Blair Underwood and his wife Desiree DaCosta are splitting after 27 years of marriage.
The actor and DaCosta announced the news Sunday in a statement posted on Instagram, explaining that it was something they had given a lot of thought to.
"After a tremendous amount of thought, prayer & work on ourselves individually & collectively, we have come to the conclusion to end our marriage that began 27 years ago," the statement began.
"It has truly been a beautiful journey," Underwood and DaCosta continued. "Our proudest achievements are our three incredible children. Three souls to which God entrusted us," they continued. Underwood and DaCosta share sons Paris, 24, and Blake, 19, and daughter Brielle, 22.
"We continue to be awed & humbled by the blessings of parenting," the statement read. "We have always put their best interests first & will continue to do so. We will continue to be the best of friends and co-parents and have the utmost respect for one another as we embark upon this new chapter of our lives, separately."
The exes added that they appreciated the support fans had given them throughout the years and requested privacy and understanding "during this new season of change."
Underwood previously opened up about his relationship in a story published on Oprah.com. The "L.A. Law" star explained that he used his parent's relationship as a reference for his own.
"They are my heroes in love, and they've taught me what a relationship can be — enduring and powerful," he said.
Underwood grew up in a traditional household where his father was the breadwinner and his mother was the caretaker. When his father was not around, Underwood and his brother had to act as the men in the house.
"If there was a tornado coming, or if there had been robberies in the neighborhood, it was up to us males to make sure our family was secure," he noted. This influenced the early days of his own relationship with DaCosta.
"I wanted to be her rock, her protector. If she had a problem, I wanted to solve it. I thought that's what was expected of me," he said. However, he eventually learned that she did not want him to fix her, but to have someone to talk to.
"Trying to come up with ways to solve her problems gave me a false sense of control, and when I offered up unsolicited advice, I was disrespecting a strong woman who knew how to handle her own life," he recalled. "I was relieved as well; she didn't expect me to always have an answer for her. She wasn't coming to me for a repair. She just needed a shoulder to cry on."
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Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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