Leah Remini and her husband of over two decades, Angelo Pagan , are filing for divorce.
The duo, who were an exclusive couple for nearly 30 years, announced their decision in a lengthy statement uploaded to Instagram.
"Well, here we are. After 28 years together and 21 years of marriage, we have decided to file for divorce. This decision came after a lot of thought and care, and as hard as divorce is, we are approaching this with a positive outlook because we know it’s what’s best for us," the couple began in a joint Instagram post shared to the platform on Thursday evening.
"We are proud of how we have worked through this together. Yes, we’re sad, and we’ve got some figuring out to do as we continue to move forward into our new normal—together still in many ways, and apart in some new ones," the Aug. 29 post continued, noting that since they've "been best friends for so many years" they don't see that aspect of their relationship changing. "We are still celebrating holidays together, watching our favorite tv shows together, and gathering as a family."
The couple, who also share a 20-year-old daughter named Sofia , explained the reasons for ending the marriage are mutual. "To put it simply, we both changed, as people do, and we got used to playing roles that didn’t fit us anymore. After a lot of effort and consideration, we’ve decided to take this step, which reflects who we are today. Our bond is still strong—it’s just evolved into something different."
"From our perspective, this marriage was a huge success. And now, we’re looking forward to creating even more cherished moments—just in a different way," the former couple added.
Remini, 54, and Pagan, 56, said their decision to share "this unknown territory" with fans came out of a desire "to be as transparent as we can be here because, for years, we shared our marriage so publicly."
"We would love for everyone to have more access to different kinds of relationship stories and not feel so isolated in navigating the changes that millions of couples make every year. We hope our journey can inspire others to see that relationships—whether they change or end—aren’t failures. We’ll keep sharing snippets of our lives as we navigate this new chapter," it concluded.
The open letter was signed with love from the former couple and featured two undated photos of them over the course of their relationship. In both, Remini and Pagan appeared happy as they snuggled up close and smiled for the camera.
Fans and fellow Hollywood stars quickly overwhelmed the comments with support.
"♥️♥️ WHO MAKES THE RULES…YOU DO!!" exclaimed comedian George Lopez . "NOTHING BUT LOVE AND RESPECT FOR THE BOTH OF YOU🙏🏽✨."
"This is the most human and mature way I’ve seen people dealing with divorce," another Instagram user wrote. "I hope the best for the both of you! Love you both!!"
Actress Essence Atkins thanked the couple for their openness and the candid nature of the post, calling it a "Beautiful testimony" before thanking the former couple for their transparency. "I hope it brings healing. ❤️💫🙏🏽," she wrote.
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