(CNN) — Another longstanding Hollywood couple have taken fans by surprise with their breakup.
A week after Angelina Jolie filed for divorce from Brad Pitt, actors Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber have announced they are ending their relationship of 11 years.
“Over the past few months we’ve come to the conclusion that the best way forward for us as a family is to separate as a couple,” the pair said in a joint statement. “It is with great love, respect, and friendship in our hearts that we look forward to raising our children together and exploring this new phase of our relationship.”
The couple have two sons, Alexander (Sasha) Schreiber, 8, and Samuel Schreiber, 7.
In June, Schreiber told Esquire he had met the British actress briefly in Toronto years before crossing paths with her again in 2005 at the Met Gala in New York.
The “Ray Donovan” star said Watts invited him dancing at a club where he awkwardly stood around before leaving. Watts chased him outside, he said, and asked, “Don’t you want my digits?”
“It was the first thing that came to me,” Watts said. “I’ve never said those words before in my life and never since.”
They went out for cupcakes the next day, and that was the beginning of a major romance, Schreiber told the publication.
“It was very silly — very romantic,” he said. “And we had a kiss — not a big kiss, but it was a kiss that was like, ooh. Then she went back to L. A. and I wrote her all the time. Lots of emails. I think that was it — seduced by email.”
There were few clues the couple, who have worked together, were headed for a breakup.
The pair attended the Toronto International and Venice film festivals together to promote their new film, “The Bleeder.”
They ended their joint statement about their breakup with an appeal for their children.
“While we appreciate your curiosity and support, we ask the press to be mindful of our children and respect their right to privacy,” the statement said.
