During "The Music Man," Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster reportedly had frequent backstage PDA and double dates with their spouses.
During intermissions, the public pair gave each other "long hugs" regularly. As the couple didn't "even hide it," which the team found "odd" and "uncomfortable."
Jackman and Foster have publicly praised each other recently. This includes holding hands while out and kissing passionately in their cars.
According to The Blast, Jackman and Foster confirmed their relationship after months of rumors. People believed that the two artists met in "The Music Man."
Their romance may have overlapped with their marriages to actress Deborra-Lee Furness and author Ted Griffin, who they had separated from.
A source close to the show said Jackman and Foster made public displays of love that went beyond their performing responsibilities.
"At intermission, Foster and Jackman would stand and hug for a minute, two minutes in front of the entire cast coming up the stairs," the source said, per the Daily Mail.
They added, "The cast had to climb four flights of stairs to get to the dressing rooms. And they would stop on Hugh's floor and just hug in their costumes."
A source said that the co-stars did not care whether anyone observed their public displays of affection and did it "every night" while performing the musical.
They also found it "odd" and "uncomfortable" to see the two people acting this way.
Despite the "weird" conduct, the insider claimed that they never guessed the couple was dating. They felt Foster always wanted Jackman's hug because she was "needy."
"I thought she was just a needy actress," the source said. "That's the way it appeared to me the needy actress needed the hug from the big Superman."
Jackman and Foster were required to "passionately make out on stage" as part of their performance.
The insider noted that the kisses they shared remained oddly passionate, even during rehearsals.
"It was a doozy of a kiss," the source stated. "It's many measures of music long, and even in rehearsal, it was very passionate. But, it's supposed to be for their characters."
After the show, the couple left, but Foster was "waiting for Jackman to go to his car, and then she would go to her car."
Jackman and Foster often went on "double dates" with their spouses while secretly playing romantic hide-and-seek.
They displayed PDA by holding hands at dinner and kissing in a drive-through.
Their connection caused tension in Jackman's 27-year marriage to Deborra-Lee, who had been suspicious but was assured the two were just friends.
After confirming her instincts, Deborra-Lee now feels at peace and can move on, with no more to say about Jackman and Foster.
Business Times has reached out to Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster for comments.
