Hugh Jackman and Wife Deborra-Lee Furness Grieved After Having “Painful” Miscarriages | “I’ll Never Forget It”

"I don't know how this happens, but nothing stirs your emotions more than your kids," Hugh Jackman said.

Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo By Kevin Winter

By Suchitra B

February 17, 2023

Posted February 17, 2023

Hugh Jackman is a brilliant actor, but an even prouder father. He and his wife of 26 years, Deborra-Lee Furness, have a beautiful family. Unfortunately, the couple had a difficult road to parenthood, per Herald Sun. Furness was already 40 when they got married, so they didn't waste any time attempting to have children. The couple was blissfully happy, but they yearned for their own children. Jackman revealed, “It was painful. It’s not easy. You put a lot of time and effort into it, so it’s emotional. I think any parent can relate – trying to have children is wonderful and when you feel as though that’s not going to happen, there’s a certain anxiety that goes with it.”

“We didn’t know where in the process that would happen but biologically obviously we tried and it was not happening for us and it is a difficult time,” Hugh said, per PageSix, adding, “We did IVF and Deb had a couple of miscarriages. I’ll never forget it the miscarriage thing – it happens to one in three pregnancies, but it’s very, very rarely talked about.” He continued, “It’s almost secretive, so I hope Deb doesn’t mind me bringing it up now. It’s a good thing to talk about it. It’s more common, and it is tough. There’s a grieving that you have to go through.”

“We struggled, a couple miscarriages, [in vitro fertilization] — it was not easy. It was difficult, obviously, particularly on Deb. I remember saying to her, ‘We were always going to adopt — let’s just adopt now',” he recalled to PEOPLE. The Logan actor and his wife felt it was crucial to adopt mixed-race kids as well, he calls this group "the biggest need."

“A lot of people go into [adoption thinking] it’s really important to them for the kid to look like them, and honestly, for Deb and I, that just never even was an issue,” said Jackman, adding that his motivation was different. He shared, “Our motivation behind adopting was, ‘Where is the need?’” explains the father of two. “And we just knew from talking with people in that space, when we were looking around, that the biggest need is in mixed-race kids,” he added.

Cover Image Source: Instagram/thehughjackman — Image Source: Instagram | thehughjackman

Oscar, who was born in May 2000, was adopted by Jackman and Furness in the year 2000. Ava Eliot, their daughter, was born on July 10, 2005, and she was the second child for the couple, who they adopted in 2005. Hugh discussed how becoming a father has altered him in the November issue of The Australian Women's Weekly. "It's been one of the most amazing and difficult journeys. Parenthood is so rewarding, but sometimes so hard," he told the outlet. "I don't know how this happens, but nothing stirs your emotions more than your kids… They make you face who you really are. I suppose if parenthood has taught me anything, it's taught me humility," he added.