Tragic Details About Sutton Foster's Life

Sutton Foster has had a stunning transformation since she burst onto the scene and became a Broadway-turned-TV star, but her rise to the top hasn't been without difficult times. The "Younger" actor has faced several tragic setbacks over the years, from strained family relationships, to mental health struggles, and a heartbreaking journey to become a mom.

Foster isn't afraid to acknowledge the tough times publicly though, and she's shared her coping mechanisms for remaining positive. "From the outside, I look like a very successful, well-put-together person. But I also have things that I deal with, and it's important to not be afraid to ask for help," she told Prevention in 2022. "I'm just sharing what I do and what I like ... there's so many things out there that can bring you joy and happiness." Overall, Foster's many admissions that her life isn't always as perfect as it seems have been incredibly refreshing.

Sutton Foster has shared her mental health struggles with the world, particularly her decades-long experience with anxiety. Foster told Prevention she felt a lot of stress and anxiety in her 20s and 30s, but learned to manage it after being inspired by her mom to try crochet. Foster elaborated on her love of crafts with Publisher's Weekly in 2021, sharing, "I turn to crafting as a way to handle situations, handle stress. I'm ... in rehearsals for a show, and I could feel my anxiety level going up because we haven't done this in so long. My brain was working on overdrive, and I thought, 'I'm going to bring my crochet to rehearsal. Let's shift that energy into something tangible.'"

Sutton has often shown fans her works of art on Instagram. In 2021, she posted a photo in the sweater she made and wore for the cover of her book, "Hooked: How Crafting Saved My Life," and, the following year, she shared the completed blanket she started amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tony Award winner also acknowledged World Mental Health Day that year, encouraging crochet as a mental health aid. "Crafting can have such a positive impact on mental health. Throughout the years, I have learned to channel my emotions into various creations like this blanket to keep my hands busy and to cope with stress and career-related pressures," she wrote in the caption. Foster told Prevention of her decision to speak up, "It's important to me, especially because I work with so many young people. I wanted [them] to know that [they're] not alone."

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

Sutton Foster's relationship with her mom Helen Foster was strained prior to her passing. "My mother was agoraphobic ... she had pretty severe mental issues — undiagnosed," Foster told Prevention, citing the fractured situation as one of the causes of her anxiety and stress. Foster told People in 2021 her things with her mom was so difficult it made her question if she ever wanted to become a mom herself. "I had such a tricky relationship growing up with my own mom ... It was never clear cut for me," she said.

Foster explained to Oprah Daily in 2021 that her mom's struggles meant her relationships with both her children broke down, as she also didn't see eye to eye with her son, Foster's brother Hunter Foster. Things got so bad the mother-son duo didn't speak for 10 years. Foster also shared she developed such a deep concern that she would become like her mom that she cut herself off socially for a while, but, fortunately, used crafting to overcome her fears and maintain healthy social interactions.

Sutton Foster's relationship with her mom isn't the only tough family time she's faced, as the star told Theatre Mania in 2015 that she wished she'd spent more time with her kin when she was younger. "I've always had a very complicated relationship with my mom, but I wish in my twenties I had been more present. I lost my mom a year ago so that always teaches you something, when you lose somebody. But I wish I had shared my life more with my mom," she said. 

The "Shrek The Musical" star noted when asked if she had life advice for younger people, she would say, "Family is important. Call your parents." Foster has also been vocal about how her busy schedule and her brother's work as an actor, playwright, and director has meant they don't spend a lot of time together. "We go see each other's shows and we're there for each other no matter what, but sometimes it's hard to stay as close as we wish," she told Playbill in 2015.

But, despite things being rough at times for the Fosters, the "Bunheads" star appeared to make up for lost time before her mom's passing in 2013. Foster announced her mom's death via X, formerly known as Twitter, confirming her nearest and dearest were there for her in her final moments. "Today at 4:40pm my mother Helen Jackson Foster passed away. She was surrounded by my father, my brother and I. I love you mom forever," Foster tweeted.

Prior to Sutton Foster and Hugh Jackman's long-time-coming romance, Sutton Foster faced tragic fertility issues with her ex. She and her second husband Ted Griffin were unable to conceive naturally after trying for 18 months, so they turned to in vitro fertilization. The then couple had two unsuccessful IVF attempts, which Foster told People in 2018 left her feeling distraught. Foster recalled the moment she knew she couldn't try the process for a third time, sharing, "I was sobbing uncontrollably."

 She also spoke to PopSugar the following year about the experience, explaining, "You spend your entire life trying not to get pregnant. And then the minute you start to try to get pregnant, you're like, 'Oh. It's impossible.' ... I was so frustrated because I feel like I'm such a doer. When I set my mind to something, [I do it]. I was like, 'I'm going to make it happen.' And it just wasn't happening. I was also very frustrated that I felt like all of the pressures to have a baby fell on the woman." 

After leaving IVF in their past, Foster and Griffin turned to adoption. They became parents to a daughter named Emily, who they welcomed into their family in 2017. "I don't want there to be any mystery or stigma or shame. This is just her story. And I think that's a really positive thing," Foster said to People.

There's been a hint from Hugh Jackman's ex that the Sutton Foster affair speculation isn't just gossip, which is even more shocking considering Foster was involved in cheating allegations before — only, on the other side. Foster divorced "Smash" actor Christian Borle in 2009 after three years of marriage and rumors swirled he'd gotten too close with his "Legally Blonde" co-star on Broadway Laura Bell Bundy (though the chatter was never confirmed). 

Foster explained how tough she found getting her life back on track post-split, telling The News Tribune in 2015 (via JustJared), "After my divorce I became someone I wasn't. Because how do you cope? How do you deal? I was acting out trying to overcome a difficult situation ... For two years, it was crazy town. I became a different person during that time." Foster also elaborated on the difficult split to CBS News the following year. "I kept equating it to, like, someone took my purse and dumped it out on the sidewalk. And it was all my stuff everywhere. And for three years I was sludging through mud to sort of rebuild myself and my relationships," she said.

Foster met Ted Griffin five years later, and told People it was then she realized she yearned for a family and stability. "There was something about being with Ted that made me want kids. He belonged in my family. I didn't really understand the concept of motherhood until he came around," she said.