A joint announcement

Alan Ritchson, star of the Amazon Prime series "Reacher," and his wife Catherine announced on Saturday that they are ending their marriage after 20 years together. In a joint Instagram statement, the couple said they had "decided to end our marriage and continue alongside one another in a different way."

The statement, quoted across multiple outlets, continued: "We grew up together. We built a life and a family together. And we are raising three incredible boys who will always be the center of our world."

The couple described their decision as mutual, writing that "nothing can diminish what these years have meant to us — or the love and respect we will always share." They added that the "best gift we can give one another — and our boys — right now is friendship, grace and a commitment to becoming the strongest co-parents we can be."

Ritchson, 43, and Catherine — a financial analyst who has also worked as a writer and producer — share three sons: Calem, Edan, and Amory. The couple requested privacy during the transition, noting, "Change is hard enough without the whole world weighing in. We hope, especially for the sake of our boys, that you will allow our family to move through this chapter with privacy and compassion."

A timeline of reconciliation

The announcement comes after earlier reports of a divorce filing. TMZ reported, citing legal documents, that Ritchson filed for divorce in December and that the couple reconciled in March before deciding to separate. Us Weekly, citing court records, confirmed the filing on December 1, 2025, and noted that the couple announced their separation nearly nine months later.

The couple's statement did not provide a specific reason for the separation. Hindustan Times noted that "it is unclear if the couple have officially filed for divorce" and that the statement did not announce a cause.

A relationship that began in high school

Ritchson and Catherine first met as teenagers in a ballet class in Florida, according to multiple reports. In a 2024 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ritchson recounted first seeing Catherine while they were both in high school taking classes at a state college: "I thought she was a college student, so I was afraid to talk to her. I figured there was no point because she's going to be older than me, but I found out she was doing the exact same thing that I was. We finally spoke and then did a play together that summer."

He said they "ended up dating and I was madly in love" before an initial split. They reconnected years later and married in May 2006.

The couple largely kept their relationship private, though Ritchson shared tributes to Catherine on milestone anniversaries. In May 2025, on their 19th wedding anniversary, he posted a message calling their marriage and family "the greatest privilege and success of my life." The Economic Times reported that Ritchson did not publicly celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary in May 2026.

Catherine recently shared family moments on social media, including a photo of the family at the premiere of Ritchson's film "Motor City" in July and an image of the family in Philadelphia while he filmed there. Days before the separation announcement, she posted a selfie from a solo trip captioned with a quote attributed to artist Dan Flavin.

Fox News Digital and The Hollywood Reporter both reached out to Ritchson's representatives for comment but did not immediately hear back.