Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony split

Marc Anthony and wife Jennifer Lopez pose at Simon Fuller's Hollywood Walk of Fame star presentation ceremony on May 23, 2011, in Los Angeles.

/ Getty

(CBS/AP) NEW YORK - With three failed marriages between them, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony finally seemed to find true love together when they married seven years ago. They had twin children, went on tour together, did a movie together and even planned a music-based reality show they were working on together.

But on Friday, the pair announced they were no longer together.

"We have decided to end our marriage. This was a very difficult decision," the couple said in a statement by Lopez's publicist. "We have come to amicable conclusion on all matters. It is a painful time for all involved and we appreciate the respect of our privacy at this time."

Pictures: Celebrity splits
Pictures: Jennifer Lopez

"It is a painful time for all involved," the statement continues, "and we appreciate the respect of our privacy at this time."

Lopez, 41, and Anthony, 42, married in 2004 and have 3-year-old twins, Max and Emme.

It was a surprising split for one of Hollywood's most high-profile couples. They seemed inseparable: Lopez even danced in the background for her crooner husband when he performed on "American Idol," where she debuted as a judge this past season.

The pair, both of Puerto Rican heritage, knew each other for years before the 2004 wedding. He was ending a marriage to former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres, while she had recently endured a high-profile breakup with Ben Affleck.

Lopez had been married twice before in brief unions to Ojani Noa and Chris Judd and had a famous romance with Sean "Diddy" Combs.

Her union with Anthony was her most enduring public relationship. The pair did a joint tour together and starred in the movie "El Cantante" in 2006.

They also had two children, twins Emme and Max. They were Lopez's first children; Anthony had a child from Torres and another from a previous relationship.

In April, the pair, both 42, announced plans for a television show together, "Q'Viva! The Chosen," with Simon Fuller, the creator of "Idol." The show was to feature the superstar couple as they traveled the world to find the best performers in Latin music, dance and other arts with the goal of creating a live extravaganza.

The show had no airdate, and it's unclear if it will continue.

Lopez released her latest album, titled "Love?" this year. Her career, which lulled in recent years, has surged since she became an "Idol" judge.

31 Photos

Splits

[peopleworryme]

I am Puerto Rican. I knew this was not going to last. Men who are raised in Puerto Rico are raised in traditional ways by their Mothers. This means that most of them have no respect for women, they are selfish, abusive and childish. Good thing she got out of that while she still had time! Oh man!

[maggie20010]

I could never see what in the world she was thinking hooking up with this guy. No looks at all - in any of the pictures he looks like Dracula. With all that money, he needs some serious repair of his teeth and a little plastic surgery would go a long way for him. He always looks mad. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. She must have been blind - to give up Ben Afflect for that? Hope she doesn't try to break up poor Ben's marriage.

[genmal]

Jen Ho around he block was crap at best, shes a beauty queen and excellent actress, problem is, shes a piece of crap when it comes to marriage and mother material, shes a typical mainstream american woman/ho . she has no respect for men or for herself and the cause and affect it has on children, shes a narcissist she should go back to black pimps and smoke crack with puff the black magic dragon crack head.

[debbie1120]

Jennifer, honey give up on the marriage thing. This is your 4th. I knew they wouldn't stay together. They had an affair before years ago. She's too pretty for him anyway

[annmac38]

I think he may have wanted her to stay home sometimes with the kids and she (being the great Jlo) felt it was either beneath her or inconvenient. Her arrogance (and his) was hard enough to take with her fans---imagine living with it!

[genmal]

yeah, i see the whole assimilate the white woman american culture thing , imagine the kids having a dual parent household, not to mention a mother for a parent or a father to be included without the mother using it as a weapon to bully everyone and screw everyone else.... i seen a few of marc's recent vids,,, tell tale signs. j ho needs to go back to puff crack pimps and be the ho she always was. she lost her career years back.

[Harden_Tar]

*YAWN*

[bcedwards3570]

WAhhhhhhhh...my heart is breaking over this sad news. I won't be able to sleep at night now. Oh yeah, I'll have the thoughts of the debt ceiling crisis in our government to keep me comforted.

[theloneconsumer]

It was very hard on his ego that his wife was more popular and financially astute than he was. He is hispanic, he is a male, and the two of those together are like salt and pepper with a brilliant dinamic woman.
But Anthony seems to fade out with the day to day KID thing, you know, screaming babies and diapers.
Her fame has been uncomfortable for a man, much less a hispanic one.He is suffocating under her. He's fighting to reinvent himself.
His loss,

[annmac38]

It's her job to stay home with the kids as well as his. I think he wanted her home more and she wanted to be on Idol more. Let's face it--her talent is limited and she wants to make the money while she can. His talent is non-existent----they should have stayed together.

[andie52]

I never understood the marriage in the first place. I guess she really think she's the most beautful woman in the world.He has a career now on HawthoRNE. It will be interesting to see which one hooks up with a new love interest first.

[BigMykul]

Does anyone really care???

[aintfakin]

J Lo is one of the most beautiful women in the world
anyone, however, who has been married 3 times cant be easy to get along with
"high maintenance" probably doesn't begin to describer her
Still, being a beggar, I wouldn't walk away from a one night stand

[dantom39]

Who gives a damn.