Courteney Cox, David Arquette Confirm Separation: ‘We Still Love Each Other Deeply’

After 11 years of marriage, Courteney Cox and David Arquette have separated, the couple announced in a joint statement on Monday afternoon.

“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,” the statement sent to Access Hollywood on behalf of Courteney and David noted. “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.”

Courteney and David initially met on the set of “Scream” in 1995. Three years later, in October of 1998, they announced their engagement. They tied the knot on June 12, 1999.

Almost five years to the day later, the couple welcomed their first (and only) child together – daughter Coco Riley Arquette – on June 13, 2004. Courteney’s longtime “Friend,” Jennifer Aniston, is Coco’s godmother.

It’s the first marriage for both stars.

TMZ reports the couple has actually been separated for “several months” but are “still friends.” InTouch Weekly was the first outlet to report the split.

It was just four months ago at the 2010 Crystal + Lucy Awards in Los Angeles, where Courteney beamed over the support she had received from her husband.

“They say there’s a, you know… behind every man is a great woman or whatever and I was like, ‘Behind every great woman is a great man’ because he’s so supportive and wonderful,” Courteney told Access Hollywood’s Shaun Robinson in June.

In the August issue of InStyle magazine, Courteney admitted marriage wasn’t easy – but that it was something worth putting in the effort toward.

“We’re not lazy about our marriage,” she told the magazine. “You have to make an effort to stay connected, and that’s something we work at.”

In a 2008 interview with the UK’s Daily Mail, Courteney bemoaned the notion of divorce.

“I get shocked by people getting divorced all the time, that’s why I choose to work on it. Therapy helps us,’ Courteney told the British publication at the time. “It’s so easy to grow apart; marriage takes work. I suppose you can work it out by talking to each other – I would just prefer to have a referee, it reminds us why we’re together.”

Although they are separated, Courteney and David will still be spending time together – at least, on the big screen. They are currently wrapping up production on “Scream 4,” for which they are reprising their roles as Gale Weathers and Dwight “Dewey” Riley, respectively.

The film is due in April 2011.