Ladies and gentlemen, the rumors are true. After 27 years of marriage, Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness are getting a divorce.

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In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE today (September 15), the couple shared the devastating news, shocking fans across the globe:

“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.”

Concluding the joint statement with the words “this is the sole statement either of us will make,” fans are left heartbroken and confused, wondering what went wrong between the two lovebirds.

While we are unsure as to why Jackman and Furness are calling it quits, this surprising news has brought up something that the duo has been experiencing backlash for for their entire relationship: their age gap.

You may be wondering, what exactly is the age difference between Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness, and why is it such a big deal? Keep scrolling to find out for yourself…

What is the age difference between Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness?

Meeting on the set of the Australian television series Correlli back in 1995, Furness was 40 years old, while Jackman was only 27 years old.

At the time, Furness had over 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry under her belt, while Jackman was fresh out of acting school.

The X-Men star gushed about the moment he met his former wife in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE six years ago, where it is clear that the age gap was never a concern of his:

“My first job out of drama school — it was a massive break for me. I was really scared… Deb, she was a big star. I get picked up, and Deb is in the front seat of the car. I’ll never forget. She took off her seatbelt and she turned around and put out her hand and took off her sunglasses and said, ‘Hi, I’m Deborra-Lee Furness, nice to meet you’… I realized, ‘I’ve got a crush on my leading lady. This is the thing you do not do. It’s unprofessional and embarrassing.'”

While a 13-year age gap is not something we see every day, Jackman and Furness have always been anything but traditional, with their whole entire love story being out-of-the-ordinary.

The duo got married on April 11, 1996, just 11 months after meeting.

During their one-of-a-kind wedding ceremony, Jackman wore his glasses, and Furness wore white slacks instead of a gown, ultimately causing the duo to make headlines for their non-traditional marriage.

Could backlash that Jackman and Furness receive about their age gap and non-traditional tendencies have hastened the demise of their marriage? The world may never know…