Jennifer Aniston opened up about her divorce from Brad Pitt in a new interview, calling the period following their 2005 split “such a vulnerable” time in her life.
The Morning Show actress spoke candidly about the aftermath of her marriage to the F1 star in her September cover story for Vanity Fair.
The interview comes almost exactly 20 years after her September 2005 Vanity Fair article titled “The Unsinkable Jennifer Aniston,” which was her first interview following the breakup.
“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.”
In a video from her new interview, the Friends alum also recalls making 2006’s The Break-Up with Vince Vaughn while going through her real-life split from Pitt.
Aniston, 56, joked about the timing of the film project.
“I might’ve just gone through a separation – that little separation, I’m sure nobody remembers that. It was kind of cathartic to go right from that. So when they came to me … they were a little nervous about making the offer, ’cause they thought, ‘Oh, is that insensitive? Is it inappropriate?’ But I actually thought, ‘What a great opportunity.'”
She explained that taking on the role helped her process her emotions during that difficult period.
“I knew it would actually kind of benefit me emotionally, just as a human being. And also serve the script and the character pretty well.”
The Marriage Timeline
Pitt and Aniston were introduced by their managers in 1994. They secretly dated beginning in 1998 before marrying in a lavish July 2000 ceremony.
The couple called it quits in 2005 after almost five years of marriage.
Both actors moved on to other relationships. Pitt, 61, married his Mr. & Mrs. Smith costar Angelina Jolie, while Aniston later wed actor Justin Theroux. Pitt is currently dating jewelry designer Ines de Ramon. Aniston is dating hypnotherapist Jim Curtis.
In recent years, the former couple appeared to rekindle their friendship. They delighted fans with two reunions in 2020: a warm backstage embrace at the SAG Awards that went viral and a virtual table reading of Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
“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.”
Those words came from Aniston’s 2005 Vanity Fair interview in the wake of their split.
Dealing With Media Attention
Reflecting on that period in her life, Aniston revealed her coping strategy in the recent interview.
She told herself to “Just pick yourself up by the bootstraps and keep on walking, girl.”
“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.”
Aniston admitted she struggled with the media speculation and public attention surrounding their split.
She said she “didn’t have a strong enough constitution to not get affected by” the rumors and coverage.
The Morning Show season 4 debuts on Apple TV+ Sept. 17.
