Chris Rock and his wife Malaak Compton-Rock are asking for privacy as they prepare for divorce after nearly two decades of marriage.
It’s been 19 years since Rock and Compton-Rock tied the knot but for those who have seen the award-winning comedian do stand up, the split doesn’t come as much of a surprise.
Rock always took jabs at what life was like after marriage and the decision to finally file for divorce suggests that there was a little seriousness behind those jokes.
Either way it seems the couple’s split was amicable and fingers are crossed that the split won’t come with the usual mud slinging that Hollywood divorces have become known for.
For now, Compton-Rock is asking for privacy as her family deals with the split.
“After much contemplation and 19 years of marriage, Chris and I have decided to go our separate ways,” she released in a statement on Sunday. “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.”
She also said that her children will “remain at the center” of her life despite the divorce.
“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,” the statement continued. “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.”
It isn’t clear if a specific incident caused the split or if the couple just grew apart over the years.
According to Rock’s legal team, however, the comedian was the one who initiated the divorce.
“Chris Rock has filed for divorce from his wife, Malaak,” his attorney, Robert S. Cohen, said in a statement. “This is a personal matter and Chris requests privacy as he and Malaak work through this process and focus on their family.”
It was nearly five years ago that rumors of divorce first sparked but at the time Rock denied the allegations.
Before the rumors began, however, Rock revealed concerns that he simply was not the right man for marriage.
In 2007 Rock said “there is no real worst part” to being married but then added, “I mean, I’m a comedian—comedians like to work alone. So maybe I’m not the ideal guy to be married to, in that sense.”
Anyone who has been a fan of Rock’s stand up comedy for years has already suspected that he wasn’t too happy being married.
“Marriage is beautiful,” Rock said back in 2004. “But if you think you’re going to hold onto your individual self, you’re an idiot.”
He even suggested that after getting married a person should “wave, ‘Hey, see you later’ “ to the person they used to be before saying “I do.”
While it isn’t out of the ordinary for comedians to take jabs at marriage and relationships during their stand ups, it seemed to be unusually common in Rock’s routines.
The divorce also comes after anonymous sources told E! News that the couple has been “living separate lives” for quite some time now.
In other words, they may have mentally checked out long before now.
Divorce papers are just handling the legalities of the matter.
