Ryan Reynolds, Scarlett Johansson split

Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds is splitting from his wife Scarlett Johansson, the couple said in a joint statement Tuesday.

They were married in September 2008 at a private ceremony at a British Columbia resort. The actors say theirseparation comes "after long and careful consideration."

Their statementcontinues: "We entered our relationship with love, and it's with love and kindness we leave it. While privacy isn't expected, it's certainly appreciated."

Reynolds, 34, was dubbed the "sexiest man alive" by People magazine last month, while Johansson, 26, was GQ's 2010 "babe of the year."

Johansson won a Tony Award earlier this year for her rolein A View From the Bridge on the New York stage. Her most recent film role was Iron Man 2.

Vancouver-raised Reynolds, who earlier had a romance with Canadian singer Alanis Morrissette,won critical acclaim recently for his role in Buried and will soon star in Green Lantern.