Their path from co-stars of ‘Music Man’ to kissing at the In-N-Out drive-through

What a difference three years makes. In January 2022, Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster were married to other people and preparing to play love interests in Broadway’s The Music Man. Now they’re a celebrity couple making out in the drive-through line of In-N-Out Burger.

Page Six featured photos taken last week of the couple “passionately kissing” outside the burger chain’s restaurant in San Fernando, California. They also locked lips in his Range Rover while queuing at the drive-through.

You never know which path a celebrity couple will take to officially kick-start their relationship. For these two, in early 2025 it was a series of photo shoots, some of them hand in hand, made by agencies known to work with celebrities to take photos. The photos confirm the long-rumored romance without either of them having to talk about it – for now.

Jackman, 56, and Foster, 49, had known each other from the Broadway scene for years before their respective marriages ended and they got together. She is a seven-time Tony Award nominee and a two-time winner (Best Actress for her roles in Thoroughly modern Millie And Everything is allowed). Most people know Jackman from his blockbusters (Deadpool and Wolverinethe X-Men franchise), but the Australian actor is also a Tony winner for The boy from Oz in 2004. (Jackman also received a special Tony Award in 2012.)

Here’s how their paths crossed over the years – and how they publicly rolled out their relationship…

2003: Jackman, who married Deborra-Lee Furness in 1996 and adopted two children, visited Foster backstage when she starred in Thoroughly modern Millie.

The same year, Foster attended the opening night of Jackman’s The boy from Oz.

2008: Jackman said hello to Foster, who was married to her first husband at the time, Broadway actor Christian Borle, backstage at Broadway’s Shrek.

2014: Jackman hosted the Tonys, and when he announced the Best Actress category, he danced with the nominees, including Foster, who was up for her role in Violet.

Foster married for the second time Ocean Elf screenwriter Ted Griffin.

2017: Jackman’s movie The greatest showman was released. Foster later said she participated in workshops to help realize Jackman’s passion project.

Foster, who starred in TV’s Youngerand Griffin adopted a daughter.

2019: Jackman was cast as Professor Harold Hill in Broadway’s The Music Man revival, and days later it was announced that Sutton would play his love interest, Marian Paroo.

2020: The Music Manwhich was supposed to open in October was postponed due to COVID.

2021: While they were rehearsing for The Music manFoster said she and Jackman shared a room in the practice space due to COVID restrictions, and they really “bonded” and became a “couple.”

2022: The Music Man finally opened in February. The pair had great chemistry and it was a box office hit, breaking the Winter Garden Theatre’s previous record.

Foster spoke to Broadway.com about working with Jackman, saying, “I think one of his superpowers is that he’s so disarming. He immediately puts everyone at ease. He doesn’t make anything about him. He is so incredibly generous to everyone around him. …So the best thing to come out of this whole experience is that I have a new friend – who happens to be Hugh Jackman.

She told the same channel that her daughter called Jackman “Uncle Hugh.”

Foster spoke about their 30-minute pre-show ritual Live with Kelly and Ryan called “carpet chats,” where they “hang out in my dressing room… and just catch up.” … One of the best things about it all is that I made this amazing new friend.”

During a joint performance op Late Night with Seth MeyersJackman joked about seeing Foster inside Thoroughly modern Millie when she was ‘about 4 years old’. He added: “I’ve seen everything she’s done. It’s great.”

Jackman and Foster earned Tony nominations – and stood side by side at the events.

They performed together during the show and shared a hug backstage.

They both scored Drama League Awards – Foster for Distinguished Performance and Jackman for Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater – and he shouted her out on stage.

2023: The Music Man January closed.

in September, Jackman announced his split from Furness after 27 years together.

The tabloid In touch reported in December that Jackman and Foster were dating. A source told the outlet, “Their romance is an open secret on Broadway. “[Jackman] has been in love with Sutton from the moment he met her. He followed her around like a puppy!’

2024: Foster filed for divorce from Griffin in October after ten years of marriage. Page Six reported that Jackman and Foster were “100 percent together, in love and wanting to spend the rest of their lives together.” “However, they do everything they can to hide the relationship” from the press.

2025: As the new year began, they seemed ready to take their romance public — without having to talk about it. On January 4, Jackman was spotted in the audience of Foster’s production of Once upon a time there was a mattress at the Ahmanson Theater in Los Angeles, according to photos by DeuxMoi. Carol Burnett, who played Foster in the original 1959 production, sat next to Jackman for the performance.

On January 7, celebrity-friendly People magazine obtained photos of the couple holding hands on a date in Santa Monica the night before. While it is not known whether the photos were staged – as in Jackman’s and Foster’s teams worked with the agency to take and sell them – the very clear photos resembled a posed photo as the couple walked down the street and looked at each other the eyes stared. .

Shortly after, the two were caught on video making out at In-N-Out Burger in San Fernando, which isn’t where paparazzi typically hang out. They stood outside the car, hugged and then kissed. The photographer – from an agency also known for working with celebrities to stage photos – then had the ideal angle during the drive-through. Foster had her hands on Jackman’s face as they kissed before ordering and moving on.

They have yet to comment on their relationship, or its timeline, and are letting the photos speak for themselves.