The "Homewrecker" Narrative Hits the Red Carpet
If Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster were hoping to quietly soft-launch their relationship into the Hollywood ecosystem, they just failed spectacularly. The couple, whose romance has been shrouded in rumors of infidelity, backstage trysts, and a shattered 27-year marriage, decided to turn the 2025 Gotham Awards into their personal coming-out party. Stepping onto the red carpet in New York City on Monday night, the duo didn't just pose for photos; they engaged in a full-blown PR offensive designed to normalize a relationship that many insiders believe was born out of pure betrayal.
Jackman, 57, and Foster, 50, arrived in coordinated black ensembles—a choice that critics are already calling "mourning chic" for their respective dead marriages. Jackman donned a classic suit while Foster stunned in a sequin black slip dress, pulling her hair back in a severe bun that screamed "serious actress," not "scandal magnet." But despite the glitz of Foster’s sparkling heels and dazzling earrings, the air around them was thick with tension. They were all smiles, but the context of their union turned every flashbulb into an interrogation lamp.
Sources on the ground tell us the couple appeared "defiant" and "inseparable," acting as if the timeline of their romance wasn't currently the subject of intense scrutiny in every gossip column from Broadway to Beverly Hills. By walking the carpet together for Jackman’s new film Song Sung Blue, they are sending a clear message: they don't care about the noise. But the noise is getting louder, and it sounds a lot like the word "cheater."
They look so smug. Imagine parading around with the woman you allegedly left your wife of nearly 30 years for. It’s distasteful.
The "Traumatic Betrayal" That Can't Be Ignored
You cannot look at Hugh Jackman’s beaming face without hearing the ghostly echo of his ex-wife, Deborra-Lee Furness. While Hugh plays the part of the lovestruck boyfriend, Deborra-Lee has been left to pick up the pieces of a life that was reportedly detonated by this very romance. The Greatest Showman star announced his separation from Furness in September 2023, shocking the world. But it wasn't a case of "growing apart." It was, according to sources, a direct result of his chemistry with Foster.
Earlier this year, Furness broke her silence in a devastating interview with the Daily Mail, dropping keywords that acted as breadcrumbs for the tabloids. She spoke of traversing a "traumatic journey of betrayal" and dealing with a "profound wound that cuts deep." You don't use words like "betrayal" unless promises were broken. You don't call it a "profound wound" if it was an amicable conscious uncoupling.
Insiders have exclusively confirmed to press that Jackman and Foster’s connection during their run in Broadway’s The Music Man was indeed the “reason Hugh and Deb got divorced.” The timeline is damning. They starred together from 2021 to 2023. Jackman filed for divorce in late 2023. Foster filed for divorce from her husband, screenwriter Ted Griffin, in October 2024. The overlap is practically visible from space. Deborra-Lee’s comments about the universe "working FOR us" sound like a woman trying desperately to find a spiritual reason for a very earthly, very messy affair.
Team Deborra all the way. She gave him the best years of her life and he trades her in for his co-star? Tale as old as time.
Broadway Whispers: The Open Secret
The Gotham Awards might be their "official" red carpet debut as a couple (following a film premiere in October), but the industry has known about this pairing for years. During the run of The Music Man, the Winter Garden Theatre was reportedly a hotbed of gossip. Stagehands and chorus members were whispering about the "electric" energy between the two leads that didn't turn off when the curtain came down.
Rumors of late-night rehearsals, shared dressing room secrets, and a chemistry that made audiences blush were rampant. At the time, both were married. Foster was approaching her 10th wedding anniversary with Griffin—a milestone she filed for divorce just days before reaching. Jackman was Hollywood’s premier "family man," constantly posting tributes to Deb. The duality of their public lives versus the private heat they were generating is what makes this red carpet walk so polarizing.
Now, seeing them parade around New York City—the very scene of the alleged crime—feels like a victory lap. Jackman recently took to Instagram to post a video of Foster performing at Café Carlyle, gushing, “Now that’s an iconic NYC night! And, truly magical.” Fans were quick to point out the sudden shift from "privacy" to "public fawning." It’s the behavior of a man who is tired of hiding, regardless of who gets hurt in the reveal.
The "Song Sung Blue" Distraction Strategy
Why choose the Gotham Awards for this display? It’s all about the work. Jackman is starring alongside Kate Hudson in the biographical musical Song Sung Blue, playing a Neil Diamond tribute band duo. The film is getting Oscar buzz, and Jackman is being honored with the inaugural Gotham Musical Tribute. It is the perfect shield.
By attaching their debut to a prestigious film event, Jackman’s PR team is attempting to legitimize the relationship. "Look," they are saying, "He is an serious artist being honored for his craft, and she is his supportive partner." It distracts from the tabloid fodder by wrapping it in the respectability of "cinema." Jeffrey Sharp, the Executive Director of the Gotham Film & Media Institute, released a glowing statement praising Jackman’s performance as "deeply human."
But the irony is suffocating. Jackman and Hudson are being honored for portraying a couple with a "soulful" connection. Meanwhile, the real-life connection between Jackman and Foster—born on a stage, nurtured in secrecy, and solidified through two divorces—is arguably the most dramatic performance of Jackman’s career. Are we celebrating his acting, or his ability to seamlessly transition from one long-term partner to another without missing a beat?
They are trying so hard to make this look classy. We haven't forgotten about Deb. Or Sutton’s husband. This is messy wrapped in sequins.
Sutton Foster: The "Other Woman" or Soulmate?
Sutton Foster is a Broadway legend in her own right, but her transition into the mainstream tabloid glare has labeled her with the scarlet letter: The Other Woman. Is it fair? Maybe not. But in the court of public opinion, the timing of her divorce filing looks incredibly suspicious.
Foster filed for divorce from Ted Griffin in October 2024. This was after Jackman’s divorce was finalized in June, but while rumors of her romance with Jackman were already dominating the news cycle. Did she wait until the ink was dry on Hugh’s papers to blow up her own life? The synchronization suggests a coordinated exit strategy from their respective marriages.
On the red carpet, Foster looked every bit the supportive girlfriend, matching Hugh’s energy and laughing at his jokes. But behind the smiles, sources say she is under immense pressure. Going from a beloved theater star to the woman blamed for breaking up Hollywood’s "golden couple" is a massive rebranding. Is she ready for the scrutiny that comes with being Mrs. Wolverine?
Deborra-Lee's Spiritual Revenge
While Hugh and Sutton clink champagne glasses at the Gotham Awards, Deborra-Lee Furness is reportedly taking the high road—which might be the most damaging move of all. By refusing to engage in a mud-slinging contest and instead speaking about "higher powers" and "wisdom," she is positioning herself as the saint in this scenario.
“Even when we are presented with apparent adversity, it is leading us to our greatest good,” Furness told the press. It’s a masterful quote. It acknowledges the pain ("adversity") while dismissing Hugh as a necessary evil on her path to enlightenment. She isn't angry; she's transcended.
This spiritual approach makes Hugh’s PDA with Sutton look even more petty and shallow by comparison. He’s chasing the new shiny object; she’s chasing nirvana. But friends of Furness warn that the "zen" attitude might crack if Hugh and Sutton continue to flaunt their "magical" nights out in the city they once shared as a married couple.
Cliffhanger: Will the "Showmance" Survive Reality?
The adrenaline of a secret affair is powerful. The thrill of sneaking around backstage at The Music Man likely fueled their bond. But now that they are out in the open, dealing with divorce lawyers, public backlash, and the mundane reality of life, will the spark survive?
Statistics on relationships that begin as affairs are grim. The "how you get them is how you lose them" curse looms large over this pairing. As they navigate the awards season circuit, promoting a movie about love and music, the world will be watching for cracks in the facade. Are they truly soulmates who found each other too late, or just two actors caught up in the drama of their own making?
And the biggest question of all: Will Deborra-Lee finally drop the spiritual act and write the tell-all book that Hollywood is dying to read? If she does, Hugh’s "all smiles" demeanor might vanish faster than a vanishing act.
