Hugh Jackman and his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, have announced plans to end their marriage after 27 years.
“We have been blessed to share almost 3 decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage,” the Australian actors said Friday in a statement issued to People. “Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth.”
They continued: “Our family has been and always will be our highest priority. We undertake this next chapter with gratitude, love, and kindness. We greatly appreciate your understanding in respecting our privacy as our family navigates this transition in all of our lives.”
The pair ― who share son Oscar, 23, and daughter, Ava, 18 ― signed the statement “Deb and Hugh Jackman.” They also noted, “This is the sole statement either of us will make.”
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Jackman met Furness in 1995 when they co-starred on the Aussie television series “Corelli.” They married about a year later in Toorak, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne.
The marriage was subjected to unwarranted scrutiny over the years, much of it stemming from the fact that Furness is 13 years Jackman’s senior.
In April, Jackman celebrated their 27th wedding anniversary in April with an Instagram post in which he wrote that Furness’ “courage and loyalty is an incredible gift to me.”
“Together we have created a beautiful family,” he wrote. “And life.”
Jackman and Furness attended the Met Gala in New York on May 1. Their last public appearance as a couple took place in July, when they attended the men’s finals at Wimbledon.