Hugh Jackman is reportedly reeling after his close friend Nicole Kidman completely avoided him at last month's Met Gala in New York City, making it clear her alliance lies with his ex-wife, Deborra-Lee Furness. The 57-year-old Wolverine actor, who co-starred with Kidman in the 2008 Baz Luhrmann film Australia, is said to be upset that she has been keeping her distance since his separation from Furness.
"He is hurt and puzzled. Nicole was a co-chair at the Met Gala and didn't seem to greet Hugh and Sutton," an insider told New Idea magazine. "They weren't photographed together, and there's little evidence that they even spoke. It's very strange considering they go way back."
However, the source added that Kidman had been friends with Furness longer than she had known Jackman, with the pair co-starring in the 1987 Australian film The Bit Part. It was therefore no surprise that the Babygirl actress sided with her. "Hugh is beginning to think Nicole is 'Team Deb' since their split, which could explain why she has seemingly publicly distanced herself from him lately. Maybe the trust has gone?" they added.
The report follows claims that Kidman has been bonding with Furness, as the two longtime friends quietly support each other through the aftermath of their very public marriage breakdowns. When Kidman's marriage to Keith Urban began to crumble last year, she leaned heavily on her "ride-or-die" friendships and now wants to ensure Furness has the same support network. "Nicole's loyalty has to be with Deb as she's been a shoulder for her many times throughout the past three years," an insider told Woman's Day magazine. The pair have been close friends for 40 years and have bonded over their recent heartbreak, first when Furness confirmed her split from Jackman in 2023 and later when Kidman and Urban parted ways.
At the Met Gala earlier this month, where Jackman and Sutton Foster debuted as a couple, reportedly leaving Furness "shattered," Kidman once again made her loyalties clear by distancing herself from the pair. "Nicole is firmly Team Deb," an insider told Naughty But Nice's Rob Shuter. "She believes Deb was deeply hurt by how everything unfolded. Nicole isn't interested in pretending otherwise just because Hugh showed up with a new woman on his arm."
Kidman is now reportedly helping Furness embrace life to the fullest. The To Die For star's cutting-edge sense of style and effortless confidence has cemented her post-divorce glow-up, and she would undoubtedly make the ultimate wingwoman for Furness at exclusive events. The Babygirl star is even hoping that some of her newly single confidence might rub off on Furness, according to the insider. "There's no doubt Nicole took complete control of her divorce and came out of it triumphantly," the source said. "She can't bear to see her dear friend suffer any more than she has to. She's doing everything she can to get Deb back in charge."
Deb remains Kidman's top priority when it comes to close friendships right now, though insiders say the actress is quietly hopeful she can one day repair her once-cherished bond with Jackman.
