Hugh Jackman's Longtime Friend Says 'He's Moving on with His Life' amid Deborra-Lee Furness' 'Betrayal' Statement
Gus Worland, whom Jackman has known since their school days in the 1970s, was asked about Furness' recent public comments about "betrayal" in their marriage during an appearance on a radio show in Australia
"It's not just that statement, but just the last couple of years have been difficult," Worland said, later adding that Jackman is "moving on with his life"Hugh Jackman's childhood friend is opening up about the actor's divorce following his ex-wife Deborra-Lee Furness' recent comments about "betrayal" in their marriage.
While speaking on the Thursday, May 29 episode of Australia's Ben Fordham Live breakfast radio show, Gus Worland — who said he'd known Jackman, 56, since kindergarten in 1973 — was asked about Furness' statement, in which she reflected on the "breakdown of an almost three-decade marriage" and navigating the "traumatic journey of betrayal."
The comments came after Furness filed for divorce on May 23, nearly two years after she and Jackman announced a seemingly amicable separation.
TV and radio personality Worland said, 'It's not just that statement, but just the last couple of years have been difficult."
'No one wants anyone to go through what they've been through, and, of course, they go through everything publicly because of the type of people and the fame that they have,' he added.
Worland continued, 'One thing that I've been really strict on, or disciplined on ... is to let them do what they've had to do. I was over in New York with [Jackman] just last month and he's fine. He is going along well. He's moving on with his life and I hope that Deb does as well.'
He added that he and Jackman were godparents to each other's first children. The Greatest Showman actor and Furness, 69, share two kids together: Oscar, 25, and Ava, 19.
Worland, who said it was "a long, long time" that the couple were together, continued on the radio show, 'I just go to the kids and go, 'What can we do to make sure that they're going to get through this as well as possible?' '
Jackman and Furness wed in 1996 before announcing their separation in September 2023 after 27 years of marriage.
In the statement provided to PEOPLE and first shared with the Daily Mail on Tuesday, May 27, Furness called their breakup 'a profound wound that cuts deep.'
'However, I believe in a higher power and that God/the universe, whatever you relate to as your guidance, is always working FOR us,' Furness said. 'This belief has helped me navigate the breakdown of an almost three-decade marriage.'
According to the producer and philanthropist, the process has helped her as she 'gained much knowledge and wisdom.'
'Even when we are presented with apparent adversity, it is leading us to our greatest good, our true purpose. It can hurt, but in the long run, returning to yourself and living within your own integrity, values and boundaries is liberation and freedom,' she said.
Furness shared that the 'one thing' she's learned is 'that none of this is personal.'
'We are all on our individual journeys and I believe that the relationships in our lives are not random. We are drawn to people, we invite them in, in order to learn our lessons and to recognize and heal the broken parts of ourselves... I remain grateful,' she concluded.
Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Jackman has been romantically linked to his former Music Man costar, Sutton Foster, 50, since January 2025, after the pair were snapped holding hands while stepping out for dinner in Santa Monica, Calif.
The outing came a few months after Foster filed for divorce in October 2024 from her husband, Ted Griffin, following 10 years of marriage.
Read the original article on People
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
39 minutes ago
- New York Post
Prince Harry responds to claims he had bloody brawl with Prince Andrew over Meghan Markle remarks
Prince Harry has firmly denied ever rolling up his sleeves to confront his uncle, Prince Andrew, over alleged comments about his wife, Meghan Markle. The Duke of Sussex, 40, was said to have left the disgraced Duke of York with a 'bloody nose' following a 'heated argument' more than a decade ago, according to an excerpt of Andrew Lownie's new book, 'Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York,' obtained by the Daily Mail. Lownie, who wrote the book about Prince Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, claimed that Harry lost his cool after his uncle uttered a comment about the 'Suits' alum, 43, 'behind Harry's back.' 4 Prince Harry has firmly denied ever rolling up his sleeves to confront his uncle, Prince Andrew, over alleged comments about his wife, Meghan Markle. Getty Images The royal author alleged that Andrew had called the former actress an 'opportunist.' 'I can confirm neither of those things are true,' the Invictus Games founder's rep told Us Weekly of the alleged altercation. 'Prince Harry and Prince Andrew have never had a physical fight, nor did Prince Andrew ever make those comments about the Duchess of Sussex to Prince Harry.' The excerpt further alleged that 'punches were thrown' and that Andrew — who has recently won his yearslong fight to stay at the Royal Lodge — emerged from the fight with a bloody nose. 4 The disgraced Duke of York was said to have been left with a 'bloody nose' following a 'heated argument' with Harry more than a decade ago. Getty Images The Post has reached out to reps for the Sussexes for further comment. It's no secret that the Sussex camp has been embroiled in a yearslong feud with the Windsor clan since quitting royal life in 2020 and moving across the pond. The pair, who wed in 2018, have been totally estranged from the royal family for more than half a decade as they continue to live in Montecito, Calif., while raising son Archie, 6, and daughter Lilibet, 4. 4 The royal author alleged that Andrew had called the 'Suits' alum an 'opportunist.' Getty Images for W+P However, in recent weeks the 'Spare' author had proved he's serious about reconciling with his estranged family members by offering to share his diary dates with the royal family to ensure total transparency. 'Harry has shifted into a new way of thinking. The tone is now all about 'deconflicting' with his family,' a source recently told the Daily Mail. 'That's why his household agreed to draw up a 'grid' of his activities and share them with Buckingham Palace, and by extension with Kensington Palace.' What's more, the offer has reportedly also been extended to the Prince and Princess of Wales, who have not spoken to the Sussexes in years. 4 The Sussexes tied the knot in 2018 — just two years before quitting royal life and moving to the US. POOL/AFP via Getty Images The gesture came just weeks after Harry sent his aides to London where they met up with the monarch's communications secretary. Still, it's said that Charles is 'cautious and wary' of his estranged son's overdue attempt at gluing the family back together.
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
Americans' perception of discrimination against Black people dropped in last four years
A new report shows that slightly less than half of U.S. adults believe that Black and Hispanic people face "a great deal" or "quite a bit" of discrimination in the United States. According to the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll, the number of people saying Asian people and Black people are experiencing discrimination has dropped since the last time the survey was conducted in April 2021. Four in 10 say that Black and Hispanic people face "quite a bit" or "a great deal" of discrimination. Three in 10 say the same about Asian people, and one in 10 say it about White people, according to the report. The previous Associated Press-NORC poll was conducted a year after the death of George Floyd when protests occurred all across the country calling for an end to racial discrimination in police activities. The last survey showed that 61% of U.S. adults said there was a great deal or quite a bit of discrimination against Black Americans. The new survey also noted that while many groups experience discrimination, the report showed skepticism that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs are effective at mitigating discrimination. "Many say DEI programs do not make a difference and roughly 3 in 10 think DEI initiatives increase discrimination against most racial and ethnic groups including White people. About a third feel DEI efforts are reducing discrimination against women, Hispanic people, and Asian people while 4 in 10 say the same about Black people," the report stated. The Philadelphia Tribune interviewed Americans to get their reactions to the latest poll. Claudine Brider, a 48-year-old Black Democrat in Compton, California, told the Tribune that "the concept of DEI has made the workplace difficult for Black people and women in new ways." "Anytime they're in a space that they're not expected to be, like seeing a Black girl in an engineering course... they are seen as only getting there because of those factors," Brider said. "It's all negated by someone saying, 'You're only here to meet a quota.'" Gilbert, Arizona resident Pete Parra said that "DEI is making things harder for racial minorities now." He worries about how his two adult Hispanic sons will be treated when they apply for work. "I'm not saying automatically just give it to my sons," said Parra, who leans toward the Democratic Party. But he's concerned that now factors other than merit may take priority. "If they get passed over for something," he said, "they're not going to know (why)." Many proponents of DEI argue that the effort corrects historical injustices and systemic inequities. However, conservatives say that it promotes division instead, leading DEI initiatives to face opposition from conservative groups and state legislatures across the U.S.
Associated Press
4 hours ago
- Associated Press
Britain hopes a crackdown on people-smugglers' social media ads will help curb Channel crossings
LONDON (AP) — Britain says people who advertise fake passports or people-smuggling services on social medial could face up to five years in prison, in the government's latest effort to deter migrants from crossing the English Channel in small boats. The government said Sunday that anyone convicted of creating online materials intended to break U.K. immigration law will face prison time and a large fine. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the aim was to stop the 'brazen tactics on social media' used by smuggling gangs. 'Selling the false promise of a safe journey to the U.K. and a life in this country — whether on or offline — simply to make money, is nothing short of immoral,' she said. Assisting illegal immigration to the U.K. is already a crime, but officials believe a new offense — part of a border security bill currently going through Parliament — will give police and prosecutors more powers to disrupt gangs that send migrants on perilous journeys across one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said the crime gangs are a threat to global security and should be treated like terror networks. Since taking office a year ago, Starmer's center-left Labour Party government has adopted powers to seize the assets of people-smugglers, beefed up U.K. border surveillance and increased law-enforcement cooperation with France and other countries to disrupt the journeys. Despite that, more than 25,000 people have reached Britain by boat so far this year, an increase of 50% on the same period in 2024. Small boat crossings have become a potent political issue, fueled by pictures of smugglers piling migrants into overcrowded, leaky inflatable boats on the French coast. Opposition parties say the government's plans aren't working — though the government argues the problems built up during 14 years when the Conservative Party was in power, The Conservatives say Starmer should not have scrapped the previous government's contentious and expensive plan to send migrants arriving by boat on a one-way trip to Rwanda. 'This is a panicked attempt to look tough after months of doing nothing,' Conservative immigration spokesman Chris Philp said. The government says it will take time to clear a backlog of applications that has left thousands of migrants stuck in temporary accommodation — often hotels — without the right to work. The hotels have become flashpoints for tension, attracting protests fueled by a mix of local concern, misinformation and anti-immigrant agitation.
