couples, had adopted two children together, Oscar, now 25, and Ava, 20. Their break-up quickly became the subject of rumour and speculation, including claims that Jackman had grown close to Foster, 50, his former Broadway co-star, before the marriage ended. Nothing has been confirmed on that point, so everything should be taken with a grain of salt.
Months after the divorce was wrapped up,Jackman and Foster made their red-carpet debut as a couple, signalling that what began as a working partnership had turned into something more serious. Entertainment outlets in the US have since insisted the pair were moving at speed towards engagement, withNew Ideanow reporting that Jackman has 'finally popped the question'.
The romance may be moving swiftly, but not everyone in the actor's orbit is said to be on board. TheNational Enquirerquotes an unnamed source who claims Jackman's children are 'steadfastly loyal' to Furness and, at least for now, are struggling to celebrate his next step.
'Even though Hugh is excited to start this next chapter with Sutton, he has to be sensitive to his kids,' the source told the publication. 'They're incredibly protective of their mother, and he wants to be respectful of that.'
That tension appears to sit at the heart of the delay around any wedding plans. Jackman is described as keen to ensure Oscar and Ava feel neither sidelined nor forced into a public show of enthusiasm for a union they may not yet be ready to endorse. The same insider insists the Wolverine star very much wants his children at the ceremony, and that their presence is part of the vision he and Foster share of a blended family celebration.
'Hugh really wants his kids at the wedding,' the source said. 'They both want their loved ones with them to celebrate.'
There has so far been no public comment from Jackman, Foster, Furness or their representatives about the reported engagement, the timeline of their relationship, or the state of family relations. Without that, the picture relies heavily on off-the-record briefings, and the usual caveats about anonymous sourcing apply.
Hugh Jackman is not the only one bringing children into this reported second act. Foster has a daughter, Emily, 9, whom she adopted with her estranged husband, screenwriter Ted Griffin, 55, roughly three years into their marriage.Foster filed for divorce in 2024, and that process has yet to be finalised.
In practical terms, that leaves two divorces, three children, and four adults whose lives are all still in flux. One source quoted by theEnquireracknowledges that reality, describing the wedding planning stage as both joyful and fraught.
Source: International Business Times UK