LONDON • Oscar-winning British actor Colin Firth has split up from his Italian film producer-wife Livia Giuggioli after 22 years of marriage.

Their publicists said in a statement the couple "maintain a close friendship and remain united in their love for their children".

The pair, who lived together in London and Rome, have two sons - Luca and Matteo - who were both born in Rome.

Firth, 59, who won a Best Actor Oscar and a Golden Globe in 2011 for his portrayal of stuttering British monarch King George VI in The King's Speech, also has a son with former partner Meg Tilly, 59, an actress.

Giuggioli, 50, is an environmental activist as well as co-founder and creative director of Eco-Age, a sustainable consultancy firm.

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