Jennifer Aniston broke her silence in 2008 about the end of her marriage to Brad Pitt, directly addressing Angelina Jolie’s public comments about falling in love during the filming of Mr. & Mrs. Smith. The Friends star spoke candidly in a December 2008 Vogue interview, revealing her feelings about Jolie’s detailed timeline of how her relationship with Pitt developed while he was still married to Aniston.
Pitt and Aniston announced their separation in January 2005 after nearly five years of marriage. The couple, who had wed in July 2000, released a joint statement saying their decision was the result of “much thoughtful consideration” and denied tabloid speculation about the reasons for their split. However, within months of their separation, Pitt was seen publicly with Jolie, and by May 2006, the couple welcomed their first biological child together.
Aniston called Jolie’s public revelations about her relationship with Pitt “inappropriate” to discuss. “There was stuff printed there that was definitely from a time when I was unaware that it was happening,” she said on Vogue. “I felt those details were a little inappropriate to discuss. That stuff about how she couldn’t wait to get to work every day? That was really uncool.” The actress was referring to Jolie’s 2007 Vogue profile where she openly discussed her growing feelings for Pitt during the 2004 filming of their action movie.
Aniston and Pitt were very much married during the shooting of the film. Though Jolie and her now-ex-husband claimed many times that they only got emotionally close at this time and didn’t physically cheat (against strong accusations of the same), the Wanted star openly talking about the inception of their love story wasn’t appreciated by many, especially Aniston.
Jennifer Aniston found love again after her high-profile divorce
Following her divorce from Pitt, Aniston began dating her The Break-Up co-star Vince Vaughn. The relationship, which lasted about a year, proved to be exactly what Aniston needed during that difficult time. Speaking about Vaughn in the same 2008 Vogue interview, she described him with an unusual but heartfelt comparison.
“I call Vince my defibrillator,” Aniston said. “He literally brought me back to life. My first gasp of air was a big laugh! It was great. I love him. He’s a bull in a china shop. He was lovely and fun and perfect for the time we had together. And I needed that. And it sort of ran its course.” The relationship ended amicably in December 2006, with both actors remaining friends.
Iconic moment during the 2009 Oscars after Brad Pitt cheated on Jennifer Aniston with Angelina Jolie pic.twitter.com/NDxmGbcxhh
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After Vaughn, Aniston dated singer John Mayer on and off for about a year before their relationship ended in March 2009. Despite the media attention surrounding their romance, Aniston spoke protectively of Mayer during the Vogue interview. “Love just shows up and you go, ‘Oh, wow, this is going to be a hayride and a half,'” she said. The actress also defended Mayer against criticism he received for discussing their relationship publicly, saying he was “a wonderful guy” and that they “care about each other.”
In the years since her divorce from Brad Pitt became final, Aniston has maintained that she and her ex-husband are on good terms. “We have exchanged a few very kind hellos and wishing you wells and sending you love and congratulations on your babies,” she told Vogue. The actress also expressed admiration for Pitt’s work and personal growth, saying she had “nothing but absolute admiration for him” and was “proud of him.” Meanwhile, Pitt recently settled his contentious divorce from Jolie after eight years of legal battles.
