Jodie Foster has reportedly split from long time partner, Cydney Bernard

Just five months after publicly acknowledging her lesbian relationship, Jodie Foster has reportedly ended her long-time relationship with movie producer Cydney Bernard.

It is believed that the actor called off the relationship with her partner of 14 years after a series of rows.

Foster publicly acknowledged that they were an item for the very first time 5 months ago, when she by payed tribute to Ms Bernard at an awards ceremony.

The couple have two children, both of whom Foster gave birth to, and Ms Bernard, 54, adopted.

Ironically, the split comes at a time when California's top court has abolished a state ban on gay marriages, ruling that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry (see article here).

The state's Supreme Court ruled that people had a fundamental right to marry the person of their choice and overturned marriage laws limiting matrimony to opposite-sex couples as a violation of the California constitution's equal protection guarantees.  

Chief Justice Ronald George said the state was unable to limit the availability of marriage to opposite-sex couples.

"One of the core elements embodied in the state constitutional right to marry is the right of an individual and a couple to have their own official family relationship accorded respect and dignity equal to that accorded the family relationships of other couples," he said.

California has become just the second American state to allow same-sex marriages following the 4-3 vote, which drew on a ruling 60 years ago that struck down a state ban on interracial marriage.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a statement that he respected the ruling.

Tags: Jodie Foster, lesbian, relationships