Jennifer Aniston is looking back on a difficult period of her life.
The Morning Show star has come VERY full circle with Vanity Fair. On Monday, the outlet published its latest edition featuring Jen as their cover star… The first time for her in 20 years! And BOY does her life look different now than it did then. While speaking with the outlet, she reflected on the end of her marriage with Brad Pitt in 2005 amid the beginning of his romance with Angelina Jolie two decades ago — and the “vulnerable” first interview she gave after her breakup at the time. She said:
“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 continued:
“Journalism back then felt more like a form of a sport. There’s obviously some PTSD we all have, which is why these [interviews] scare me. How are they going to misinterpret my words or take something out of context? And one line nowadays…”
We’re sure a ton of celebrities feel the same way amid the rise of cancel culture over the past several years.
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Media back then was particularly sensitive for Jen since she had to watch her man move on so quickly! As mentioned, the couple split in 2005, and Brad soon went public with Angie, who he’d met on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, which also came out that same year. So, y’know, the timeline had everyone wondering what happened, though the F1 star has denied affair allegations. Still, it was a huge story in the press. Or as Jennifer now puts it, a big “love triangle”! So tough!
The We’re the Millers star recalled what she told herself at the time to get through it, noting:
“Just pick yourself up by the bootstraps and keep on walking, girl.”
Oof. She’s so strong. That must’ve been very difficult!
The 56-year-old went on to reflect on the overall media craze that followed her during her and Brad’s high-profile breakup:
“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.”
She continued:
“They were sort of building us up and then tearing you down … I didn’t have a strong enough constitution to not get affected by it. 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.”
What a trying time for her. It says so much about her character and inner strength that she was able to get through it all with a smile on her face.
Elsewhere in the interview, Jen opened up about being friends with Gwyneth Paltrow — ANOTHER one of Brad’s exes. They dated before Jennifer entered the picture romantically, by the way. She recalled:
“Ironically, I went to [Gwyneth] and Brad’s engagement party [in 1996].”
The Friends star admitted she and Gwyneth have “of course” discussed their respective relationship with the F1 star:
“How can we not? We’re girls.”
HA!
Jen is now romantically connected to hunky hypnotherapist Jim Curtis while Brad continues to grapple with the fallout of his separation from Angelina. See her full cover (below):
What are your reactions here, Perezcious readers? Let us know in the comments down below.
[Images via Warner Bros. Television/YouTube & Anthony Dixon/WENN]
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