Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber have split after 11 years together

Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber have decided to end their 11 year relationship.

The celebrity pairing seemed solid as ever, still seemingly in love after an impressive 11 years as a Hollywood couple, but on Monday 26th September they announced they would be separating.

In a joint statement to People magazine they said, '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. 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.'

Naomi and Liev share two children together, little boys Alexander (Sasha) Pete Schreiber, 8, and Samuel Kai Schreiber, 7 who are the spitting image of their mother with fair blonde hair.

Both actress Naomi and actor Liev have been spotted taking their children to school, just like any other parent and have asked that the press respect their children's right to privacy to attempt to give them a normal life.

Naomi, 47, and Liev, 48, added, 'While we appreciate your curiosity and support, we ask the press to be mindful of our children and respect their right to privacy.' 

Naomi and Liev met in 2005 after bumping into each at the Met Gala, apparently Naomi invited him out dancing, but when Liev got to the club he found her surrounded by a group of actors, including Sean Penn.

He told People, 'I think I was nervous, and I felt very embarrassed being there, and self-conscious, because all these movie stars were hovering, and I felt ... awkward and out of my element. But when he started walking out of the club, Watts chased him down and gave him her 'digits.'

It's said that the two went out for cupcakes the following day. 'It was very silly, very romantic. 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', Liev said.

The couple never married but it would have been hard to guess there was trouble in paradise after a stream of sweet social media posts as recently as three weeks ago.

What's more, the acting couple recently starred in a film together as husband and wife.