Jennifer Lopez's best friend Leah Remini and husband Angelo Pagan file for divorce after 21 years of marriage and reveal why relationship broke down Have YOU got a story? Email [email protected] By Carly Johnson For Dailymail.com Published: 02:58 BST, 30 August 2024 | Updated: 03:22 BST, 30 August 2024 e-mail 6 View comments Leah Remini and her husband Angelo Pagan are divorcing after 21 years of marriage.
The couple announced their shock split via a joint Instagram statement on Thursday that revealed 'why' their relationship broke down. The former Scientologist married Pagan in 2003 and they share 20-year-old daughter Sofia Bella. The news comes just over a week after her BFF Jennifer Lopez — who she recently reconnected with — pulled the plug on her own marriage to Ben Affleck .
'Well, here we are. After 28 years together and 21 years of marriage, we have decided to file for divorce,' Leah and Angelo began in Thursday's statement. 'This decision came after a lot of thought and care, and as hard as divorce is, we are approaching this with a positive outlook because we know it's what's best for us.
'We are proud of how we have worked through this together,' they continued. Leah Remini and her husband Angelo Pagan are divorcing after 21 years of marriage; seen in 2018 The former Scientologist married Pagan in 2003 and they share 20-year-old daughter Sofia Bella Although they're both 'sad' about the end of their marriage, the duo insisted they're still 'best friends.' 'Yes, we're sad, and we've got some figuring out to do as we continue to move forward into our new normal—together still in many ways, and apart in some new ones.
'But here's the thing: we've been best friends for so many years. We are still celebrating holidays together, watching our favorite tv shows together, and gathering as a family,' they wrote. Leah and Angelo went on to reveal 'why' they've decided to divorce after nearly three decades together.
'So, the big question—why? To put it simply, we both changed, as people do, and we got used to playing roles that didn't fit us anymore. 'After a lot of effort and consideration, we've decided to take this step, which reflects who we are today. Our bond is still strong—it's just evolved into something different,' they explained.
Leah and Angelo see their marriage as a 'success' and are looking forward to making 'beautiful memories' as exes. 'We think a marriage that lasted this long and created so many beautiful memories, especially raising our incredible daughter, is something to celebrate. 'From our perspective, this marriage was a huge success.
And now, we're looking forward to creating even more cherished moments—just in a different way,' they wrote. The couple wanted to be 'transparent' as they previously let fans in on their family life on their TLC reality series Leah Remini: It's All Relative, which ran for two seasons back in 2014. The couple announced their shock split via a joint Instagram statement on Thursday that revealed 'why' their relationship broke down; seen in 2015 'We want to be as transparent as we can be here because, for years, we shared our marriage so publicly, whether it was on our specials on VH1 or our reality show, which ran for two seasons on TLC,' they said.
'We are sharing this unknown territory with you all as we take our first steps into this next stage of our lives publicly. 'We would love for everyone to have more access to different kinds of relationship stories and not feel so isolated in navigating the changes that millions of couples make every year. 'We hope our journey can inspire others to see that relationships—whether they change or end—aren't failures.
'We'll keep sharing snippets of our lives as we navigate this new chapter. Love, Leah & Angelo,' the couple concluded. Included with their announcement were side-by-side photos of Leah and Angelo — one from back when they first met and the other more recent.
The couple met back in 1996 while Angelo was performing at the LA-based Cuban nightclub, El Floridita. She previously told Redbook that it was 'love at first sight' for her. When they tied the knot in 2003, Leah became stepmom to Angelo's three sons three sons — Angelo Jr.
, Alex and Nico — from a prior relationship. They welcomed their first child, now 20-year-old daughter Sofia Belle, in 2004. Instagram Leah Remini Jennifer Lopez Share or comment on this article: Jennifer Lopez's best friend Leah Remini and husband Angelo Pagan file for divorce after 21 years of marriage and reveal why relationship broke down e-mail Add comment.
