NEW YORK (REUTERS) - Men In Black star Will Smith took the unusual step on Monday of publicly shooting down a report that he and his actress wife of 17 years had decided to divorce.

Smith's marriage to Jada Pinkett Smith has been a subject of tabloid rumour for several years.

But on Monday, entertainment news website Radar Online reported that the couple had decided to split and would make a divorce announcement at the end of the summer.

Smith, 46, said in statement on his Facebook page that "under normal circumstances, I don't usually respond to foolishness. (Because it's contagious).

"But, so many people have extended me their 'deepest condolences' that I figured - 'What the hell... I can be foolish, too!' So, in the interest of redundant, repetitious, over & over-again-ness... Jada and I are...NOT GETTING A DIVORCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Smith added that if he ever decided to divorce "I SWEAR I'll tell you myself!"

Pinkett Smith, 43, who recently appeared in the movie Magic Mike XXL and in the TV crime show Gotham, married Smith in 1997. They are parents to teen actor Jaden Smith, 17, and 14-year-old singer Willow Smith.