Hugh Jackman and wife Deborra-lee Jackman are separating, TODAY.com has confirmed.
The couple was married for 27 years and announced the news with a statement to People.
“We have been blessed to share almost 3 decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage. Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth,” the statement reads.
“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.”
How Hugh and Deborra-lee Jackman met
The 54-year old “Wolverine” actor and his wife, 67, met in 1995 on the set of the television series “Correlli,” an Australian drama in which Deborra-lee Jackman, then Deborra-lee Furness, starred as the show's titular character. They married one year later.
In a 2018 interview with TODAY, Hugh Jackman said that he knew immediately he wanted to marry the actor.
“I knew two weeks into meeting Deb that we were going to be together for the rest of our lives,” he shared.
“In the end, what do you want from your life partner?” he explained. “You want to be fully seen and you want to be able to fully see them for exactly who (they) really are. And Deb and I had that from the beginning.”
Three years later, the couple celebrated 25 years of marriage and Hugh Jackman reflected on their lives together with a series of posts on social media.
“Being married to you Deb is as natural as breathing,” the actor captioned the post which featured photos from their wedding day.
“From nearly the moment we met ... I knew our destiny was to be together. In our 25 years — our love has only grown deeper. The fun, excitement and adventure more exhilarating; the learning even greater.”
Hugh and Deborra-lee Jackman share two children
The Australian couple have two children: 23-year-old Oscar Jackman and Ava Jackman who is 18. In 2012, Hugh Jackman opened up about adopting their two children after having experienced miscarriages. At the time, the actor said that he and his wife had always wanted to adopt. Deborra-lee Jackman would go on to co-found the nonprofit Hopeland, which advocates for adoption when it comes to kids in need and helps support children separated from families.
The couple appeared on TODAY in 2018 to discuss her inspiration for the nonprofit.
“We tried to adopt in Australia but it was too tricky,” she told Jenna Bush Hager. “It drove me to advocating for 10 years.” She has traveled the world to support children in need of home safety and security.
