Andrea Mandell

USA TODAY

Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber are separating after 11 years together, USA TODAY has confirmed.

"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," the couple told USA TODAY in a joint statement.

Their statement continued: "While we appreciate your curiosity and support, we ask the press to be mindful of our children and respect their right to privacy."

Watts and Schreiber never married but began dating in 2005. They share two children, Alexander ("Sasha"), 9, and Samuel, 7.

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The couple last stepped out together at the Toronto Film Festival premiere of their new boxing drama, The Bleeder, on Sept. 10. They also made a glamorous appearance for the film at the Venice Film Festival the week prior.

On stage in Venice, Schreiber called Watts, who also stars in The Bleeder, his "beautiful and talented partner-in-crime."

"We'd love to work together a lot more, but you don't see real-life couples on screen a lot and I think there's a reason for that," Watts told the Associated Press. "It's not easy for an audience to suspend disbelief. That said, these two characters are so different than either of us ... it felt like it was possible, and it was fun for us."

Schreiber brought his son Sasha as his date to the Emmys on Sept. 18.

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Their split follows a series of high-profile breakups in 2016, including Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, and Johnny Depp and Amber Heard.