Leah Remini and Angelo Pagan are calling it quits after more than two decades of marriage. The couple announced their decision to end their relationship after 21 years in a joint Instagram post on Thursday, August 29.
“Well, here we are. After 28 years together and 21 years married, we have decided to file for divorce,” the lengthy statement on Instagram began. “This decision has come after a lot of thought and care, and as difficult as divorce is, we are approaching it with a positive attitude because we know it’s what’s best for us.”
Later in their statement, the separating couple shared that they would continue to vacation together, watch their favorite TV shows together, and gather as a family. Knowing that this promise would draw their fans’ attention to the reason for the divorce, Remini and Pagan shared that they have both changed a lot over the years, so the decision to take this step would better reflect who they are today.
“Our relationship is still strong — it’s just evolved into something different,” he explained.
Noting that they feel it’s meaningful to celebrate a marriage that has lasted so long, the two said they’re now looking forward to being in each other’s lives and making more fond memories together, but in a different way. As for the decision to share the news publicly, the soon-to-be former couple shared that they felt it was appropriate to share it with their fans since they’ve shared their marriage “very publicly” on TV over the years.
Remini and Pagan hoped to inspire others to see that relationships, even if they change or end, are not doomed to failure. They concluded, “We will continue to share snippets of our lives as we move forward with this chapter.”
Remini and Pagan married in Las Vegas in 2003. The actress first met him in 1996 while he was performing at El Floridita, a Cuban club and restaurant in L.A. “For me, it was love at first sight,” Remini recalled during an interview with Redbook magazine in 2010.
In 2019, he reflected on their first meeting during an appearance on RuPaul, in which he recalled seeing Pagan across the room and making all the “wrong” decisions, including asking him what time he gets off work.
Over the years, Remini and Pagan have worked together on various occasions, including on her hit sitcom The King of Queens, where she made several guest appearances.
The soon-to-be ex-spouses share a daughter, Sofia Bella, born on June 16, 2004. Pagan also has three sons from a previous relationship.
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