It’s 2013, and nothing says “I’m wildly successful” quite like a persistent gay rumor. Being pegged as a homosexual is probably one of Hollywood’s highest honors—far more important than a Grammy and more brag-worthy than a silly Oscar. It means you’re smart, sexy, and too irresistible for your own good.
But Deborra-Lee Furness doesn’t care about any of that. The 57-year-old actress who married Hugh Jackman for money is so defensive of her husband’s sexuality, she told 60 Minutes this weekend that speculating Jackman’s sexuality is “offensive,” “stupid,” and “annoying.” So shut up, guys.
Furness strained to show emotion through her pulled-tight face during the interview, but we’re guessing she was pretty upset about the whole situation. She called the persistent gay rumors “frustrating” before her husband chipped in, telling cameras that “If I was [gay], I would be.”
“It’s just offensive,” she continued. “If he was gay, fine, he would say he’s gay. It has gotten so out of whack … it’s stupid, yeah, it’s annoying, because it’s not true.”
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A lady doth protest too much?
You can watch the full interview here.
miagoodguy
It is offensive not because people are saying he is gay, but people keep insisting he is gay after saying he isn’t. These people need to get lives.
Kevin
Wow, what horrible reporting. How does QueerTyknow her reasons for marrying her husband? Your insinuation she did it only for money is offensive.
It is also offensive that news outlets like this continuously report that a married straight man with a family is gay just because he is a great actor, singer and dancer.
nf0603
I’ve heard the bathroom story too many times. She has latent homophobia issues… I mean, Channing Tatum’s wife doesn’t seem to bat her eye at gay rumors about her husband, why? She knows it comes with the territory when you’re married to someone considered desireable. The day the gay community no longer wants to think Hugh is secretly one of its own is the day she should be worried.
Dakotahgeo
50 to 1 she’s a lesbian or bi-sexual. Give it time. They’ll do it every time, Lemme tell ya!
M
@nf0603:
What could Channing’s wife say? The rumors about him have existed since he was a model in New York, long before taking up with her.
erics
@Kevin: Totally agree. When news outlets “report” that someone “might be gay” (because they run out of real things to report), it just perpetuates the idea that being gay is something to be ashamed of, something people must be forced to admit. As she said, it is stupid, offensive, and annoying.
Jackhoffsky
This may not have been the most subtly slanted article, but in reading the interview I did get that FEELING of “geez girl, get over yourself.” And obviously it’s an issue because Hugh Jackman actually says that he sees how this affects his wife.
Now I can understand one part. Boy from Oz was 2003 and that started the whole “gay” rumor mill. So after a DECADE of gay rumors I would understand if Jackman was a little annoyed… but he’s not. His wife is.
So I’m still left with the feeling of “geez girl, get over yourself.”
M
@Jackhoffsky:
The rumors started long before Boy from OZ…that’s when they started in America.
In Australia, rumors about both of them have persisted for a long time.
mz.sam
Celebrities secure with their sexuality let it roll of their shoulders or totally ignore it. However, it would bother many spouses with falsehood gossips. I, too would be upset if my partner was relentlessly speculated as straight, bi or transgendered knowing the contrary. There is still a vast segment of the community and/or press with the old school attitude to ‘gaydar’ anyone and everyone in the public eye. But like the prevailing homophobes in society, they too will eventually self-implode as society heads toward not only acceptance but total equality.
ho
Did she happen to say if he was bottom or top?
JAW
WOW… Leave the Man alone… why do some have to keep the shit up… he has been married longer then any of his gay roles.
WITH FRIENDS LIKE US; WHO NEEDS ENEMIES
Discodaddybob
Do they have children? That would be a big factor in my estimation as to whether or not Hugh Jackman may be gay. Of course, married married men with children have subsequently come out of the closet. I like and admire Jackson as an actor and person and if he sez he’s not a friend of Dorothy’s, I believe him.
Leave the hot dude alone already.
Dakotahgeo
@mz.sam: Thank you, mz. sam!
hephaestion
Jackman’s wife is justified in her anger. These bozos who insist that Hugh is gay and that she married him for his money are hideous pond scum. Hugh is one of the world’s most talented and kind men. He deserves respect, not psycho harrassment.
There are way too many mentally disturbed gay men with nothing to do but make up stupid rumors.
Lexi
“I’ve never really addressed those rumors, ’cause I always figured, why defend yourself against something that’s not? offensive?” – Johnny Galecki
She needs to get a grip.
LadyL
Since when is speculating about whether or not someone is gay such a horrible, horrible thing? Are we really going to buy into that? If you’re a clueless 12 year-old or an irredeembale bigot, yeah, it’s the worst possible thing that could be said about you or your spouse.
But if you’re a talented, smoking hot celeb like Jackman doesn’t this just come with the territory of modern celebrity in an evolving culture?
The wife is nearly 60 so maybe this is a generational thing. I suspect if she were half that age and married to HJ she’d either shrug her shoulders about the rumors or be amused by them.
LadyL
Ach, clumsy fingers–meant “irredeemable” bigot
LadyL
Besides which, straight audiences have insisted on claiming the likes of Rock Hudson and Cary Grant as one of their own–how come we’re not allowed to do the same? It’s basically wish fulfillment. If adoring gay boys want Hugh Jackman to be gay, well then he’s gay and too bad who doesn’t like it.
dvsBTM
She is probably his beard. Beards do that – they just cant stop raving about how offensive and stupid gay rumours are…
Daniel-Reader
I thought the rumors started because she was his manager and so much older, married him before his international success (which makes her come across as his beard), didn’t have bio kids with him, and doesn’t appear in the same looks league as him.
Homophile
Please. He’s gay, she’s bitter about it and she’s lashing out.
The whole “guys just say that because he’s hot argument” is bogus. There are no gay rumors about Brad Pitt for example, and tons of guys think he’s hot.
The “rumors” about Jackman have been around since he was an unknown in Australia for a reason.
gayjim1969
I respect Jackman for his handling of the rumors. They don’t bother him. He appreciates his gay fans, and he is not afraid to take on gay characters or sexually ambiguous characters.
His wife needs to understand that this comes with the territory. It aggravating and frustrating, but to continue to rail against it is counter-productive, and leads people to think, “Where there’s smoke (coming out of her ears), there’s fire.”
balehead
The toxic queens on here need to grow lives already….
LaTeesha
He’s straight. She’s straight. But, she’s also quite insecure. She needs to grow a sense of humor.
FunMe
Hugh’s ex boyfriend would agree with what’s the wife is saying. After they all hung around together for a long time. They all know that he is not gay.
http://www.eonline.com/news/72973/hugh-jackman-s-strange-setup
“Jackman explained to the People reporter the origin of the band he wears opposite his wife’s wedding band: “It was given to me by John when we started our production company,” revealed H.J. “In Sanskrit is written the basic principles of our company.”
“Uh, can’t the public see that has to be one of the closest business relationships in the world?” asked a biz pal to Jackman. “I mean, John sits right next to him and Deborra on the other side for every awards ceremony. She’s years his senior, they have two adopted children, he lived in a bungalow on their property in L.A. There’s nothing ordinary about that troupe.”
But aha! They never denied he was “bi” 😉
Tuesday
What’s up with the bitchy article simply because a man’s wife doesn’t like him being called gay? Why would any woman want her husband to be constantly touted as gay?
Way to go to show how mature the gay community is.
Hugh Jackman is a supporter of LGBT rights and has shown himself to be kind and respectable. Please show him some respect.
Homophile
“Why would any woman want her husband to be constantly touted as gay?”
Do you think there is something wrong with being gay?
“Please show him some respect.”
It’s disrespectful to think someone is gay?
DuMaurier
When the issue is ‘speculating’ on a celebrity’s sexuality, why do some posters on LGBT websites come off sounding exactly the same as the homophobic bullies I remember all too well from junior high school? If you can’t figure out why a married heterosexual couple would find it exasperating for their marriage to be continually–and with utterly no foundation–to be called a sham, it’s time for you to repeat seventh–or maybe sixth, or perhaps fifth–grade.
M
@DuMaurier:
We can figure it out, but they probably shouldn’t be reading what people say about them on a gossip forum on the internet. Plus, they keep bringing it up, which causes people to speculate even more.
I completely forgot about these rumors until it was brought up by them again and again and again. Why don’t they tell these journalists not to ask these questions? Even stranger, they keep answering them!
Hugh is a movie star. Speculation comes with the territory. Get over it and make your movies.
That aside, there’s plenty foundation for the speculation…you can blame Boy George, Vincent Gallo, Eonline, Kathy Griffin, and a host of others for that.
Ottoman
Well, you and your husband could get into a different line of work if you don’t want people talking about you. Celebrities are morons.
Cam
The fact is, she is pissed because the whole “Marry and older less attractive beard” thing isn’t working anymore and people aren’t even pretending to believe it any more.
Too bad she was too young to marry Rock Hudson.
Gorecky
I quit working at shoprite to work online and with a little effort I easily bring in around $45 to 85 per/h. Without a doubt this is the easiest and most financially rewarding job I’ve ever had. I actually started 6 months ago and this has totally changed my life. Here’s what I do Going1.C0M
Niall
I think it’s stupid and I can’t blame her for being mad, it’s different to have to debunk something once, but it seems like it’s something that keeps being brought up repeatedly, hence her exasperation. How did these rumours start anyways?
NotStr8Acting
There’s nothing offensive with being gay or assumed to be gay. Get over yourself lady and to anyone who defends her subtle hints at homophobia.
Farben
I’ve met her and she’s actually a really wonderful person. And in some ways, she’s an icon in her own right, at least in the film production community. I think the main reason why she is upset is because it is a hurtful suggestion to make that someone’s love is just an act.
We’ve all seen this happen: Some drunk slut goes up to someone and says something like “So, are you really married?” and his wife is just standing a few feet away. I’d get out of the fucking way in those situations, because someone is definitely gonna get cut.
For someone like Hugh Jackman, when he was starting out, she would have already been a larger than life persona, and it’s easy to see him really being smitten by her.
But I’m obviously not sure what the deal is exactly, but as far as I can tell, Hugh Jackman is a typical heterosexual theatre dude. I mean, in theatre, homosexuality is so commonplace that even the straight boys are happy being flirtatious with other boys. But when it comes down to it… Are they gay? Nope. They will flirt with you, maybe even get drunk and grope you a little, but they won’t stay hard in bed, and they’ll check it off their list of things to do, and go back to being straight. Then they’ll pair off with some actress who may not be the most stunning, but it won’t matter to them since they’re attracted to talent.
misterhollywood
Love this story. We back-linked to Queerty’s story here on our blog item about Hugh Jackman. Keep up the good work!