LOS ANGELES - Australian actor Hugh Jackman's wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, has spoken out about the rumours about her husband of 26 years being gay.

Appearing on the Not An Overnight Success podcast earlier this week, the Australian actress, 66, told host Gus Worland: "If he was gay, he could be gay. He didn't have to hide in the closet anymore. And he'd be dating Brad Pitt or whatever."

"It's so silly," she added. "And then people perpetuate silly things. It's boring."

The couple, who have two adopted children, celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary last week.

The 53-year-old actor, who is best known for playing Wolverine for two decades in the X-Men film series (2000-2020), posted a photo with a sweet tribute to his wife on Instagram on April 11.

He wrote: "Every single day is filled with so much laughter, joy and backgammon. Deb, you light up my life. I love you with all my heart."

They had met on the set of Australian television series Correlli (1995) and quickly fallen in love.

Furness also slammed magazines which print rumours about celebrities, although she said she and her husband do not bother to read them.

"I'm like, 'How could people just make this up?' It just amazes me that these magazines continue to get away with it," she said.

"What they're selling is schadenfreude. They are selling misery. People must be wanting to buy that other people are miserable, because that makes them feel better about themselves."