Sutton Foster and her The Music Man co-star Hugh Jackman reportedly showed little effort to conceal their closeness backstage, even while the actors continued going on double dates with their spouses, DailyMail.com can reveal.
Jackman, 56, and Foster, 49, appeared together in Meredith Willson’s Broadway musical from December 2021 through January 2023.
Rumors of a romance soon followed, with fans questioning whether their reported relationship played a role in Jackman’s unexpected split from his longtime wife, Deborra-Lee Furness.
Now, a former insider from the production has described the pair’s backstage dynamic, years before they publicly confirmed their relationship earlier this month.
“During intermission, Sutton and Hugh would stand and hug for a minute or two in front of the entire cast as everyone came up the stairs,” the source said.
“The cast had to climb four flights of stairs to reach the dressing rooms. They would stop on Hugh’s floor and simply embrace while still wearing their costumes.”
Music Man co-stars Sutton Foster and Hugh Jackman reportedly made little effort to hide their closeness, even before they began going on double dates with their spouses
The co-stars became close while Jackman, 56, was married to Deborra-Lee Furness and Foster, 49, was married to Ted Griffin; Jackman is pictured with Furness in May 2023
Foster, who was married to screenwriter Ted Griffin at the time, previously said the pair would spend time together in her dressing room, located one floor above Jackman’s, before each performance.
Although the insider said they never saw the actors inside the room, they repeatedly noticed the pair sharing what was described as a “long embrace” every night.
“It was odd,” the source said. “In some ways, it was uncomfortable.”
“The entire cast was trying to get to their dressing rooms upstairs, so everyone had to pass the two of them while they were hugging.”
“They didn’t even try to hide it. It was a long embrace, and it felt strange.”
Asked why Jackman and Foster appeared so affectionate in front of their colleagues, the insider said Foster came across as “needy.”
“I thought she was simply a needy actress,” the source said. “That was how it looked to me—the needy actress needed a hug from the big Superman.”
Jackman and Foster, who have known each other since 2005, played Harold Hill and Marian Paroo in the musical. Their roles also required them to share passionate kisses onstage.
“During intermission, Sutton and Hugh would stand and hug for a minute or two in front of the entire cast,” the insider said; Jackman and Foster are pictured onstage in 2022
The insider claimed the co-stars shared these lengthy embraces “every night,” behavior some cast members reportedly found uncomfortable
“It was an intense kiss,” the source said. “It lasted for several measures of music, and even during rehearsals it was extremely passionate. But it was supposed to be part of their characters’ relationship.”
After performances, the insider claimed, Jackman and Foster would leave separately. Foster would reportedly wait for Jackman to head to his car before making her own departure.
On other occasions, the two couples reportedly went out together.
“They had dinner with each other’s spouses,” the source said. “Sutton and her husband Ted were invited to Hugh and Deborra-Lee’s home for dinner.”
DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for Jackman and Foster for comment.
Foster filed for divorce from her estranged husband, Ted, 54, in October after 10 years of marriage. The couple share an adopted daughter, Emily, seven.
Jackman and Furness, 69, were married for 27 years before announcing their separation in September 2023.
In a statement at the time, the couple told fans they were “shifting” and had decided to “separate to pursue our individual growth.”
Foster was married to screenwriter Ted Griffin, 54, at the time; the couple reportedly shared dinners with Jackman and Furness, 69. Foster and Griffin are pictured in February 2018
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The insider described Jackman and Foster as a good match because they are “both big nerds” and “goofy”; they are pictured together in June 2022
The pair confirmed their relationship earlier this month after being photographed sharing a passionate kiss on the way to the popular In-N-Out burger chain
They also have two adopted children, Oscar, 24, and Ava, 19.
Despite describing Jackman and Foster as “very friendly,” the insider said they never suspected a romance because Jackman’s marriage to the Australian actress appeared so “solid.”
“Hugh talked about Deb all the time, and she supported him enormously,” the source said. “For example, if we were discussing menopause and feeling hot onstage, he would say, ‘I know Deb is going through the same thing.’ She would tell him, ‘Turn the heat off.’”
“When Hugh started the show, he was getting thinner by the minute and talking about how skinny he was.”
“He would say, ‘I know Deb is giving me a hard time about losing weight.’ He said things like that.”
The source attributed the development of Jackman and Foster’s relationship to their shared personality, describing both as “big nerds” and “goofy.”
“I think he is more of a musical-comedy nerd than anything else,” the insider said. “People see him as the most confident man in the world because of Wolverine and Les Misérables, but he really just wants to be onstage.”
“And I think he is captivated by her talent.”
Jackman and Foster’s relationship has been described as “Broadway’s worst-kept secret,” although sources previously told DailyMail.com that there was no overlap between the romance and either actor’s marriage.
Furness nevertheless drew attention in November when her private Instagram account appeared to “like” a video posted by gossip blogger Tasha Lustig. The video claimed Jackman was “running off with the mistress” and preparing a “soft launch” of a new relationship to gauge the public reaction just one month after the couple announced their separation.
Her friend Amanda de Cadenet added to the speculation by commenting on the post: “You are on point with this one. My beloved friend Deb is about to have her glow-up any moment, FYI!”
DailyMail.com reported last week that Jackman and Furness, whose combined fortune is estimated at approximately $250 million, have yet to file for divorce.
“One of the main reasons they have not filed is that they never had a prenuptial agreement,” an insider said.
“When they married, they believed it would last forever. Who doesn’t? Neither of them expected Jackman’s career to become as successful as it has.”
“Because there was no prenup and he earned a fortune during the marriage, this divorce will not be straightforward. It could even become difficult because so much is at stake.”
“There are many issues to resolve, and a huge amount of money is involved.”
Furness appeared to move past the speculation surrounding her former husband as she attended the Australian Open with her daughter Ava
The insider said both parties want to “make this as easy as possible,” but added that after nearly three decades together—and with one partner becoming a major A-list star—the process is “not quite that easy.”
Foster’s divorce is also continuing in New York. One month after she filed, Griffin submitted a response and counterclaim in November.
Foster filed her response two weeks later. The court documents have been sealed, leaving the details of the proceedings unknown.
Since their relationship became public, Jackman and Foster have been photographed displaying plenty of affection, including a passionate kiss near a San Fernando In-N-Out restaurant last week.
Furness appeared unfazed by the images as she spent the day at the Australian Open with her daughter Ava.
Jackman met Furness in 1995 on the Australian television series Correlli. At the time, she was an established star while he was fresh out of drama school and beginning his acting career.
He proposed four months later. In a 2018 interview with Today, Jackman said he knew within two weeks of meeting Furness that they were “going to be together for the rest of our lives.”
The couple married in Melbourne, Australia, in April 1996.
