The actor took his girlfriend to the $15 million Sydney penthouse he once shared with ex-wife Deborra-Lee Furness, and social media users are calling it disrespectful.
Hugh Jackman is facing fresh backlash after photos showed him on the balcony of his $15 million North Bondi penthouse in Sydney with girlfriend Sutton Foster — the same home he shared with ex-wife Deborra-Lee Furness during their marriage. The images, published by the Daily Mail on November 10, 2026, quickly spread across social media, where critics labelled the move a “new low” and “betrayal with a capital B”. The trip marks the couple’s first visit to Australia together as a public pair, nearly two years after they confirmed their relationship.
The Bondi Backlash
Jackman, 58, and Foster, 51, landed in Sydney on Tuesday, November 10. The actor took his girlfriend straight to the North Bondi penthouse he kept in his 2025 divorce settlement with Furness. Photos showed Jackman pointing out the seaside views to Foster, who appeared comfortable on the balcony of the home Furness once shared with him. The property was purchased in 2015 for around $4 million and is now valued at roughly $15 million.
Social media reaction was swift and largely negative. One X user wrote, “Holy s–t, a new low… Betrayal with a capital B, man.” Another commented, “Bringing the mistress to the marital home. Zero class… What an ahole.” A third added, “That’s disrespectful and disgusting.” Some users also claimed Jackman “somehow manages to get worse every day”.
“Gosh… going to the marital home… bit tacky, Hugh,” one user commented. “The utter disrespect!” another added.
Not everyone agreed. Some pointed out that Jackman retained the property in the divorce and had every right to enjoy it with his new partner. “Grow up. The marriage ended, he retained the property,” one person wrote. “What was he supposed to do — turn his property into a shrine to his ex-wife?” another asked.
The Timeline That Led to This Moment
The backlash did not start with the Bondi photos. It has been building since September 2023, when Jackman and Furness announced their separation after 27 years of marriage. Jackman and Foster met as co-stars in the 2021–2023 Broadway revival of The Music Man, playing romantic leads on stage. Rumours of an affair began circulating in 2022, while both were still publicly married to their respective partners.
Foster filed for divorce from screenwriter Ted Griffin — her husband of nearly 10 years — in October 2024. Jackman and Furness finalised their divorce in June 2025. Jackman confirmed his relationship with Foster in January 2025, and the couple made their first red-carpet appearance together at the 2026 Met Gala in May, where they faced similar criticism.
A Us Weekly report published in early November 2026 alleged that Jackman “repeatedly cheated” on Furness with Foster, adding new fuel to the long-running speculation about the timeline of their relationship.
Deborra-Lee’s Reaction: ‘She Feels Sorry for Sutton’
Furness has not commented directly on the Bondi photos, but a source close to her told New Idea that she finds the situation “laughable” and even feels a degree of pity for Foster.
“Deb finds the whole thing laughable and part of her feels sorry for Sutton having to live in her and Hugh’s old marital homes,” the insider said. “She and Hugh lived a lifetime together and there’s not an inch of Bondi or New York penthouses that hasn’t got her touch on it.”
The source added that Furness is still hurting, even as she puts on a brave face. “She doesn’t want to be painted as the bitter ex-wife, which is why she’s putting on such a ‘who cares?’ facade, but it’s not easy to see another woman in her old home — with her ‘formerly forever guy.’” The insider also said Furness would “never go back” to Jackman and is focused on her own life.
Furness previously addressed the end of her marriage in a statement to the Daily Mail in May 2025, which many interpreted as a reference to the affair allegations.
“My heart and compassion goes out to everyone who has traversed the traumatic journey of betrayal. It’s a profound wound that cuts deep, however I believe in a higher power and that God/the universe, whatever you relate to as your guidance, is always working FOR us.”
What Fans Are Saying
The Bondi photos have reignited a conversation that has followed Jackman and Foster for nearly two years. Critics see the visit to the former marital home as a public disrespect to Furness. Supporters argue that Jackman is simply living his life in a property he legally owns.
Here is a look at the main reactions circulating on social media:
- “New low” and “betrayal”: Many users focused on the symbolism of bringing Foster to the home he shared with Furness, calling it a deliberate provocation.
- “Zero class”: A recurring criticism was that Jackman allegedly ensured the paparazzi captured the moment, turning a private trip into a public statement.
- “He retained the property”: Defenders of Jackman pointed out that the divorce settlement gave him the home, and he is free to share it with his partner.
The debate mirrors the reaction to the couple’s Met Gala appearance in May 2026, when social media users described their red-carpet moment as “disrespectful” and “classless”. The pattern suggests that for a segment of the public, the issue is not the relationship itself but the way it is being presented in spaces tied to Jackman’s marriage to Furness.
The Divorce Settlement and the Property at the Centre
The North Bondi penthouse is not the only property linking Jackman and Furness. The former couple also owned a New York City penthouse, which Jackman retained in the divorce settlement. The New York property, which features four ensuite bedrooms, a library, a professional-grade kitchen, a sauna, and 3,700 square feet of outdoor space, has reportedly been struggling to sell. Jackman is said to be keen on keeping the Sydney apartment as his long-term Australian base.
Furness has moved on with her own property decisions. Reports in 2026 indicated she bought out Jackman’s share of another property, effectively transferring ownership to herself. The financial details of the divorce have not been fully disclosed, but the properties involved are valued in the tens of millions.
A Pattern of Public Scrutiny
The Bondi trip is the latest chapter in a story that has played out across tabloids and social media for over two years. Jackman built a public image as one of Hollywood’s most stable family men during his 27-year marriage to Furness. That image has been tested by the affair allegations, the speed of his new relationship, and the decision to share spaces that once belonged to his marriage.
Foster has faced her own scrutiny. She filed for divorce from Griffin in October 2024 and has largely avoided commenting on the overlap between her marriage and her relationship with Jackman. In May 2026, she admitted feeling “really alone” amid the ongoing drama, according to reports.
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The couple’s trip to Australia is their first as a public pair, and it has produced the strongest backlash yet. Whether the criticism fades or follows them through the rest of the year, the Bondi photos have given critics a clear symbol: a new relationship, staged in the home of an old one.
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