Alan Ritchson and his wife are going their separate ways after 20 years of marriage.
The "Reacher" star, 43, and his wife Catherine Ritchson shared news of their separation in a joint Instagram post on Saturday, Sept. 12.
"After twenty years together, Cat and I have decided to end our marriage and continue alongside one another in a different way," a statement signed by Alan and Catherine Ritchson read.
The pair have been married since 2006 and share three sons.
"We grew up together. We built a life and a family together. And we are raising three incredible boys who will always be the center of our world," they wrote. "Nothing can diminish what these years have meant to us – or the love and respect we will always share."
They added, "The best gift
we can give one another – and our boys – right now is friendship, grace and a commitment to becoming the strongest co-parents we can be. We also want to give each other room to grow into the people we are becoming."
The "Motor City" star and his wife concluded by asking for privacy.
"Change is hard enough without the whole world weighing in. We hope, especially for the sake of our boys, that you will allow our family to move through this chapter with privacy and compassion. Thank you for supporting us as we continue making the health and happiness of our family our priority."
Ritchson met his future wife in a ballet class that he took while in high school and studying music and theater.
"I started taking college courses in high school and that led me to take dance classes at the state college," he told The Hollywood Reporter in 2024, adding that he was initially "afraid to talk to" Catherine because he thought she was a college student.
"I figured there was no point because she's going to be older than me, but I found out she was doing the exact same thing that I was," Ritchson told THR. "We finally spoke and then did a play together that summer. We ended up dating and I was madly in love, but she also lived far enough away that when the play was over, I figured we were never going to see each other again."
Speaking on "The Road to Wisdom" podcast in 2023, Catherine recalled that "that first summer, he thought it was a fling, and I didn't," joking, "He ended it at the end of the summer, and I've made him pay for it ever since." A few years later, they "got back in touch" through a mutual friend, and "it was kind of history after that."
While celebrating their 15th anniversary in 2021, Ritchson shared a photo from the wedding ceremony on Instagram and reflected on how he and his wife "had no idea what splendid and terrible things lie ahead of them when they made that vow to remain each other's partner in life, come what may."
"Despite the precarious highs and the suffocating lows, they're still holding hands," he wrote.
In a 2023 anniversary post, the actor, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when he was 36, also praised his wife for her support.
"Dealing with a bipolar husband who can give a sane partner severe whiplash and a level of fame that nothing can prepare you for … I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy," he wrote, adding, "Thank GOD for someone with the unspeakable strength, persistence, resilience, patience, grace, love, compassion and forgiveness to suffer through the valleys with me. I've learned that marriage is about partnering with someone you are willing to awaken and heal alongside. That can be a downright brutal endeavor for the better half of a fickle and sensitive artist like myself."
In July, Ritchson stepped out at the premiere of his action film "Motor City" and posed for photos on the red carpet with Catherine and their children.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alan Ritchson and wife Catherine split after 20 years of marriage
