A body language expert has weighed in on romance rumors between Hugh Jackman and his Broadway co-star Sutton Foster.
Speculation about the couple reached a fever pitch this week after it emerged she had split from her husband.
Tony winner Sutton, 49, filed an uncontested divorce from her husband, screenwriter Ted Griffin, 53, in New York County Supreme Court on Tuesday, gossip column Page Six reports.
Hugh, 56, and Sutton starred together in The Music Man on Broadway in 2022, a year before he announced his separation from wife Deborra-Lee Furness after 27 years of marriage.
Rumors about the couple’s relationship began in Broadway circles while they were co-stars, and multiple sources told Page Six that Foster and Jackman “have fallen in love.”
In fact, the couple looked incredibly close when they posed on the red carpet at the annual Tony Awards in June 2022.
The actress couldn’t wipe the smile off her face as she approached Hugh, who hugged him.
Body language expert Louise Mahler told Daily Mail Australia on Friday that things between Hugh and Sutton “could be serious.”
A body language expert told Daily Mail Australia on Friday that things between Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster “could be serious.”
“These are two happy people who are clearly happy with close intimacy,” Louise said.
“Their bodies are together, their head is leaning towards his shoulder.”
‘They are laughing. It’s so special and so beautiful. This could be serious,’ he added.
It comes after inside sources claimed the pair had “fallen in love”.
“They are 100 percent together, they are in love and want to spend the rest of their lives together,” a source previously told P.age six.
The publication also claimed that the couple is going strong, but have kept the relationship out of the public eye, according to sources.
‘They are still together. “They do everything they can to hide it, but it is common knowledge,” the source added.
Both have a strong background in musical theatre, with Jackman frequently showcasing his singing and dancing skills in various productions, while Sutton is renowned for her vocal and dancing prowess.
Sutton was born in Georgia in 1975 and has a 30-year career in theater, including theater, film, television and singing.
The two-time Tony Award winner’s background is similar to Jackman’s: They both started in theater and have an abiding passion for live performance.
The pair have also adopted children, with Sutton and ex-husband Ted being the proud parents of daughter Emily, seven, while Jackman shares Oscar, 24, and Ava, 19, with ex-wife Deborra-Lee.
“They are two happy people who are clearly happy with close intimacy,” said body language expert Louise Mahler.
‘They are laughing. It’s so special and so beautiful. “This could be serious,” he added.
Both are involved in various charitable initiatives and use their platforms to support arts education and other causes.
Sutton has performed in some of the world’s most popular theater productions, including playing Sandy in Grease, the title character in Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Princess Fiona in Shrek: The Musical.
She is also an accomplished television star and played the lead role in the popular American drama series Younger throughout her career from 2015 to 2021.
Her first marriage was to Tony winner Christian Borle, 51, from 2006 to 2009.
Four years later, she confirmed her engagement to Griffin, screenwriter of Ocean’s Eleven.
The couple said ‘I do’ in a private ceremony in Santa Barbara, California, in October 2014.
Speculation about the couple’s relationship began in Broadway circles while they were co-stars, with multiple sources telling Page Six that Foster and Jackman “have fallen in love.”
In 2021, she shared her thoughts on starting a family with her second husband.
The star said she was “always undecided about whether she wanted to have children,” in an essay for People.
‘I was always very motivated by my career and I had such a complicated relationship growing up with my own mother… It was never clear to me. I got married when I was 30 years old; “It didn’t last, but one thing it did give me was this little hint that maybe I wanted to have a family,” he added.
However, when she met Griffin, her view of family changed.
‘When I met my husband, it was the first time I finally said, ‘Oh, I get it.’ I understand why people have families,’ he wrote.
Two years before sparking romance rumors with the actress, Hugh praised having the opportunity to work with Foster in the Broadway revival of The Music Man.
In 2020, she opened up about spending time with her husband and daughter amid the COVID-19 pandemic in an interview with People.
The star said it was “the first time we’ve all been together for so long focused without any of us traveling or having to go out to work every day.”
‘Especially breakfast and dinner. We’re all sitting at the table and now my daughter will ask everyone, ‘How was your day?’ “We all like to sit and talk and we have made it a very important part of our day to get together as a family.”
Foster added that her daughter was “really thriving” because “we’re all together.”
Meanwhile, Jackman filed for divorce from his wife Deborra-Lee Furness, 68, in September last year after 27 years of marriage.
“We have been fortunate to share almost three decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful and loving marriage,” they shared then in a joint statement.
“Our journey is now changing and we have decided to part ways to pursue our individual growth.”
The former couple share two adopted children, son Oscar, 24, and daughter Ava, 19.
Romance rumors between Hugh and Sutton continue to circulate, and insiders say they are already in love.