Courteney Cox And David Arquette Separate

Sad news for Friends fans: Courteney Cox and husband of 11 years David Arquette have announced their trial separation.

The couple first met in 1996 on the set of Scream and were married in 1999. Cox, 46, and Arquette, 39, have a 6-year-old daughter together. "We have agreed to a trial separation that dates back for some time," they said in a statement to USA Today. "We remain best friends and responsible parents to our daughter and we still love each other deeply."

The news comes as a surprise to many. As recently as last week, Arquette visited Cox on the set of her show Cougar Town, tweeting a picture of her dressing room with the caption, "Courteney's Cougar Town dressing room. The girl's got style." The only warning signs came last summer in an interview with InStyle, where Cox showed up without her wedding ring and remarked candidly, "We've done couples therapy in the past."

The couple asked for the understanding of the public. "We are comfortable with the boundaries that we have established for each other during this separation and we hope that our friends, family, fans and the media also show us respect, dignity, understanding and love at this time as well," they said. –AMY LEE

Read the full statement below:

We have agreed to a trial separation that dates back for some time. The reason for this separation is to better understand ourselves and the qualities we need in a partner and for our marriage. We remain best friends and responsible parents to our daughter and we still love each other deeply. As we go though this process we are determined to use kindness and understanding to get through this together. We are comfortable with the boundaries that we have established for each other during this separation and we hope that our friends, family, fans and the media also show us respect, dignity, understanding and love at this time as well.