Elizabeth Gutiérrez and William Levy have separated after 20 years together.
The Latin actress, 45, confirmed that the couple were no longer an item in a candid interview with HOLA! amid swirling rumors and headlines about the status of their relationship.
“I always bet on my relationship. I loved William, I think it’s no secret that he was the love of my life as I always bet and wanted to show us as we were,” she began while reflecting on the various moments they lived throughout their 20-year relationship.
“Currently, we are not together. On my part, it was never for lack of love,” Gutiérrez explained. “I think I’m not the same girl I was 20 years ago when he met me. What we want at this moment is different. I will always love him, I will always wish him the best, and as I have always said, being with me or not, I want to see him happy.”
The telenovela star went on to confess that she “fell in love with his smile” and hoped that Levy, 43, would continue doing so. Despite all of the reasons she wanted to stay, Gutiérrez said, “There are things that, if they don’t change, you have to change. And that was the option I had to take.”
When asked if she believed if there was a chance she and the Dancing with the Stars alum would reunite, the actress said that she’s leaving the decision up to a higher power and shared how she was leaning on her faith to get her through tough times.
“I really feel, at this moment, that I’m in the middle of the ocean, and I’m surviving,” she continued. “My children are at peace because William is an excellent father, and the love from both of us is not lacking, so they are fine and will be fine. Obviously, it wasn’t ideal for either of us, but things happen, and you have to move on. You have to show that even if you feel defeated in some way, you have to keep your head held high and move forward.”
Gutiérrez said that the couple’s decision to call things quits was “never based on superficial reasons,” nor was she influenced by public opinion or her family members.
“My decisions are my own. I make them, I know when, and that’s why maybe they see me at peace, happy, because I know I couldn’t give more, I gave everything,” she added.
Gutiérrez and Levy met when they starred on the reality show Protagonistas de novela 2 in 2003. The same year, the two tied the knot and went on to welcome their children Christopher, now 18, and Kailey, now 14.
The confirmation of their separation comes two months after Florida police were called to their once-shared residence over a domestic disturbance, PEOPLE can confirm.
Since January, the couple has reported multiple incidents to law enforcement, per police incident reports obtained by PEOPLE. The latest incident took place on March 1, 2024, and involved their daughter Kailey, according to one of the police incident reports.
In the police report, Kailey told officers that she entered the family’s home to grab a few pieces of clothing when she heard a female voice coming from her parents’ bedroom. When she tried to enter, Levy allegedly “pushed her to prevent her from entering the bedroom.”
The Cuban actor later denied pushing her and claimed he would never intentionally hurt his daughter before claiming he had been alone.
The report noted that there were “no marks, redness or signs of injury” indicating a physical altercation on Kailey. She and her mother later grabbed their personal belongings and left the residence.
A rep for Levy did not return PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Levy has shared several posts dedicated to his daughter on Instagram as of late. On March 24, Levy posted a video showing Kailey behind the steering wheel as he taught her how to drive. “This are the moments I live for 🙏🏼❤️💯” he captioned the post, adding, “My children [are] my life. 😍”
On May 1, he also shared a fan account photo of him and Kailey on his Instagram Stories with a red heart next to the image.