Hugh Jackman and wife announce 27-year marriage is over

Hugh Jackman and his wife Deborra-Lee Furness have announced they are ending their marriage after 27 years.

The Australian actors married in 1996 and have two children, Oscar, 23, and Ava, 18.

In a statement to People magazine, the couple said: “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.

“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.”

The statement was signed off as “Deb and Hugh Jackman”, and: “This is the sole statement either of us will make.”

The couple had celebrated their 27th wedding anniversary in April. They met while co-starring as a prison psychologist and a brain-damaged convict in Australian television series Correlli in 1995.

Deborra-Lee most recently played Jill Bailey alongside Eric Bana in the Australian thriller Force of Nature: The Dry 2, from writer/director Robert Connolly.

Jackman is known for playing Wolverine in the X-Men franchise and has also starred in The Greatest Showman and Les Miserables on screen. His stage roles include The Music Man on Broadway.

In 2000, the couple adopted Oscar Maximilian, now 23. Five years later, they adopted now 18-year-old daughter Ava Eliot.

In an interview with Smooth Radio in February, Jackman was asked about how to have a long-lasting marriage.

“I think honesty and intimacy and making time [are the secret to a long and happy marriage]. You can’t just assume that things will just tick along okay. You have to make time.”

In an interview in 2017 to promote The Greatest Showman, he described Deborra-Lee as his “best friend” and main source of support in his career and personal life.

Earlier this week, Jackman advocated the 85% rule as something that he tries to live by to prevent burnout.

In an interview with the American entrepreneur Tim Ferriss, the actor explained that professional sportsmen often worked at 85 percent of capacity to focus on their form and optimisation.