Hugh Jackman’s long-awaited Met Gala return was supposed to mark a glamorous night out with girlfriend Sutton Foster.
Instead, the high-profile appearance reportedly reopened old wounds for ex-wife Deborra-Lee Furness.
The former couple spent years making the fashion event one of their favorite traditions during their long term marriage, which is why seeing Jackman publicly debut his new romance at the iconic gala allegedly hit especially hard.
According to insiders, Furness was left blindsided watching the actor create new memories at an event once deeply tied to their relationship.
Deborra-Lee Furness was reportedly struggling emotionally after Hugh Jackman attended the Met Gala with Sutton Foster earlier this month.
The former couple, who announced their separation in 2023 after nearly three decades together, had long treated the annual fashion event as one of the highlights of their social calendar.
An insider claimed seeing Jackman arrive hand-in-hand with Foster at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art stirred painful emotions for Furness.
“Deb had been warned Hugh would be appearing with Sutton but it still felt like a knife to the heart seeing them there,” the source told New Idea Magazine.
The insider explained that the Met Gala once represented a major shared tradition for Furness and Jackman during their marriage.
“This was her and Hugh’s ‘big night out’ for the year and they were there side-by-side, just like Sutton is today, just four years ago,” the source added.
The emotional reaction reportedly came despite Furness already being aware that Jackman planned to attend the event with his new partner.
Jackman And Furness Had A ‘Met Gala Custody’ Agreement
According to reports, Hugh Jackman and his ex-wife previously attempted to avoid uncomfortable encounters by agreeing to alternate Met Gala appearances following their split.
The insider claimed the arrangement was made before anyone realized how serious the actor’s relationship with Foster would become.
“They were regulars at the Met Gala, it was one of her favourite nights out,” the source explained, adding, “In fact, when they split they agreed to ‘split custody’ of the Met Gala, go on alternate years, but that was before anyone knew about Sutton.”
Furness reportedly skipped the event altogether after the breakup because returning to the gala brought back too many memories from their marriage.
“Last year when it looked like Hugh wanted to take Sutton, Deb indicated she might be going but simply couldn’t face it. There were just too many painful memories,” the insider said.
The source also suggested the actress quietly hoped Jackman might continue attending alone rather than turning the event into a public relationship debut.
“Part of her hoped he might have gone solo again, so it adds an extra layer of hurt that Hugh’s so willing to pave over their historic nights out with new memories,” they shared.
Hugh Jackman And Sutton Foster Drew Backlash Online
Jackman’s red carpet appearance with Foster quickly sparked criticism online, with many social media users accusing the actor of moving on too quickly after his divorce.
The pair looked affectionate throughout the evening as photographers captured them holding hands and exchanging smiles as they climbed the Met Gala staircase.
Some critics branded the appearance “disrespectful” and “classless,” especially because the Met Gala had become so closely associated with Jackman and Furness over the years.
Jackman finalized his divorce from Furness last year, while his romance with Foster reportedly began in late 2024.
Before debuting Foster at the 2026 Met Gala, Jackman had notably attended the 2024 event alone and skipped the gala entirely last year during the height of the split drama.
This year, however, the actor fully embraced the public nature of his new relationship. Observers at the event noted that Jackman and Foster appeared completely smitten throughout the night.
Jackman’s Romance With Foster Continues Heating Up
Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster’s Met Gala debut also fueled fresh rumors that the relationship may already be heading toward marriage.
Back in February, the Globe reported that the “X-Men” star had allegedly rejected the idea of signing a prenup before marrying the Broadway actress.
The wedding speculation intensified because the romance became public less than a year after Jackman and Furness finalized their divorce.
Jackman and Foster have reportedly grown increasingly serious since going public with the relationship following months of speculation.
Their connection began while they starred together in Broadway’s 2021 revival of “The Music Man,” where fans quickly noticed strong chemistry between them.
Meanwhile, Furness has reportedly continued focusing on rebuilding her life privately following the end of the marriage.
Despite the emotional fallout surrounding the Met Gala, insiders insist she is trying to move forward. “Deb is doing well moving on… seeing Sutton smiling on the arm of Hugh hurt,” the source said.
Inside Hugh Jackman And Deborra-Lee Furness’ Emotional Split
Jackman and Furness officially parted ways after 27 years of marriage, with their separation becoming public in September 2023.
In a joint statement released at the time, the former couple explained that their “journey now is shifting” and that they had “decided to separate to pursue [their] individual growth.”
The pair, who married in 1996 after meeting on the Australian TV series “Correlli,” share two adopted children and repeatedly emphasized that family would remain their “highest priority.”
Their split later led to formal divorce proceedings, with Furness filing in New York in 2025.
Around the same time, she appeared to reference emotional pain from the breakup, describing it as a “traumatic journey of betrayal.”
Since the separation, Jackman has moved forward with Foster, while reports suggest that he and Furness have been working privately through financial settlements and property divisions tied to their estimated multimillion-dollar fortune.
