Superstar singer and actress Jennifer Lopez will split with her musician and actor husband, Marc Anthony, after seven years of marriage, the couple revealed to People magazine in a joint statement Friday.
"This was a very difficult decision. We have come to an amicable conclusion on all matters," they said in the statement.
The couple had dated briefly in the 1990s and then rekindled their romance in 2004. They were married in a June 2004 secret ceremony at Lopez's Beverly Hills home.
They are parents to 3-year-old twins Max and Emme, who were born in February 2008.
"It is a painful time for all involved, and we appreciate the respect of our privacy at this time," the statement added.
Also known as J.Lo, Lopez made her leading lady movie debut in "Selena," in 1997, and went on to become a Grammy-nominated singer.
Her first studio album, "On the 6," was released in 1999 and spawned the number one hit single, "If You Had My Love."
Anthony has sold more than 11 million records, kicking off his career as a salsa musician and Spanish-language performer. His 1999 hit single "I Need to Know" was his first English-language crossover success.
This year the 41-year-old Lopez topped People's magazine's annual list of the most beautiful people.
After taking time off to become a mother in 2008, the Bronx, New York-born, Puerto Rican actress returned to the public eye earlier this year with a star turn as one of three talent judges on "American Idol." She also released her seventh studio album, "Love?" in April.
She is scheduled to star in next year's film adaptation of the best-selling book, "What to Expect When You're Expecting," which will begin shooting in this summer, according to Lopez's website.
The New York-born Anthony currently plays Detective Nick Renata on the TNT drama TV show, "Hawthorne." According to his website, he will begin a US concert tour in September of this year.
In 2006, the couple co-starred in "El Cantante," a biopic about salsa legend Hector Lavoe. Anthony played Lavoe and Lopez played Lavoe's wife, Nilda "Puchi" Roman.
As recently as May, Lopez and Anthony had been scheduled to film a new show together where they would travel to 21 Latin American countries in search of talent, according to People magazine's website.
It was the third marriage for Lopez and the second for Anthony, 42.
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