Despite being all smiles out in public together, tensions seem to be rising between Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster behind closed doors. Foster has found herself caught in the public aftermath of Jackman’s divorce from his ex-wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, and sources are telling Woman’s Day that the Broadway star is struggling with ongoing hostility from both fans and fellow celebrities.
“Sutton tries to ignore it, but some of the trolls and criticism online get the better of her,” a source revealed. “She struggles with being branded a ‘homewrecker,’ so does Hugh, but this is a whole new world for Sutton. She’s never been ‘hated’ like this.”
They noted that Foster “loves” Jackman, but “she was totally naive about what came with that.”
“Nothing could have prepared her,” the source added. “She worries she could be stuck with this reputation forever, regardless of whether or not she becomes Mrs Jackman.”
Recently, Foster candidly confessed to often feeling “really alone.” Speaking at the Women’s Health Lab panel “The Science of Staying Strong: Longevity, Movement & Resilience,” on May 18, 2026, the Tony Award-winning actress said, “I reached out to a lot of my contemporaries last year, and a lot of the women on Broadway, and we all are usually on our own. Everyone shared the commonality of loneliness.”
During the event, Foster also alluded to the messy situation with Jackman’s ex-wife, stressing the importance of women supporting one another. As she explained, “Women of power can actually support each other, and we don’t have to be pitted against each other. There’s room for more than just one of us.”
In addition to feeling isolated and overwhelmed by the outside chatter, Foster is also said to be “exhausted” by the emotional demands of dating Jackman.
“Hugh wants a mommy, not a girlfriend,” one insider told Rob Shuter’s Naughty But Nice. “He needs constant validation, nonstop reassurance, and someone shielding him from conflict while he keeps playing the golden boy.”
Sources claim that, through Jackman’s decades-long marriage to Deb, she protected him from negativity, particularly “criticism, confrontation, and emotional fallout.” And now, the Greatest Showman star is allegedly hoping Foster will fill that role, but she has no desire to do so.
“Sutton is ambitious, independent, and emotionally intelligent,” a source explained. “She didn’t sign up to become Hugh’s full-time emotional support system. The deeper this relationship gets, the more she feels responsible for managing his feelings, his image, and the chaos surrounding him.”
Another noted, “Hugh desperately needs everyone to love him. He avoids uncomfortable situations at all costs and expects Sutton to absorb the emotional fallout so he can remain the nice guy.”
“Sutton thought she was getting a partner,” a separate source said. “What she’s discovering is a man who still needs parenting.”
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source stylecaster.com ’
