Jennifer Aniston Opens Up on Brad Pitt Divorce: “Such a Vulnerable Time”
Nearly two decades after one of Hollywood’s most talked-about splits, Jennifer Aniston has broken her silence once more on her divorce from Brad Pitt, calling it “such a vulnerable time”.
The Morning Show star, now 56, spoke candidly in her September cover interview for Vanity Fair, reflecting on the whirlwind that followed their 2005 breakup.
The moment carries extra weight, it comes almost exactly 20 years after her first post-divorce interview for the magazine’s famous “The Unsinkable Jennifer Aniston” feature.
“I haven’t looked at that article in forever. I just remember the experience of doing it, which was kind of jarring. It was also such a vulnerable time. But yeah, that was one for the memoirs,” she said.
The Friends alum also recalled filming The Break-Up with Vince Vaughn in 2006, while living through a real one. “I might’ve just gone through a separation, that little separation, I’m sure nobody remembers that,” she joked.
Producers had been nervous to approach her with the project, but Aniston embraced it. “I knew it would actually kind of benefit me emotionally, just as a human being,” she explained.
Aniston and Pitt’s relationship began behind the scenes in the mid-90s, leading to their grand wedding in July 2000. They separated in early 2005, eventually marrying other partners, Pitt to Mr. & Mrs. Smith co-star Angelina Jolie, Aniston to actor Justin Theroux.
Despite the high-profile split, both stars have since shared moments of warmth in public. Fans went into overdrive after spotting their friendly backstage hug at the 2020 SAG Awards, followed by a light-hearted reunion during a virtual Fast Times at Ridgemont High table read.
Back in 2005, amid the media storm, Aniston told Vanity Fair: “I really do hope that someday we can be friends again. I will love [Brad] for the rest of my life. He’s a fantastic man. I don’t regret any of it, and I’m not going to beat myself up about it.”
Reflecting now, she admits she handled the scrutiny by sheer willpower: “Just pick yourself up by the bootstraps and keep on walking, girl.” But she also remembers the relentless headlines.
“It was such juicy reading for people. If they didn’t have their soap operas, they had their tabloids. It’s a shame that it had to happen, but it happened. And boy did I take it personally.”
Addressing the toll, she added: “We’re human beings, even though some people don’t want to believe we are. They think, ‘You signed up for it, so you take it.’ But we really didn’t sign up for that.”
Aniston is now in a relationship with hypnotherapist Jim Curtis, while Pitt is dating jewellery designer Ines de Ramon. Both appear to have moved forward, but the echoes of their split still resonate with fans, and with Aniston herself.
Season four of The Morning Show premieres on Apple TV+ on 17 September.
