Hollywood was shocked when a representative announced that the actor has filed for divorce from his wife Malaak Compton-Rock. The two had been married for 19 years.
Compton-Rock told People magazine via her rep, "After much contemplation and 19 years of marriage, Chris and I have decided to go our separate ways. Being fortunate enough to lead a life of service by working with those most vulnerable makes me well aware of life's blessings, even when faced with difficulties. 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."
The announcement came at the heels of Rock's new movie "Top Five." E! Online said that couple had been living separate lives for the longest time and had issues in their marriage for years. The announcement also came at the heels of new reports that Rock is seeing his "Top Five" co-star Rosario Dawson, and that he had wanted to make the relationship public, hence the divorce filing.
The Daily Mail also observed that Dawson was spotted sharing a kiss with Rock at an after-party for their new film in New York.
Citing Media Takeout, Hollywood Life quoted a source who said that the actors had gotten along very well during filming of their new movie, but decided to keep the relationship on the down low. Moreover, the source said that the relationship between Rock and Dawson wasn't an issue to Compton-Rock, since the married couple had been living separate lives.
"They didn't want to announce it while their movie TOP 5 was still being released - cause they didn't want people thinking that Rosario is some type of home wrecker. She's not, Chris hasn't been with his wife in about TWO YEARS..." the source added.
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