Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones have separated to 'evaluate and work on their marriage' it was confirmed on Wednesday.
The couple is "taking time apart to evaluate their marriage" in a bid to try and save their relationship.
A publicist for the pair has confirmed rumours about their marriage, saying in a statement: "Catherine and Michael are taking some time apart to evaluate and work on their marriage. There will be no further comment."
The couple - who have not been photographed together since April - have decided to separate after 13 years of marriage in order to work through their issues and hopefully save their relationship.
In April they cuddled up on the red carpet at the 40th Annual Chaplin Award Gala at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City.
They are said to have decided to spend some time alone after Michael returned from this year's Cannes Film Festival in France.
Rumours then started to swirl over a possible split when Michael seen playing a game of golf on his own in Italy last week.
Cutting a lonely figure, it was a different picture entirely from just last year when the actor smiled alongside his Welsh-born wife at the annual Michael Douglas & Friends Celebrity Golf Tournament, which took place between 25 and 27 May.
Neither Michael or Catherine have made any movements to file for divorce or legally separate.
Michael, 68, is currently on vacation on a yacht off the coast of Sardinia, while Catherine, 43, is at home in New York with their two children, son Dylan, 12, and 10-year-old daughter Carys.
Their marriage has had to deal with numerous stresses in the last three years with Michael being diagnosed with throat cancer in 2010 - which he beat - and Catherine suffering from bouts of bipolar II disorder, most recently in May this year.