Hugh Jackman Abandoned by His Mom as a Child

Hugh Jackman

Hugh Jackman's Mom Abandoned When He Was 8 Years Old?

Hugh Jackman reveals a secret in the new issue of Australian Women's Weekly -- his mother abandoned him as a child.

The actor talks about the painful event and how he was able to move on.

Jackman's mother left the family and moved to England, letting them know by telegram.

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Jackman explains, "One of the main things I remember is that horrible feeling that people were talking about you and looking at you because it was odd for the mother to leave."

Despite her absence, he held out hope for her return until he was 12 or 13, the actor shares.

He and his two brothers were raised by their father in Sydney, Australia after his parents divorced; his two sisters lived with their mother in England.

Always the class act, Jackman said he still has a bond, saying, "The thing I never felt -- and I know this might sound strange -- I never felt that my mum didn't love me."

He's even "spoken about it at length with her since and I know she was struggling."

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Jackman notes that his mother suffered post-natal depression, saying, "And then you add five kids into the mix and the fact she had emigrated from England and there wasn't a support network for her here, plus the fact that Dad was at work all day -- and you realize that as parents we make mistakes."

He says that becoming a father allowed him to move on and forgive his mother, explaining, "You can't go through life obsessing about what might have been -- it stops you from being grateful for all the wonderful things you have in your life."