Following a 17-year marriage, actors, Ben Stiller, 51, and Christine Taylor, 45, are calling it quits.
In a joint statement issued to Entertainment Tonight on Friday, the two announced their split exclusively to the news agency, sharing that they intend to raise their children together.
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“With tremendous love and respect for each other, and the 18 years we spent together as a couple, we have made the decision to separate,” the two said. “Our priority will continue to be raising our children as devoted parents and the closest of friends. We kindly ask that the media respect our privacy at this time.”
The couple, who met while filming a failed pilot, tied the knot in May 2000 in Hawaii. The two stars, known for their comedic roles, shared the screen in several projects, including Zoolander, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Tropic Thunder, Arrested Development and most recently, the sequel to Zoolander.
In a 2007 interview, Stiller told ET that when he met her, he thought to himself, “That’s the person. It was like, ‘Wow, this is a great person. I love her.’”
Two years into their marriage, the couple welcomed daughter Ella Olivia, and son Quinlin Dempsey in 2005.
Last February, Taylor told ET that the secret to their marriage was what they were seen on-screen a lot for.
“[Having a] sense of humor [is the secret to our marriage],” she said. “I have to say, sense of humor is the greatest thing.”
Stiller agreed with her, saying it’s not just in Hollywood — it’s everywhere.
“I think you got to laugh, because after a while, you know, life is life,” he said. “We all have to deal with what life throws at us, so you got to have a sense of humor about it. If you can share that, at the end, it makes a huge difference.”
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