It’s official: Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster have gone Hollywood public, making their first red carpet debut together as a couple.
The cameras were ready and flashing as the Wolverine star, 57, and the popular theatre actress, 50, posed together at the AFI FEST 2025 screening of Hugh’s new movie Song Sung Blue.
But instead of fiery chemistry, body language experts said the couple kept things sweet and subtle. One explained that Hugh had a “power gesture” on the red carpet, while Sutton seemed “subservient” next to him.
Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster have gone Hollywood public, making their first red carpet debut together as a couple
Image credits: Gilbert Flores/Variety
After months of dating, Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster made their much-awaited red carpet debut as a couple on October 26.
The Australian heartthrob wore a black suit, and the Broadway star matched him in a black satin dress.
They offered the cameras ear-to-ear grins, but body language experts claimed they looked “as nervous as kittens” on the red carpet.
Image credits: enews
They were “showing the kind of body language that would be more common on a prom night date between teens than a couple of experienced actors,” body language expert Judi James told The Mirror.
She said they looked like they were trying to be “polite” on the red carpet, giving off a subdued energy to spectators.
“There seems to be a driving need to produce polite and not-too-giving body language poses on their first red carpet hard launch as a couple,” the expert added.
The couple seemed like teenagers “on a prom night date,” said one body language expert
Image credits: Michael Kovac/Getty Images
Judi noted that there was a “spatial gap” between their torsos, keeping “any more flirty” signals “out of the equation.”
“Their arms held around each other’s backs seem to employ a very light touch here, while their free arms [hang] to their sides with a slight show of tension,” she added.
Despite their “sweetly coy approach” to the cameras, the couple seemed to be “at peak happiness” with “high levels of excitement” with each other, Judi added.
@toofabnewsHugh Jackman and Sutton Foster made their red carpet debut on Sunday night 🎥 Getty♬ original sound – toofab
“The mirroring shows like-minded thinking that would suggest a friendship and career match as well as any romantic one,” she told the outlet.
Another body language expert Louise Mahler said the couple were giving off positive signs and indicators of sharing a strong relationship.
She told the Daily Mail that they looked “so relaxed and happy” together.
Expert Louise Mahler said the pair looked “so relaxed and happy” beside each other
Image credits: louisemahler
Meanwhile, body language expert Darren Stanton spoke on behalf of Betfair Casino and said the couple were giving “genuine smiles.”
“They’ve both got laugh lines and crow’s feet near their eyes, which denote genuine happiness and fun,” Darren told Hello!
“They’re both displaying microexpressions of joy in all of the photos, and there’s a real authenticity coming from Hugh and his partner,” he added.
Image credits: americanfilminstitute
Although minimal, Darren touched upon their “public displays of affection” and said Hugh had his arm around the bottom of her back with his fingers spread out in one photo.
“This is a power gesture” from the X-Men star’s side, Darren said, describing the bottom of the back as a “proximal zone” reserved for romantic partners.
It “alludes to the fact that he’s feeling extremely confident and comfortable in that environment to show that level of PDA,” he added.
“This is a power gesture” one explained about Hugh’s move on the red carpet
Image credits: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
On the other hand, Sutton seemed more “subservient” as she tilted her body towards him in some shots.
“That means she’s subservient, but not in a negative sense – she’s giving him his power and letting him lead the way on the red carpet,” he added.
While their PDA isn’t “over the top,” it still shows how the actor is “extremely comfortable” with his new flame.
“This shows us that Hugh and Sutton are deeply in love, with great closeness and a level of rapport,” he continued.
Overall, Darren concluded that the couple appeared to be their “confident” and “authentic selves.”
Image credits: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
“They definitely seem comfortable around each other, showing authentic joy and happiness at being at the event. She’s very comfortable, and he is showing PDA,” he said.
While Hugh and Sutton have crossed paths professionally over the last couple of decades, it is believed they grew close while starring opposite each other in The Music Man. The show opened on Broadway in February 2022 and had its final show in January 2023.
There was no official confirmation on when their connection turned romantic, but rumors about their relationship made headlines in 2024, shortly after Sutton filed for divorce from screenwriter Ted Griffin in October 2024.
Hugh and ex-wife Deborra Lee Furness announced their separation in 2023 after being married for nearly three decades.