Fast And Furious star Tyrese Gibson has announced the sad news that he and his wife Samantha Lee Gibson have split.
Actor and musician Tyrese married Samantha in February 2017 and they welcomed their daughter Soraya in October 2018, but the pair have now made the decision to separate and divorce.
The couple announced the news in joint Instagram posts, sharing a photo of Tyrese kissing Samantha on the cheek alongside a lengthy statement about ending their marriage.
“We have decided to make a statement of a painful and significant development in our lives,” they wrote.
“After much thought, consideration, and prayer, We unfortunately have made the difficult decision to officially separate & divorce.
“Our intention is to remain the best of friends & strong coparents. We feel incredibly blessed to have found each other and deeply grateful for the 4 years we have been married to each other. Our journey together has been a ride of both ups & downs, but it’s a journey that neither of us would have chosen to take with anyone else.
“We truly have so much love & respect for each other. We both have grown tremendously within this relationship; we have shared so many beautiful memories and moments, and we also look forward to see the amazing futures we have ahead of us individually.”
The pair ended their statement by saying that they wanted to announce the news now rather than “take this energy into 2021” and asked for their privacy to be respected as they “deal with the reality” of the situation.
Tyrese added a further comment on Samantha’s post, calling her his “forever love” and writing: “My heart is so full because you blessed me with 5 years of magic…. Samantha Gibson, I owe you everything.
“I am a better man of God, friend, and father because of you… I pray we leave the door open.”
The pair have received support from their followers, including Empire actress Taraji P Henson who commented on Samantha’s post: “I hate to hear this but I also hear the love in your words. Sis I am so glad you and my brother found each other. I love you no matter what and you are forever my sister friend. God bless both of your hearts.”
Tyrese also has a 13-year-old daughter named Shayla, who he shares with his ex-wife Norma Mitchell.
Tyrese will return to his Fast and Furious role as Roman Pearce for the next instalment in the franchise, F9, and he will likely also be back for the recently-announced final two films, which are due to wrap up the story of the saga.