When Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux announced their split this year, everyone was shocked. Not only did we not see it coming, but the two had only been married for a couple years at the time.
There has been a ton of speculation as to the reasons why they would break up, one of which was that Theroux didn’t want to live in LA and Aniston didn’t want to live in New York.
Their problems apparently started before they even got married, though, and maybe they thought getting married would help. “Ever since they became serious, the living issue often made them bicker. It was always hard for Jen to understand why Justin didn’t like, or at least could learn to like L.A., when she was in L.A.,” an insider told EXTRA. The source added, “With Jen feeling so strongly about living in L.A. and disliking NYC so much, she wanted Justin to be happy and that’s why she agreed that he should spend so much time in NYC.”
It's almost been a year since the split and we’re wondering what has changed since the breakup. The two have moved on with their lives and it’s pretty obvious that they aren’t getting back together. Check out these 20 surprising details that have surfaced since Jen and Justin split.
21 There Are No Weird Feelings Between The Two
Usually, when you go through a breakup, you want to murder your ex or at the very least, you hope he trips and falls into a manhole. But for Jennifer and Justin, that just wasn’t the case.
The two decided to split and there was literally no drama involved.
“The good news is that was probably the most — I’m choosing my words really carefully — it was kind of the most gentle separation, in that there was no animosity,” Theroux told The New York Times. “In a weird way, just sort of navigating the inevitable perception of it is the exhausting part.”
20 Aniston Turned To Transcendental Meditation
We all could use a little stress relief and considering that Jennifer Aniston has had a stressful year, we have to wonder if she started using Transcendental Meditation to cope with her breakup. She stated in an interview that she uses it as a way to stay calm and be centered and grateful for what she has. She told PopSugar, “It's a kick start for your day, it centers you, your stress levels are down and you find yourself interacting in the world much easier and better, in a calmer way. There's a peaceful way that comes over you.”
19 She’s Doing A Morning Show With Reese
Aniston’s career is in full bloom as usual, so we know she's super busy. Of course, keeping busy is always great for a breakup whether you're a celebrity or regular Joe.
Fortunately, there's no shortage of distractions to keep Jen occupied.
She’s currently working with Reese Witherspoon on a morning show TV series, and she spent the summer working on a Netflix movie called Murder Mystery. "She's happy to be back to work," says a source to E!. We are also to see how she fairs in a musical comedy called Dumplin' this year, and of course there are likely many more projects coming her way.
18 She Spent Some Time In Canada
While filming Murder Mystery with Adam Sandler, Jen spent the summer in Canada. It probably also allowed her some much needed time away from the paparazzi. A source told E! “She really likes it there and has spent weekends in town getting to know the city and hanging out with friends." She loves going out for cast dinners as well as checking out the local theatre. It has completely taken her away from her regular routine in L.A., which is probably a good thing. "She's just enjoying the summer in a new city and taking a break from her L.A. life."
17 Justin Wanted A Marriage Like His Parents
For anyone who is lucky enough to have their parents still married by the time they are adults, it’s usually the case that the kids, too expect their marriages to last.
And Justin had great examples in both parents and grandparents who stayed committed to each other over the years.
“My grandparents were together for over 50 years. My grandfather used to write one sentence every day in his journal: "I love Anne more than ever today." I think that was his meditation - keeping him in his marriage, and also his appreciation for it. It was very touching.'”
16 The Paparazzi Helped With Their Breakup
It was hard for Theroux, who is considered to be a hipster, to deal with the constant photographing of his wife. A source told ETOnline, “He really wanted her to be comfortable [in New York. He even negotiated with the paps to make a deal that they would only shoot her once per day and then leave her alone. He also agreed to move out of his apartment, which he loves.” His neighbors gave him a hard time to because the paparazzi would camp out in front of their house to get pictures of Jen.It's said that because of this, said neighbors covered Justin's beloved motorcycle with bits of Bologna one day in an act of protest.
15 It Was Like Ripping Off A Band-Aid For Jen
Or at least it seems like that anyway. Every time poor Jen goes through a break up the media labels her as a spinster. They talk as if this talented woman is going to become the next neighborhood cat lady.
Aniston has had to set the record straight on more than one occasion, stating that she is fine and not going to fall apart over a breakup.
And seriously if she survived losing Brad Pitt, this girl can do anything. She told InStyle magazine this year, "the misconceptions are 'Jen can’t keep a man,' and 'Jen refuses to have a baby because she’s selfish and committed to her career.' Or that I’m sad and heartbroken. First, with all due respect, I’m not heartbroken."
14 Aniston Has Struggled With Infertility
It has been rumored that one of the reasons for the split could have had something to do with infertility issues. Aniston confirmed her struggles with infertility and the assumptions people make that she doesn’t want to have kids during an interview with InStyle. “Those are reckless assumptions. No one knows what's going on behind closed doors. No one considers how sensitive that might be for my partner and me. They don't know what I've been through medically or emotionally." She added, "There is a pressure on women to be mothers, and if they are not, then they're deemed damaged goods. [But]... Maybe I have other things I'm supposed to do?"
13 She’s Up For A Friends Reboot
With all the reboots going on right now, we could very likely end up with a Friends reboot. How fun would that be?
We would get to see where our favorite characters ended up in their lives.
Phoebe’s children would be adults and so much more would have happened in the past 15 years. “Courteney and Lisa and I talk about it,” Aniston said. “I fantasize about it. It really was the greatest job I ever had. I don’t know what it would look like today, but you never know. So many shows are being successfully rebooted.”
12 Justin Dating Emma Stone
Rumors have been going on now for months about Justin and Emma Stone dating because they have been seen leaving events together as well as vacationing together. In May the two were photographed together in France, which seems like a pretty major vacation for two friends to take together. But so far, they aren’t admitting to anything, probably because it would be super awkward considering Emma Stone and Jennifer Aniston were friends at one point. Justin likes to post pictures of him and Emma with captions like, “Bffffffs. And yes. JUST bfffffs."
11 Justin Spotted With A Model
Still living in New York, Justin was spotted walking around the city with model Erika Cardenas. Apparently they're just gym friends, but they did seem to enjoy a stroll through NYC with a coffee in hand and shared a couple of laughs. According to a sourced interviewed by E! News, Justin is "trying to keep himself around friends a lot more than he used to" and that he's "not at home thinking about his divorce."
10 Justin Was Heartbroken Over The Breakup
Although Aniston made it clear after the breakup that she wasn’t broken-hearted at all, Theroux felt completely different. He felt that the end of his marriage was “heartbreaking.”
One thing that he really regrets is that the friendship that the two shared will never be the same.
Of course, he's not exactly wallowing in the pain either, saying, “Only in the sense that the friendship would not be the same, as far as just the day to day. But the friendship is shifting and changing, you know, so that part is something that we’re both very proud of."
9 She Realized Her Marriage Wasn’t Good For Her
Since her split with Brad Pitt, Aniston has learned a lot about relationships and what she wants for her life. That may be why it appeared as if she got out of her relationship with Justin Theroux unscathed. “Is your life more fulfilled with this person in it, than if they're not in it?" she explained to Entertainment Tonight. "It's very simple -- they add to it or they detract from it." She went on to state something very telling, "If you're starting to feel exhausted every day or just like, 'This is not fun,' see ya later," she added.
8 They Were Too Different From Each Other
Aniston and Theroux met on the set of Wanderlust where the two worked together. They fell in love quickly and despite the fact that everyone in their lives knew they were really different, they went ahead with their relationship.
But it may have been those differences that tore them apart in the end.
A Source told E! that the two actors "fell in love hard and fast and yet they were never really suited to one another," adding, "He was a New York hipster that loved the alternative lifestyle and Jennifer was living a much more reclusive life when they first started to fall in love."
7 Theroux Felt Like He Was Becoming A House Cat
It sounds kind of funny, but the reason Theroux wanted to stay in New York was that the publicity was over the top for him in Los Angeles because everyone wanted to photograph Jen. "Life there is a very gate-to-gate, garage-to-garage, car-to-car, and that's just for anybody," Theroux told the New York Times about Los Angeles. "There is this kind of hermetic seal that's placed around you." "For me, at least, it can very quickly turn you into a house cat," he added, "in that you're perceiving what's going on around you through panes of glass: your windshield, your driver's side door, your rearview mirror."
6 She’s Casually Dating
Aniston is smart enough at this point not to be photographed with someone else while on vacation. It has been rumored that she is casually dating but not looking for anything serious.
Despite what fans are hoping for, it’s unlikely that she will be dating Brad Pitt again.
"Rekindling is not even a conversation. She has always thought that chapter is sealed and so far in the past." Us Weekly has discovered two potential suitors, however, defining them as a tech titan recently split from his wife and "an industry creative she met when they started working on a project together."
5 She Doesn’t Want To Date Another Celebrity
Who can blame her at this point? There are a ton of successful relationships with celebrities who have married a non-famous person. Look at Matt Damon as just one example. More celebrities are opting out of dating high profile people because it’s ending in disaster. A source told E! "She would like to date a non-actor and see where it goes." But Aniston isn’t rushing anything. “She's a bit wary of dating in general," notes the source, "and really wants to take her time getting to know people. Jen's all about hanging out with friends right now that she trusts and is comfortable with."
4 The Split Is Nothing Like Pitt’s
Aniston’s split from Pitt was brutal, mainly because he moved on rather quickly with Angelina Jolie (after denying they were an item) and then publicly had a family photo shoot with her and her son almost immediately after his split from Aniston.
In short, Pitt was cold as ice, and Justin's not.
"This was not like [her divorce from] Brad [Pitt], where it was heart wrenching and messy," the source shared with ET. "This was a clean split between two people who realized marriage wasn't for them, but can still be in each other's lives, to some extent." "You won't see Jen and Justin avoiding each other at events like she and Brad did," the source added.
3 Courteney Helped Her Immensely
The friendship between Courteney Cox and Aniston is intense and deep. Cox has helped Aniston through multiple breakups. She has even allowed her to sleep at her house to avoid the press during a breakup. "There's absolutely no judgment in Court," she explained to More. "You'll never feel scolded. She's extremely fair, ridiculously loyal and fiercely loving." The true Friend has an open-door policy as well. "I've slept in her guest bedroom a lot," Aniston admitted. "Without giving away too much of my private stuff, all I can say is she's been there for me through thick and thin."
2 She Is Determined To Be Strong
The one thing that we love most about Aniston is the fact that she’s not willing to be a wounded bird after a breakup.
She has stated how unfair it is that women get labeled as the losers during a breakup.
"When a couple breaks up in Hollywood, it's the woman who is scorned. The woman is left sad and alone. She's the failure... When was the last time you read about a divorced, childless man referred to as a spinster?" And she's got a point there! Jen has always been on the receiving end of pity post-relationship, and it's totally not fair.
1 Aniston Is Spending Time With Friends
Jen has spent the better part of the year reconnecting with friends and keeping her mind off the breakup. She went to Tahiti to be part of her friend Molly McNearney’s (Jimmy Kimmel’s wife) 40th birthday. She also went to Kimmel’s L.A. bash as well. "It was a relaxing week of yoga, paddle boarding, tanning on the beach and boat trips," says an insider, adding that throughout the getaway Aniston "seemed relaxed and at ease." Connecting with friends is the best thing she can do right now, and it helps that they're mostly celebs who understand her lifestyle, too.
Sources: Extra TV, Daily Mail UK, Toronto Sun, Hello Magazine, PopSugar
