Chris Pratt and Anna Faris announce separation

The couple announced their separation after eight years of marriage in a joint statement

Actors Chris Pratt and Anna Faris have announced they are separating after eight years of marriage. The actors announced their breakup on social media in a joint statement confirmed by Pratt’s publicist. Vianney Le Caer / Invision / AP FileShow less

Action star Chris Pratt and comic actress Anna Faris announced their separation after eight years of marriage in a joint statement on Sunday.

The couple, whose son Jack turns five this month, said they were "disappointed" to be making the announcement after trying "for a long time" to save their relationship.

"Our son has two parents who love him very much and for his sake we want to keep this situation as private as possible moving forward," the statement said.

"We still have love for each other, will always cherish our time together and continue to have the deepest respect for one another."

Pratt, 38, found fame as loveable slacker Andy Dwyer on NBC comedy Parks and Recreation but has since become one of Hollywood's most sought-after leading men thanks to roles in Jurassic World and Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy.

He paid a lengthy tribute to Faris, 40, in April as he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, telling her: "Without you, none of this would mean anything."

"I know that if our circumstances were different, and we weren't as fortunate to be standing here and leading our Hollywood life, we would be happy in the woods together," Faris said of Pratt.

By the time the couple met on the set of comedy movie Take Me Home Tonight in 2007, Faris was preparing to divorce her first husband, the actor Ben Indra.

Pratt was a successful TV actor, but Faris was the bigger name, having appeared in a string of comedies including Scary Movie and three of its sequels.

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That changed after they wed in Bali in 2009, as Pratt went to great lengths to sculpt an action hero's physique.

He was rewarded with his first major lead part in 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy, which went on to gross more than $770 million worldwide.

Pratt also starred in 2015 monster movie reboot Jurassic World, the fourth-highest grossing film of all time, and is due to reprise the role of dinosaur trainer Owen Grady in the sequel, due out in 2018.

* AFP