Hugh Jackman and his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, are one of the couples in Hollywood that have defied all stereotypical odds and remained happily married for two decades. The pair met on the set of the 1995 Australian television show “Corelli.”
According to the interview with Today, Jackman knew within two weeks that he would be spending the rest of his life with Furness. Luckily, she felt the same, and the pair got married a year after.
Despite being a standard for a happy Hollywood marriage, they’ve had to endure several rumors, usually nasty and incredible. One of them was the speculation that Jackman was gay, which was instantly rebuffed by Furness. Read on to get more details.
‘He’d Be Dating Brad Pitt’
On the “Not An Overnight Success” podcast on Sunday, Furness addressed the rumors which re-surfaced about her husband’s sexuality. She insisted that it was a false rumor, and he had no reason to keep that part of his life a secret if that was the case.
“Hugh’s been gay for whatever, I mean, hello guys — if he was gay, he could be gay. He didn’t have to hide in the closet anymore, and he’d be dating Brad Pitt, or whatever. Not that Brad’s gay, but you know what I’m saying!”
Furness, who shares 21-year-old Oscar and 16-year-old Ava with the actor, continued, “[We] don’t read much of that stuff. It is so silly, and then people perpetuate silly things, and it’s boring.”
Apart from the fact that it was “silly and boring,” it constantly amazed her how magazines and publications could continually perpetuate a false narrative about her husband’s personal life.
“What they’re selling is schadenfreude. They are selling misery. People must be wanting to buy that other people are miserable because it makes them feel better about themselves.”
This Is Not The First Time This Rumor Is Surfacing
Seven years ago, the “X-Men” star told Australia’s “60 Minutes” that he was sick and tired of the speculation about him being gay. If anything, he wished people stopped questioning his sexuality, adding that it wasn’t the most exciting thing about anybody. He also added that this rumor bugs his wife, who has difficulty pushing the sexuality rumors aside.
“Just recently, it bugs her,” Jackman said, citing things his wife picks up online. “She goes: ‘It’s big. It’s everywhere!'”
On the other hand, his wife has gotten a bit visceral about the speculations, calling them “offensive.”
“If he was gay, fine, he would say he’s gay,” she told 60 Minutes. “It’s annoying because it’s not true.”
They Recently Celebrated Their 26th Wedding Anniversary
These speculations come after the pair celebrated their 26th anniversary earlier this month. On their wedding anniversary, the 53-year-old actor took to his Instagram to pay an extraordinary tribute to his wife.
“Today, I celebrate 26 years of marriage to my extraordinary wife. Every day is filled with so much laughter, joy, and backgammon!! Deb, you light up my life. I love you with all my heart!” The “Les Miserables” star captioned along with an image of them cuddling up the beach.
He also spoke to Today about how his relationship doesn’t feel like so much work. “It’s been one of the most best things in my life.”
He added that his wife was the “lightest, most optimistic” person he had ever met in his life.
“Like, if you ever want to play who’s the happiest person in the room? Deb wins.”
During the pandemic, Jackman noted that the lockdown strengthened their bond, adding that it allowed him to grow closer to his wife.
“We were just saying the other day — we have never spent this much time together. But having this time without either of us working, being with the family. We’ve had this opportunity to be together, and the results are in: closer.”
Furness Feels An Amazing Connection With Her Husband
On the other hand, the “Fire” alum spoke to Us about the unique connection she has with her husband.
“I feel blessed that I experienced that I feel like I met my soulmate, whatever that is,” Furness expressed on Anh’s “Brush With Fame” in 2020.
She added that although her husband isn’t as funny as she was, he still makes her laugh. “Not as funny as me, but he’s good. I give him all his best material!”
The actress also revealed the secret of their long-standing relationship, which was “love.”
“When you love someone, you want the best for them. When you find a partner in crime that you share and grow together — and life is tough, as we know it, it’s not all good — and when you have someone there who is so supportive, you can stand buck naked. This is who it is, and you’re loved; there’s nothing better.”