Australian actor Hugh Jackman and his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness have announced they are splitting after their marriage for 27 years, The Guardian reported.

They met while co-starring as a prison psychologist and a brain-damaged convict in Australian television series Correlli in 1995. Later, the two married in 1996 and have two children, Oscar, 23, and Ava, 18.

“We have been blessed to share almost three 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,” the couple said in a statement.

“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,” it added.

In April, the star couple celebrated their 27th wedding anniversary.

Jackman is best known for playing Wolverine in the X-Men franchise, The Greatest Showman and starring Les Miserables on screen. His stage roles include The Music Man on Broadway.

In 2000, the couple adopted Oscar Maximilian who is now 23 years old. They adopted their now 18-year-old daughter Ava Eliot five years later.

During a promotional interview of The Greatest Showman in 2017, Jackman described Deborra-Lee as his best friend and main source of support in his career and personal life.

Earlier this week, Jackman advocated the 85% rule as something that he tries to live by to prevent burnout.

In an interview with the American entrepreneur Tim Ferriss, the Aussie actor said that professional sports players often worked at 85% of capacity to focus on their form and optimisation.