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The day Jen Fans lost their minds

Hair today, just friends tomorrow as Aniston and Pitt call it quits

RICHARD GRAY

IN HOLLYWOOD a marriage is a success if it outlasts the milk, the comedian Rita Rudner once said.

But after four and a half years, Tinseltown’s golden couple Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston finally admitted their nuptials had turned sour and announced their marriage was over.

In a joint statement yesterday, the couple said they had decided to split but insisted they remained “committed and caring friends”.

Rumours about their dream match coming to an end were sparked when Aniston was photographed in Los Angeles without her wedding ring.

The marriage was said to be under pressure after Pitt announced he wanted to have children.

The 41-year-old actor’s career has faltered in recent years, including last year’s movie Troy, which was panned by the critics and performed badly at the box office.

Meanwhile, Aniston’s career has continued to flourish since the hit series Friends came to an end last year. She was recently voted one of the most powerful women in Hollywood by Forbes magazine, and had scored a number of hits including the romantic comedy Along Came Polly.

Dr Carole Lieberman, a Beverly Hills psychiatrist, believes Aniston’s bid to build her career was at odds with Pitt’s desire to have a family.

“She seems to have felt driven to prove herself all over again now in the movies,” she said.

“This insecurity about her career and her acting, and whether she’s going to be a star, is what has made her frightened.”

Last week the couple were spotted kissing and holding hands on a beach on the Caribbean island of Anguilla with friends Courtney Cox and David Arquette.

But the couple’s agents released a joint statement yesterday, confirming the pair have separated. They refused to comment on whether they would be seeking a divorce.

“We would like to announce that after seven years together we have decided to formally separate,” the statement said.

“For those who follow these sorts of things, we would like to explain that our separation is not the result of any of the speculation reported by the tabloid media. This decision is the result of much thoughtful consideration. We happily remain committed and caring friends with great love and admiration for one another. We ask in advance for your kindness and sensitivity in the coming months.”

Pitt, who has starred in hit films such as Ocean’s Eleven and Fight Club, met Aniston, 35, in 1998 when they were set up on a blind dinner date by mutual friends.

Their relationship became one of Hollywood’s hottest romances. In July 2000, the couple wed at a star-studded ceremony overlooking the Pacific Ocean Malibu, California.

More than 200 guests, including actress Cameron Diaz and Aniston’s Friends co-stars, attended the $1m seaside wedding, which saw 50,000 flowers scattered around the guests, four bands and a spectacular fireworks finale.

The couple moved into a $14m French provincial-style mansion in Beverly Hills last year after spending two years renovating the 12,000sq ft complex. Aniston called their home “our sanctuary”.

In an interview last May, Pitt described his marriage to Aniston as “an extraordinary friendship”.

He said: “Jen and I always made a pact, that we’ll see where this relationship is going. I’m not sure it really is in our nature to be with someone for the rest of our lives just because you made this pact.”

They emerged as the silver screen’s most powerful pair after Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman split up in 2001.

The couple were often said to be trying for a baby, but Aniston insisted she wanted to wait for her role in Friends to come to an end. In 2002, Aniston said she and Pitt were looking forward to starting a family. “Absolutely it will happen, but probably not for a while,” she said at the time.

But the pressure of their hectic work schedules, which often saw them on opposites sides of the globe, put their relationship under pressure.

Rumours about Pitt’s relationship with his co-stars, such as smouldering actress Angelina Jolie on the set of their film Mr and Mrs Smith, added extra strain.

Pitt had also became increasingly broody and even had a nursery built in their Beverly Hills mansion ready for an infant. In one interview he said: “I finally think I’m at a place where I won’t mess a kid up too much. I want little versions of Jennifer. It’s my dream.”

But Aniston’s heavy work schedule left little time for motherhood in the next three years. And in a later magazine interview Pitt hinted at the troubles brewing.

He said: “There is so much pressure from day one to be with someone forever, and I’m not sure if it really is in our nature to be with someone for the rest of our lives.”

The announcement devastated millions of fans who had hoped to see a Pitt or Aniston junior. Fans around the globe expressed their grief on chatrooms and websites, with messages for the couple.

One fan on a chat room about Pitt said: “This is so sad, I never thought they’d split.”

Another site dedicated to Aniston, JenFan, posted the message: “It’s official. I am sad to hear this news and I wish Jennifer and Brad both the best in the near future.”

Another Aniston fan told a website: “I no longer believe in fairytales. If these guys can’t make it, who can?”

The split will also lead to speculation about their joint owned production company Plan B Productions, which has helped turn them into one of Hollywood’s most influential couples.

Aniston, the daughter of veteran TV soap star John Aniston, has also starred in several movies including Bruce Almighty and My Best Friend’s Wedding. But it was on the hit TV series Friends that Aniston become a household name and was regularly voted among the world’s sexiest women. Even her hairstyle led to millions of women around the world flocking to their hairdressers looking for “a Rachel”.

Aniston was also recently named the planet’s most powerful star by Forbes magazine, earning more media coverage than any other celebrity.

In contrast, Pitt’s star status has been on the slide following recent box-office flops like Troy.

Pitt found fame after his cameo appearance in Thelma and Louise led to a string of hit movie roles. Together with George Clooney and Matt Damon, he became one of Hollywood’s hottest stars and was voted Most Sexy Actor Alive.

Meanwhile, Aniston’s career has continued to flourish since the hit series Friends came to an end last year. She was recently voted one of the most powerful women in Hollywood by Forbes magazine, and had scored a number of hits including the romantic comedy Along Came Polly.

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A number of hits? I must have been in a coma around that time.

865 | QQQQ | - Hi 4Q, they are down 35-0 or something like that, it is very embarassing to watch, so am not watching the game anymore.

868 | Nona…..ditto….when that happened…career flourishing???…. :lol:

868 | Nona | You and me both, where was I when she was flourishing and BTW where is she now. Ohhhh I am sure she has so many new movie deals and the producers are knocking her door down begging for her to be in their movies :lol:

Is anybody having problems with posting a post? It is so slow, its taking me forever to post a post

Is anybody having problems with posting a post? It is so slow, its taking me forever to post a post

877 | Alexanderina|

Yes, it is quite slow today.

878 | CLINIQUA | They made it seem as if Brad had constant flops, but he didn’t do anything after O11, he took 2 yrs off, then his next movie was Troy… The move did over 400,000 ww. so how was that a flop

Hi Ladies!!! Gosh, some catching up to do.

I am sure the heaven gates can’t wait for your arriaval ……
848 | guli | 09/24/06 4:54 PM
++++++++++++++++++++

I doubt those at the “pearly gates” are waiting for this clown’s arrival with baited breath! He or she is probably going to be tossed into the ‘burning inferno’ on the other side with no questions asked:)

886 | African Girl | ITA AG, sure there has to be the fundemantal education interaction with other kids etc. But as my kids were growing up I noticed that most parents expected the teachers and the school to do all the work for their kids education, most of them never even looked at the books the teachers were using to educate their kids. I disagree with that thinking completely. If you chose to have a child, it is YOUR responsibilty to be involved with their education from day one…Anyhoo, I just wanted to say hi and that I agree ….

881 | QQQQ | - Because the man who wrote the story is an idiot. Did you see that he even went in chat rooms to get info for his story