It’s the end of the road for yet another celebrity couple: Actors Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Jackman announced on Friday that they have split up after nearly three decades together. “Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth,” they said in a joint statement to People, which first reported the news.
The couple met on the set of the Australian TV series Correlli in 1995. Jackman has said that he immediately knew his soon-to-be ex-wife was the one, despite the 13-year age gap between them. “Deb, she was a big star. I get picked up, and Deb is in the front seat of the car. I’ll never forget,” he said in 2017. “She took off her seatbelt and she turned around and put out her hand and took off her sunglasses and said, ‘Hi, I’m Deborra-Lee Furness, nice to meet you.’ I remember thinking, ‘I like this girl.’”
The actors quickly fell in love and married in April 1997. After Deborra experienced two miscarriages, the couple adopted two children: Oscar, now 23, and Ava, now 18. One of their last public appearances as a couple was during the men’s finals at Wimbledon this past July.
“Our family has been and always will be our highest priority. We undertake this next chapter with gratitude, love, and kindness,” they told People. “We greatly appreciate your understanding in respecting our privacy as our family navigates this transition in all of our lives. This is the sole statement either of us will make.”