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Hugh Jackman shares a heartwarming birthday tribute to his mother who abandoned him as a child

Hugh Jackman shares a heartwarming birthday tribute to his mother who abandoned him as a child 2

Hugh Jackman has shared a heartwarming birthday tribute to his mother Grace McNeil.    

The Hollywood actor, 53, marked the special occasion via Instagram and Twitter on Saturday by sharing two throwback photos of the pair hugging. 

‘Happy birthday mum!’ Hugh wrote next to the sweet photos. 

'Happy birthday mum!' Hugh Jackman, 53, (right) shared a heartwarming birthday tribute to his mother Grace McNeil (left) on Saturday

‘Happy birthday mum!’ Hugh Jackman, 53, (right) shared a heartwarming birthday tribute to his mother Grace McNeil (left) on Saturday 

In the images, a grinning Hugh is seen wrapping his arm around Grace’s shoulders while posing on a leafy sidewalk. 

Grace is meanwhile seen smiling back at her talented son and placing her head on his shoulder.  

Hugh’s relationship with his mother hasn’t always been picture-perfect, however. 

Family first! Hollywood actor marked the special occasion via Instagram and Twitter on Saturday by sharing two throwback photos of the pair hugging

Family first! Hollywood actor marked the special occasion via Instagram and Twitter on Saturday by sharing two throwback photos of the pair hugging

The star was just eight years old when Grace abandoned her family in Australia and returned to the UK.

Hugh told Australia’s Who magazine in January 2018 that his mother abandoning him as a child was ‘traumatic’.

The Broadway star was an eight-year-old schoolboy when Grace left him without even saying goodbye.

Scars: Hugh 's relationship with his mother hasn't always been picture-perfect, however. The star was just eight years old when Grace abandoned her family in Australia and returned to the UK.  Pictured: an undated photo of Hugh as a toddler

Scars: Hugh ‘s relationship with his mother hasn’t always been picture-perfect, however. The star was just eight years old when Grace abandoned her family in Australia and returned to the UK.  Pictured: an undated photo of Hugh as a toddler

She left Australia and returned to her native England in the late ’70s, leaving her husband, Christopher Jackman, to raise their children alone.

After the couple divorced, Hugh’s sisters, Zoe and Sonya, went to live with Grace in the UK; Hugh and his brothers, Ian and Ralph, stayed in Sydney with their father.

‘It was traumatic,’ Hugh said, recalling his difficult childhood. ‘I thought she was probably going to come back. And then it sort of dragged on and on.’

Moving overseas: Grace (right) left Australia and returned to her native England in the late '70s, leaving her husband, Christopher Jackman, to raise their children alone

Moving overseas: Grace (right) left Australia and returned to her native England in the late ’70s, leaving her husband, Christopher Jackman, to raise their children alone

The Greatest Showman star added that after his mother left the family, he saw her about ‘once a year’.

It wasn’t until he was ’12 or 13′ that it dawned on him his mother would never return.

In December 2012, Hugh told Australia’s 60 Minutes program that he still vividly remembered ‘the morning she left’. 

Divided family: After Grace and Christopher divorced, Hugh's sisters, Zoe and Sonya, went to live with their mother in the UK. Hugh and his brothers, Ian and Ralph, stayed in Sydney with their father. Pictured: Hugh and his father

Divided family: After Grace and Christopher divorced, Hugh’s sisters, Zoe and Sonya, went to live with their mother in the UK. Hugh and his brothers, Ian and Ralph, stayed in Sydney with their father. Pictured: Hugh and his father

‘I remember her being in a towel around her head and saying goodbye. [It] must have been the way she said goodbye,’ he said.

‘As I went off to school, when I came back, there was no one there in the house.’

He added: ‘The next day there was a telegram from England. Mum was there. And then that was it. Dad used to pray every night that mum would come back.’

'I have a good relationship with her': Hugh and his mother reconciled years later, with the actor saying in 2011: 'We have definitely made our peace, which is important'

‘I have a good relationship with her’: Hugh and his mother reconciled years later, with the actor saying in 2011: ‘We have definitely made our peace, which is important’

Hugh once told The Australian Women’s Weekly: ‘The thing I never felt – and I know this might sound strange – I never felt that my mum didn’t love me.

‘I’ve spoken about it at length with her since and I know she was struggling.

‘She was in hospital after I was born suffering from post-natal depression. There wasn’t a support network for her here.’

Fortunately, Hugh and his mother reconciled years later.

He told The Sun newspaper in October 2011: I am 43 now and we have definitely made our peace, which is important. I was always quite connected with my mum. I have a good relationship with her.’    

Reunited: He told The Sun newspaper in October 2011: I am 43 now and we have definitely made our peace, which is important. I was always quite connected with my mum. I have a good relationship with her'

Reunited: He told The Sun newspaper in October 2011: I am 43 now and we have definitely made our peace, which is important. I was always quite connected with my mum. I have a good relationship with her’

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