A poignant statement by Deborra-Lee Furness about her relationship with Hugh Jackman has resurfaced after the actor publicly confirmed his romance with Sutton Foster on Monday.
Hugh, 56, and Sutton, 49, were spotted holding hands while out on a dinner date in Santa Monica, California, following speculation the pair were an item.
The two stars had previously shared the stage on Broadway when the played the leads in an acclaimed production of the classic musical The Music Man.
Prior to Hugh and Deb's split in September 2023, the 69-year-old Australian actress opened up about her close relationship with her then-husband.
She revealed to People in February 2022 that she would help Hugh learn his lines while he was working on The Music Man.
'We do everything together,' she said, before clarifying that she left the 'tap dancing' to her entertainer husband.
A poignant claim by Deborra-Lee Furness about her relationship with Hugh Jackman (left) has resurfaced after the actor publicly confirmed his romance with Sutton Foster (right) on Monday
Deb revealed to People in February 2022 that she would help Hugh learn his lines while he was working on The Music Man
She even boasted that she could have replaced his co-star Sutton Foster 'in a pinch' because she knew her lines so well, though she wasn't keen about the idea.
'You'd have to push me onto the stage,' she joked.
Hugh and Deb announced in September 2023 that they were separating after 27 years of marriage.
It wasn't sadness, but relief that Deb felt when she saw pictures of Hugh going public with his former co-star Sutton.
After months of being 'plagued with suspicions,' Furness can now move on, according to insiders, who claim the images of their Monday outing confirmed that her fears were warranted.
'Deborra-Lee feels a sense of relief to be honest with you,' a source told DailyMail.com exclusively.
'She has been plagued with suspicions. She was told it wasn't true, and that they were nothing more than close friends who worked together.
'But something in her heart told her that this was not true.
On Monday, Hugh, 56, and Sutton, 49, were spotted holding hands while out on a dinner date in Santa Monica, California, following speculation the pair were an item
'She trusted her intuition and her intuition was right. She finally feels at ease after getting confirmation that her fears and suspicions were warranted.
'She can now fully close this chapter and move on.'
The insider added: 'She has nothing more to say about her ex-husband and his close friend Sutton.'
Hugh and Sutton's outing comes after the Logan star attended a performance of Sutton's production of Once Upon A Mattress in Los Angeles over the weekend, which had just transferred to the west coast after wrapping up a run in New York at the end of November.
Sutton filed for an uncontested divorce from her husband Ted Griffin in October of last year.
She had been married to the 53-year-old Ocean's screenwriter for 10 years.
Sutton and Hugh have been swarmed in recent months by rumours that an affair between the two scuttled their marriages.
Fans had remarked on how close they appeared to be in their off-stage interactions while they appeared together in The Music Man.
Hugh and Deb announced in September 2023 that they were separating after 27 years of marriage
Deborra seemed to lend credence to the rumours when she liked an Instagram post in October from a gossip blogger who claimed that her husband was 'running off with the mistress' and planning a 'soft launch' of their relationship, according to Us Weekly.
A source told DailyMail.com in October that Furness had her suspicions of an affair, but she was still 'blindsided when she found out.'
They described the alleged affair as 'Broadway's worst-kept secret,' adding that 'Deborra-Lee was the last to know.'
According to a RadarOnline report, Deb was particularly upset over the behaviour of Hugh's close friend Ryan Reynolds and his wife Blake Lively because they allegedly 'kept quiet' about the rumoured affair.
'They kept their lips sealed out of loyalty to Hugh,' a source claimed to the publication.
'Now she is seething with rage over being the last to know, Deb feels blindsided. She has a memory like a steel trap and isn't afraid to use it.
'Debs feels cheated by all three because someone could have told her what was happening and they all chose to keep their mouths shut,' they added.
Daily Mail Australia contacted Deborra and Ryan's representatives at the time for comment.
It wasn't sadness, but relief that Deb felt when she saw pictures of Hugh going public with his former co-star Sutton
Following Hugh and Deborra's split, the former couple shared a statement addressing the breakup.
'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,' they announced.
'Our family has been and always will be our highest priority,' they continued. '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.'
