Hugh Jackman’s decision to attend Met Gala with Sutton Foster reportedly painful for ex Deborra-Lee Furness

While loved-up couple Hugh Jackman and his girlfriend Sutton Foster appeared smiley and smitten at the Met Gala on Monday, the pair’s attendance is said to have inflicted “another layer of hurt” to his ex Deborra-Lee Furness.

Recognised for drawing the world’s biggest stars and highly imaginative outfits, the New York fundraiser — which Furness has attended up to six times — is believed to have been one of her favourite social events on the calendar.

Now, an insider has revealed her memory of the Gala has been tainted, and her heart torn apart once more.

They told New Idea that the 70-year-old was given notice ahead of time that the bubbly couple were set to appear together for the first time at the soiree’s red carpet, but it didn’t make the pill any easier to swallow.

“Deb had been warned Hugh would be appearing with Sutton but it still felt like a knife to the heart seeing them there,” the insider said.

“This was her and Hugh’s ‘big night out’ for the year and they were there side-by-side, just like Sutton is today, just four years ago.”

Furness reportedly held the event in such high regard, she and Jackman even agreed to attend in alternate years following their split in September 2023.

Their last attendance as a couple at the Gala was in May 2023.

“They were regulars at the Met Gala and it was one of her favourite nights out. In fact, when they split they agreed to ‘split custody’ of the Met Gala and go on alternate years, but that was before anyone knew about Sutton,” the source continued.

Jackman, 57, and Foster, 51, were first publicly linked in January 2025, though had been recognised as close friends and Broadway co-stars for several years before that.

The couple made their red carpet debut at the Los Angeles premiere of Jackman’s film Song Sung Blue in October 2025.

However, whispers the couple may have spruiked their love at last year’s Met Gala several months earlier was reportedly enough to deter Furness from attending.

“Last year when it looked like Hugh wanted to take Sutton, Deb indicated she might be going but simply couldn’t face it in the end,” the source added.

“There were rumours she did it just to block Hugh and Sutton but it’s not true. There was just too many painful memories.”

The divorce of Jackman and Furness was finalised in June 2025, yet Foster’s own marriage split from screenwriter Ted Griffin is not yet confirmed after she filed in October 2024.

It is believed the couple are waiting for her documentation to be cleared before officially announcing their plans to marry.

However, the diamond ring spotted on Foster’s finger at the Gala, albeit not her ring finger, only served to fuel rumours the couple have already begun plotting their nuptials.

If nothing else, it was a reminder to Jackman’s ex that the Wolverine star has very much moved on.

“Part of her (Furness) hoped he might have gone solo again, so it adds an extra layer of hurt that Hugh’s so willing to pave over their historic nights out with new memories,” the insider said.

“Deb is doing well moving on from what was a deeply hurtful betrayal, but seeing Sutton smiling on the arm of Hugh hurts.”