Hugh Jackman is facing the difficult task of celebrating the festive season as a newly-divorced bachelor, following his shock split from wife Deborra-Lee Furness.

But it seems the Australian actor, 55, has found a shoulder to cry, after he shared a photo of himself spending Christmas Eve with a longtime gal pal.

Posting to Instagram Stories, Hugh shared a photo of himself relaxing at a restaurant with Pat Schoenfeld, the widow of the Broadway theatre owner and producer Gerald Schoenfeld.

Hugh and Pat have been friends for years and have attended a number of Broadway shows together, with Hugh previously referring to Pat as his ‘theatre date’ on social media.

Hugh was also a close friend of Pat’s late husband Gerald for a decade before his death in 2008.

Hugh Jackman, 55, (left) reunited with longtime friend Pat Schoenfeld (right) for Christmas Eve dinner as he celebrated his first festive season since split from Deborra-Lee Furness

The actor even penned the foreword in a biography about Gerald written by Pat after his death, titled ‘Mr. Broadway: The Inside Story of the Shuberts, the Shows, and the Stars by the late Gerald Schoenfeld’.

‘I knew Jerry for only ten years. He changed my life in so many ways; now it is really time for me to learn about the other seventy years,’ Hugh wrote.

 Thank you, Pat, for making this book happen . . . and secretly I will always picture you working on it … in your bathrobe!’

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Hugh is facing the difficult task of celebrating the festive season as a newly-divorced bachelor. He shared this bittersweet solo photo earlier in the week

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Hugh and Pat have been friends for years and have attended a number of Broadway shows together, with Hugh previously referring to Pat as his ‘theatre date’ on social media

Hugh was also a close friend of Pat’s late husband Gerald for a decade before his death in 2008

Hugh and Deborra-Lee, 67, shocked fans when they announced they were divorcing in September.

‘We have been blessed to share almost three decades together 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 obtained by PEOPLE.

‘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.’

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Hugh and Deborra-Lee, 67, (left) shocked fans when they announced they were divorcing in September

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‘We have been blessed to share almost three decades together 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 obtained by PEOPLE

The former couple signed the statement as ‘Deb and Hugh Jackman,’ adding: ‘This is the sole statement either of us will make.’

The pair had tied the knot in 1996 after crossing paths on set of Correlli in 1995.

During the course of their marriage, they adopted two children: son Oscar, 23, and daughter Ava, 18.