For many years, it looked like Cuba Gooding Jr. had it all; an outstanding acting career, fame, fortune, a great marriage and wonderful kids. In 1994, the Boyz N The Hood actor married his high school sweetheart, Sara Kapfer. Unlike many celebrity relationships that last for only short periods of time, it looked as if Cuba and Sara would withstand the test of time. But, after 20 years of marriage, Cuba and Sara decided to go their separate ways. Although that news came as a surprise to many fans, things had been rocky behind closed doors for quite some time.

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In 2014, at their 20 year marriage mark, Sara filed a petition for legal separation from Cuba. However, Cuba took things a step further in January 2017- at their 23 year mark- and flat out filed for divorce in response to Sara’s legal separation three years prior.

A year prior to Sara’s legal separation filing, Cuba hinted that there was trouble in his paradise, during a 2013 interview on The View. He jokingly revealed to The View hosts that he felt as though he had to continuously adjust to his wife’s mood changes throughout the years:

“She has been changing to this other woman that I have to introduce myself to every few years,” Cuba told The View hosts about his wife, Sara. “And thank god I’ve fallen in love with each one. It’s true. I’m lucky that way. I want to kill her sometimes.”

The two have three children who have seemingly grown up overnight. Their sons are adults, but Cuba is asking for joint legal and physical custody of their daughter, since she’s still a minor.

Meet the Gooding Jr. children-Spencer, 23, Mason, 21, and Piper, 11.

As you can see, Spencer and Mason loved chillin’ with their outgoing soul singer grandaddy, Cuba Gooding Sr. (of the 70’s group, The Main Ingredient), prior to his untimely passing in April 2017…

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As far as their little princess, Piper (pictured below, bottom row, center), she is just too cute for words. Check her out hangin’ with her dad, big brothers, her uncle (actor Omar Gooding) and the rest of the Gooding family…

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Like we said, although Cuba and his wife are going through some things, they make it a point to put their children first. During a prior interview on The Steve Harvey Show, Cuba addressed their highly publicized split and made it clear that their babies are most important. Despite the divorce and their strained relationship, they’ll always be amicable for the sake of their children.

“Listen, you know how things happen,” said Cuba. “Things happen, you grow up … I took my wife on a date the other day. Took her to see a movie the other day. Yeah. We got kids, man. We got to keep this together, strong, you know? That’s how I see it.”

Good for them, Cuba and Sara are handling their situation like grown folks.