The real reason a heartbroken Hugh Jackman returned home to Australia without Sutton Foster
Hugh Jackman looked like he was having the time of his life as he hit the dancefloor at a friend’s wedding in the NSW Southern Highlands recently.
But his solo holiday home had people questioning – where was his girlfriend, Sutton Foster?
Doing little to dispel rumours that their romance could be in trouble, the morning after, Hugh, 57, jetted out of Australia with his daughter Ava, 20, but not before they were seen in an emotional embrace at Sydney airport.
EMOTIONAL VISIT
“Hugh looked stressed and tired, and at one point he turned to Ava for comfort, embracing her in a big hug,” reveals an airport onlooker.
An insider tells Woman’s Day that Hugh feels like he’s living a double life right now, and it’s keeping him awake at night.
“He has his life in New York with Sutton and his family life that still overlaps with [ex wife] Deborra-Lee Furness‘ circle – and some are just not ready to welcome a new lady on his arm,” the source confides to Woman’s Day.
“These are all long-time family friends, a lot of them still loyal to Deb, so it was a classy move to arrive with [his daughter] Ava as his plus one, but it’s not making things easy for him and Sutton.”
Feeding into Hugh’s insecurities, the formerly inseparable couple have only seen each other a handful of times over the last few months – tellingly Hugh whisked Sutton off to see a performance of Cats: The Jellicle Ball almost as soon as he landed in the US.
“Hugh feels like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders, balancing his new relationship with his kids and ex-wife. He’s worried Sutton’s going to get tired of playing second fiddle to his ‘other personal life’. He feels paranoid that at any moment she might just pull the plug and say, ‘It’s over.’ Already she’s signed up with a big Hollywood agent and that’s fed into his insecurities that he’s just too much drama for her,” tells the insider.
KIDS COME FIRST
On top of managing his work schedule and prioritising date nights with Sutton, he’s also doing his best to be a good dad to Ava and Oscar, 25, who have tended to side with Deb, 70, over the split.
“Hugh’s biggest concern is over Ava and Oscar’s wellbeing – and it’s pretty clear that if their mum’s OK, they’re even better. Their protectiveness towards Deb is why he’s trying not to push things until everyone’s more comfortable.
“It’s no real shock to see him stressed out – he’s got a lot of plates in the air, balancing a new relationship with grown kids who are very loyal to their mum,” says the insider, adding that was another reason Hugh chose to take Ava to Australia.
“Hugh would have loved to have Sutton by his side and it didn’t feel right leaving her behind. He’s desperate for her to meet some of his old mates, but for now he feels a need to keep the spheres separate.
“It’s not just Ava and Oscar he’s worried about. Sutton’s daughter is still only nine, so he’s got to make sure everyone’s in a safe enough space before playing blended families and upsetting Deb again. Hugh’s very aware of her upcoming memoir and doesn’t want to make things worse than they already are.”
