Who is Deborra-Lee Furness?
Deborra-Lee Furness, born on November 30, 1955, in Annandale, New South Wales, Australia, spent her childhood in Melbourne, Victoria. At 18, she went to a secretarial school because her mother told her to.
She did this because she wanted to be safe if she didn’t get into acting. She landed a job as the assistant to John Sorell, the news director of Channel 9, and has fondly recalled her time working in a newsroom.
After working for a year, she was invited to join the team of the station’s female-produced current affairs program, “No Man’s Land.” She began as a researcher and eventually rose to become an on-air reporter.
In the early 1980s, she graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City and later had a guest appearance on the show “Falcon Crest” in 1987 before returning to Australia.
Career
Deborra-Lee Furness was featured in the recurring role of Office Girl in the Australian soap opera “The Box” in 1974, followed by guest appearances on “Division 4” (1975), “Prisoner” (1979), “Cop Shop” (1980), “Carson’s Law” (1984), “Special Squad” (1984), “The Fast Lane” (1986), “Sentiments” (1988), and “The Flying Doctors” (1988).
Additionally, she portrayed Frances Dalton on the Nine Network series “King” from 1983 to 1984, and in 1985, she had a recurring character, Linda Fielding, on the Australian soap opera “Neighbours.”
During the 1980s, Deborra-Lee Furness was featured in several films, including “Crossover Dreams” (1985), “Jenny Kissed Me” (1985), “Cool Change” (1985), “The Humpty Dumpty Man” (1986), “The Bit Part” (1987), “Shame” (1988), “Evil Angels” (1988), “Two Brothers Running” (1988), and “Celia” (1988).
She also appeared in the TV movie “A Matter of Convenience” (1987), and the miniseries “The Flying Doctors” (1985) and “Act of Betrayal” (1988). Additionally, Deborra-Lee made guest appearances on “G.P.” (1994), “Halifax f.p.” (1995), and “Roar” (1997), and served as the narrator for the 1995 television documentary “Populate Or Perish.”
Deborra-Lee Furness‘ acting career took off in 1995 when she landed the roles of Louisa Correlli in the ABC series “Correlli” and Dolores Kennedy in Seven Network’s “Fire.”
She also appeared in several films including “The Last of the Finest” (1990), “Voyager” (1991), “Waiting” (1991), “Angel Baby” (1995), and “The Real Macaw” (1998). In addition, she shared the screen with Christian Bale, Bill Pullman, Robert Duvall, and Ann-Margret in the 1992 Disney musical drama “Newsies.”
In 2006, Deborra-Lee acted alongside Gabriel Byrne and Laura Linney in the drama “Jindabyne,” for which she received a Film Critics Circle of Australia Award. Following that, she had roles in “Sleepwalking” (2008), “Beautiful” (2009), and “Blessed” (2009), as well as the miniseries “Hyde & Seek” (2016).
Personal Life
Deborra-Lee Furness and Hugh Jackman first crossed paths in 1995 while working on the production of “Correlli.” A year later, on April 11, 1996, they tied the knot. Despite facing two miscarriages, the couple welcomed son Oscar Maximillian Jackman in May 2000 and daughter Ava Eliot Jackman in July 2005 through adoption.
In September 2023, Deborra-Lee and Hugh revealed that they were separating and announced,
“We have been blessed to share almost 3 decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage. Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth. Our family has been and always will be our highest priority. We undertake this next chapter with gratitude, love, and kindness. We greatly appreciate your understanding in respecting our privacy as our family navigates this transition in all of our lives.”
Net Worth
Deborra-Lee Furness, an Australian actress, producer, and director, has accumulated a net worth of $50 million. Throughout her career, she has appeared in over 40 projects, including notable films such as “Shame” (1988), “Waiting” (1991), “Newsies” (1992), “Jindabyne” (2006), and “Beautiful” (2009), as well as popular television shows like “The Box” (1975), “Kings” (1983–1984), “Neighbours” (1985), “Fire” (1995–1996), and “SeaChange” (2000).
