Why we’ll always hold a torch for Jen
FOLLOWING A YEAR of lockdowns that have fully killed off any excitement in our own love lives, snippets of intrigue from our favourite Hollywood powerhouse – Jennifer Aniston – have become more tantalising than ever.
You may recall that Jen and ex-husband Brad Pitt have been on friendly terms in recent years, with him attending some of her birthday and Christmas parties. Then, at the SAG Awards early in 2020, they were finally pictured together, greeting each other warmly, her hand placed fondly on his chest, his gently touching her wrist... These were the kind of photos that Jen-brad shippers (that’s fans who want them to be together) had been yearning for since their split in 2005.
So what’s happening now? Well, maybe something and maybe nothing. Deux Moi, the Insta account known for its unverified (yet often on-the-money) tips reported that Brad has visited the set of The Morning Show to hang out with his ex.
A selfie Jen posted from work showed a man lying behind her on the floor, his face concealed – could it have been Brad? We’d love to think so… but we may never know.
Meanwhile, perhaps another juicy rumour is true. In 2008, Jen dated John Mayer – a singer-songwriter known as much for being indiscreet about his exes as he is for his music. Now John has posted a Tiktok that shows him playing with a dog, and some followers think that the hound in question (I’m not talking about John any more) might be Lord Chesterfield, Jen’s rescue pup; he appears to be wearing the same collar.
Does this mean that Jen and John are back together, blending their dog families, or are they simply friends? Is it possible that they just have similar taste in canines? These are the questions keeping us awake at night.
The real talking point, of course, might be: why are we still so invested? Old habits die hard, and after more than 25 years of loving Jen on screen, her fans struggle to shake off the idea that she’s their famous best friend. She has spoken thoughtfully about her personal life over the years, and we have the collective feeling that she deserves the very best. We love her neverfaltering dignity and the warmhearted friendships she has maintained with ex-partners; we’d love to think she’s holding all the cards, carefully deciding who deserves a second chance and who doesn’t.
There are also still tabloids who judge women like Jen for being unmarried and child-free. But for others, the fascination is quite the opposite: we look up to her. Here’s an actor and producer who’s smart, talented, much-loved and successful.
Like many of us, she’s found herself on a romantic path a little different to the one she first imagined, and she wears it well. Whether she’s with Brad, John or no one at all, Jennifer Aniston is a woman living her one wild and precious life – and as her forever fans, we’re here for it.