Comedian splits with wife of 19 years

American comedian cum actor, Chris Rock and his wife of 19 years, Malaak Compton, have announced that they will be ending their marriage.

Malaak Comtpon on Sunday, December 28 mad the announcement that she would be leaving the 49-year-old comedian. “After much contemplation and 19 years of marriage, Chris and I have decided to go our separate ways. While recognizing that this is a significant change, my children remain at the center of my life and their well-being is my top priority. It is in this spirit that I sincerely ask that their privacy and the privacy of our family be respected during this transition in our lives,” part of her statement reads.

Chris Rock’s attorney, Robert S. Cohen, also confirmed the split saying; “Chris Rock has filed for divorce from his wife, Malaak. This is a personal matter and Chris requests privacy as he and Malaak work through this process and focus on their family.”

Chris Rock married Malaak Compton-who is the founder of StyleWorks, a non-profit full-service salon that provides free service for women leaving welfare and entering the workforce- in November 1996.

Their marriage until recently, survived a paternity scandal in 2007 involving Chris Rock and freelance journalist and former actress, Kali Bowyer, who filed a paternity suit against the comedian claiming he was the father of her son. DNA testing proved that Rock was not the child's father.

The couple has two daughters, Lola Simone (born 2002) and Zahra Savannah (born 2004).