Hugh Jackman to ‘open up about his life like never before’ in new memoir
Hugh Jackman reportedly has some “bombshell” secrets about his life that he plans to share in a new memoir he’s been working on since he and his wife Deborra-Lee Furness announced their split after 27 years of marriage.
Us Weekly reported Thursday that the Australian actor, 54, is in the early stages of writing a tell-all book, a process that has been “healing” for him as the book promises to deliver some “bombshell” revelations.
“The content will be Hugh speaking about his life,” a source told Us Weekly. “He’ll be opening up about his life like never before.”
Fans, of course, will wonder what these “bombshell” revelations involve. Could the “X-Men” actor open up about the reasons that he and Furness, 67, split? Yes, according to Us Weekly, whose source said: “Hugh’s choosing to (write this book) now because he’s finally (being) honest with himself (and his) divorce” and “this book is the first step.”
In April, Jackman and Furness celebrated their anniversary and Jackman had posted a gushing tribute to his wife on Instagram, the Daily Mail reported.
“I love you Deb. Today is our 27th wedding anniversary. 27 years! I love you so much,” the actor wrote in his caption.
But five months later, news broke about their divorce, and the usual gossip began to swirl about how Jackman and Furness’ marriage had been a “sham” all along. Over the years, the couple have responded to persistent speculation that Jackman is secretly gay. They often have used humor to push back against such “mean-spirited” gossip, as Furness has called it.
Page Six reported that the divorce was “a long time coming,” while Jackman and Furness essentially said they had been growing apart. That’s often the case with longtime couples, with “gray divorce” — divorce after the age of 50 — a growing trend in the United States.
“We have been blessed to share almost three decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage,” the couple said in a statement said. “Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth.”
The Australian couple, who have long lived in New York City, are divorcing as their youngest child turns 18, which also is common in so-called gray divorces, experts have said. Together, they share a son, Oscar, 23, and daughter, Ava, 18.
Us Weekly furthermore hinted that Jackman’s revelations could have to do with his “unresolved childhood trauma.” In December 2022, the Tony winner confessed to being in therapy to help him cope with his mother, Grace McNeil, leaving him when he was just 8 years old, Today reported.
Jackman was born in Sydney to English parents who had immigrated to Australia in 1967. When Jackman was 8, his parents divorced and his mother returned to England with his two sisters, while he stayed in Australia with his father and two brothers.
“I just started (therapy) recently,” Jackman told Who magazine. “It helped me a lot. We all need a village.”
Jackman previously said that it had taken him years to come to terms with the idea that McNeil wouldn’t be coming back for him. “It was traumatic,” he told Who magazine in 2018, Today said. “I thought she was probably going to come back. And then it sort of dragged on and on.”
Despite any feelings of abandonment experienced, Jackman also has said that his relationship with her is “very good.” That’s what he told “60 Minutes Australia” in 2012, when he said, “I’m not someone who’s wallowed a lot in my family past. I don’t feel like a victim … I feel very blessed actually in many ways.”