FRIENDS AGAIN! SO, WHAT’S NEXT FOR BRAD AND JEN?
Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston did the unthinkable last week when they reunited at her birthday party in LA. Here’s the inside story…
HE WAS THE celebrity attendee who no one anticipated coming. When Brad Pitt arrived alone for Jennifer Aniston’s 50th birthday bash at LA’S Sunset Tower Hotel last week, wearing a baseball cap and flanked by a security guard, the A-list world let out a collective gasp of disbelief.
Much of it came from inside the iconic West Hollywood venue, which was filled with a guest list that put the Oscars to shame. ‘ There was a stunned silence in the lobby as Brad walked in,’ an onlooker told Grazia. ‘Both the A-listers and staff who clocked his arrival were left openmouthed – it was a moment.’
Once inside, the gold-standard Hollywood party really began. ‘Jen was clearly buoyed by Brad’s presence. They hugged and chatted, before she was whisked off around the room to continue greeting friends and family,’ the insider added.
As Grazia has learned, the decision to invite her ex-husband, almost 15 years after their 2005 marriage break-up, did not come lightly. ‘Jen agonised over whether to extend an invitation to Brad,’ said a source. ‘Ultimately, it was an event to celebrate her life and all those she holds dear, including him, and she was thrilled he made it.’ Brad’s attendance was a surprise when you consider the dramatic events that have taken place in recent years. Notably, Brad’s split from second wife Angelina Jolie, 43, in September 2016 after two years of marriage and 12 years together – a relationship that infamously began while he was still married to Jen in 2005. Meanwhile, almost a year and a half later, Jen split from Justin Theroux, 47, in February 2018 after two and a half years of marriage and seven years as a couple. So when did she and Brad ‘reconnect?’ A Hollywood source said, ‘Brad and Jen have exchanged messages via email over the years, for birthdays or special events, to wish each other well. But it’s always been very short and to the point. ‘ That changed when Brad split with Angelina and opened up publicly about how he had been struggling. Jen contacted him in early 2017 to give him some friendly advice, which really got the ball rolling between them again. Brad, in turn, reached out to Jen following her split with Justin Theroux to also offer his friendship.
‘But it was in the summer of last year that Brad and Jen really reconnected, having both been through some difficult times in their relationships. They’ve had long phone conversations and met up privately at least once in the past year, but it’s all been kept hush-hush. It’s been well-known within both their inner circles that they’re on good terms and text and talk fairly frequently.’
Grazia has previously reported how Jen’s split from Justin remains contentious, particularly from her side and, tellingly, he did not make an appearance on the night. However, he later posted a gushing tribute to his ex on Instagram, calling Jen ‘Fiercely loving. Fiercely kind… and fiercely funny’.
In any case, Jen’s milestone celebration was not focused on her relationship history (this is, after all, the woman who once declared that all her marriages have been ‘very successful’). ‘ There was just a great, positive energy in the space, with lots of drinks flowing and friends giving out speeches. Jen drank margaritas and was like a social butterfly all night,’ added the source.
According to insiders, the hotel’s back dining room and pool area, which boasts sweeping views of LA, was decorated with white flowers and candles especially for the occasion, while a DJ spun Jen’s chosen tunes.
There was a head-count of well over 30 major stars, including George and Amal Clooney, Sandra Bullock, Reese Witherspoon, Kate Hudson, Gwyneth Paltrow, her faithful Friends co-stars Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow, the legendary Barbra Streisand and even Rolling Stones hellraiser Keith Richards, to name a few.
‘If there was any awkwardness in the room then it was extremely well hidden. Jen was also friendly with ex John Mayer and seemed pleased to see him,’ the insider explains. ‘It could have easily been a seminar for Gwyneth’s conscious uncoupling in action, everyone was getting along so well – albeit with lots of tequila in the mix.’
So, will there be a next time, Brad and Jen? Our source explains nothing is, as yet, being ruled out. ‘It was certainly a huge gesture for Brad to turn up to something like this in public, knowing full well the reaction it would trigger. It meant the world to Jen and has put them back in exciting new territory as friendly exes.’
they’ve had long conversations and met up privately