Deborra-lee Furness, now formerly known as Deborra-lee Jackman, has led a multifaceted life marked by a successful acting career, a long and highly publicized marriage to Hugh Jackman, philanthropic endeavors, and a personal commitment to health and well-being. This article delves into various aspects of her life, from her early career and marriage to Hugh Jackman, to her charitable work and reported weight loss journey.
Early Career and Meeting Hugh Jackman
Before her marriage to Hugh Jackman, Deborra-lee Furness was a well-established star in Australian television. Hugh Jackman met Deborra-lee in 1995 on the set of the Australian TV series "Corelli." According to Jackman, she was the "big star" at the time, while he was fresh out of drama school. After six weeks of working together, Hugh Jackman asked his co-star out. Their first date was a large dinner party at Hugh Jackman's house, where he made crêpes suzette.
In 2016, Hugh Jackman recalled those early years working with Deborra-lee Jackman during a visit to "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." He admitted to having a major crush on her, as did the entire crew, but was initially too embarrassed to speak to her.
A Long-Lasting Marriage
Deborra-lee Jackman is 13 years older than Hugh Jackman. Despite the age difference, their relationship blossomed, leading to a marriage that lasted nearly three decades. The couple tied the knot the year following their meeting. Hugh Jackman celebrated his "extraordinary wife's" 67th birthday on Instagram in December 2022, expressing his gratitude for her influence on his life. He wrote, "You’ve taught me many things, including how to celebrate. Celebrate life, family, friendship, and love. Your light and joy lights up all around you! The kids are I bask in that glow every day and today we pray you feel all the love reflected back at you."
In a 2017 interview with People, Hugh Jackman said, "I’m literally the adult in the relationship. She’s just like a little kid. I’m the (one saying), ‘Babe, this is not a legal parking spot.’ ‘Oh, come on, Mr. Goody-Goody.'" In 2016, Hugh Jackman called his wife the "greatest thing that ever happened to me" during a visit to "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." He added, "It gets better and better. And I’m kind of really grateful that I met [her] before anything kind of happened because everything that’s ever happened in my career - on screen, off screen - we’ve always done it together.”
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Family and Philanthropy
Family was a central focus for Deborra-lee and Hugh Jackman. The couple adopted two children, son Max, 23, and daughter Ava, 18. Hugh Jackman told Katie Couric during a 2012 episode of her talk show "Katie" that he and Deborra-lee always wanted to adopt. They tried to start a family immediately but their pregnancy journey was a rocky one. Jackman told People in 2017 that the couple struggled, experiencing a couple of miscarriages, IVF - it’s not easy, particularly on Deb.
Deborra-lee Jackman co-founded the nonprofit Hopeland, which aims to support children separated from their families and advocates for adopting kids in need. Adoption, for the family, is a topic that hits close to home.
Separation
On September 15, Hugh Jackman and Deborra-lee Jackman announced they were separating after 27 years of marriage. “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," the couple said in a statement to People. “Our family has been and always will be our highest priority. We undertake this next chapter with gratitude, love, and kindness," the statement added. "We greatly appreciate your understanding in respecting our privacy as our family navigates this transition in all of our lives.”
A source told Us Weekly that Deborra-lee is currently rebuilding her life and taking a vacation to Bhutan to start fresh and get away from the pain. “She’s relied on a strong support system of female friends."
Deborra-lee Furness's Weight Loss Journey
While much of the public focus has been on Hugh Jackman's dedication to maintaining a superhero physique for his role as Wolverine, Deborra-lee Furness has also embarked on her own wellness journey. Furness reveals that she had been following a Ketogenic Diet for quite a while now, and had started noticing results soon after, which inspired her to document and share her journey with her fans. She has reportedly embraced a ketogenic diet and has experienced positive results, inspiring her to share her experiences.
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The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, very low-carb diet that forces the body to enter a metabolic state called ketosis. In ketosis, the body burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. This can lead to weight loss, as well as other potential health benefits.
Challenges and Inspirations
Furness reveals that she had been following a Ketogenic Diet for quite a while now and had started noticing results soon after, which inspired her to document and share her journey with her fans. Along the way, she has also been inspired by her husband to start working on herself but also points at a certain quirk that Jackman had picked up during the Covid-19 Pandemic lockdown. During the isolation period, The Greatest Showman star had picked up a hobby of baking bread, which was a little inconvenient for her.
Hugh Jackman's Transformation for Wolverine
For the better part of the last two decades, Hugh Jackman has been bringing the character of Wolverine to life on the big screen. With the role of a superhero comes, the responsibility to look like only a handful in the industry can come close to the dedication that the Real Steel star possesses to get in shape for the original Mutant of Marvel Comics. Along with an almost Impossible training regime to follow, he also had a diet plan that is not for the faint of heart to get in shape to play Wolverine. Even with his advancing age, Hugh Jackman is known far and wide to bring the character of Logan/Wolverine to life for 17 years on the big screen through hard work and dedication to the role.
Optimism and Outlook
Hugh Jackman gushed about his wife's sunny disposition while speaking to TODAY co-host Hoda Kotb in 2021. “Deb is the lightest, most optimistic person I’ve ever met in my life. If you ever want to play the game, ‘Who’s the happiest person in the room?’ Deb wins,’” said Hugh Jackman. He added that Deborra-lee Jackman wakes up every day in a happy mood.
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