Actor Blair Underwood splits from wife Desiree DaCosta after 27 years of marriage

In another shocking celebrity split this year, Blair Underwood and Desiree DaCosta have announced the end of their marriage after 27 years.

The duo announced their split in a joint statement which the actor shared on his social media accounts on Sunday. While referring to their time together as a beautiful journey, the 56-year-old said, "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 "Quantico" star and the "Harlem Nights" actress share two grown sons Paris, 24, and Blake, 19, and a daughter Brielle, 22. Calling their children their "proudest achievements," Underwood wrote, "We continue to be awed & humbled by the blessings of parenting. 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," he added.

The actor also asked for "privacy & understanding during this new season of change" while thanking fans for their support.

Though the couple have largely kept details of their private life out of the public eye, Underwood previously gushed about his wife on a few occasions. In a conversation with Page Six in January last year, he credited DaCosta for convincing him to play Miranda's sports doctor boyfriend Robert Leeds on "Sex and the City."

"I wasn't sure. When the offer came in, I mentioned it to my wife and she's like, 'No, you need to do that. Why are you even pausing? You want to go do that.' I thank her for that," he said.

In another interview with Oprah.com several years ago, Underwood discussed the marriage he has with his wife and how she taught him to be flexible in their relationship. The actor said he learned about marriage from his father and mother, who were in the traditional roles of "the breadwinner" and "the caretaker" respectively, and tried to do the same in his relationship.

"I took this role to heart when I was young and feeling my way around my relationship with my wife-to-be, Desiree. 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, recalling that DaCosta changed his opinion during a discussion they were having when they were engaged to be married.

"She began to talk to me about a heavy issue in her life. She was venting, and I, as usual, interjected with a series of solutions. In her patient way, she turned to me, put her hand on my arm, and looked me straight in the eye. 'Baby, I don't need you to fix it,' she said. 'I just need you to listen to me,'" Underwood recalled, adding that his relationship with all the women in his life changed after that.