Jennifer Aniston And Justin Theroux Are Friendly After Split. He Explains Why He Normally Won’t Talk Publicly About His Ex

Justin Theroux and Jennifer Aniston
(Image credit: Apple TV+/Netflix)

After two years of marriage and seven years together Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux split up in 2018. However, even though their marriage is over, it doesn’t mean their friendship ended. Now, The Mosquito Coast actor has shared that he and his ex-wife are on friendly terms with each other, and he explained why his lips are sealed when it comes to publicly talking about her.

While JustinTheroux does not talk much about Jennifer Aniston, in a recent interview he briefly opened up about his relationship with her.  During an interview with Esquire, the 51-year-old actor spoke about how he would prefer to be in platonic communication with Aniston, and would rather not speak publically about her. The actor explained:

There’s something to, once you’re out of that, where I want all of my relationships to exist within the four walls of whatever room we’re in. And I’m not trying to be evasive, but I talk to Jen—I don’t talk about Jen. People will always want to gossip and say things, but you have to find that balance. And having been in a public relationship, it’s much more fun not being in a public relationship. Me saying anything, even if it was something loving, it would just turn into a thing. So it’s a classic no-comment situation for me.

I give this Emmy Award winner a lot of credit for that. There have been a number of rocky relationships in Hollywood that have ended with an ugly public fallout. Thankfully, this ex-couple would prefer to be on good terms with each other. 

They first met working together on the comedy Wanderlust, which is a movie about a married couple who find themselves on a hippie commune run by Theroux’s character, Seth. Then in 2012, Theroux proposed to Jennifer Aniston on his 41st birthday which left the Friends star in tears right after. He decided to keep his proposal “simple” by asking for her hand in marriage during a lunch date in Greenwich Village. 

Unfortunately, it was reported back in 2018 that Aniston and Theroux’s marriage ended. There was a rumor that one big reason for the Wanderlust co-stars' split was because the Meet the Millers actress wanted to stay in L.A., while her Wanderlust co-star wanted to stay in New York. Theroux, on the other hand, said that the real reason for the divorce was much more complex than that. However, the Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle actor shared his take on their break up in 2021, addressing the rumors about him and Aniston, and making it clear they're still friends, he said:

I would say we’ve remained friends. We don’t talk every day, but we call each other. We FaceTime. We text. Like it or not, we didn’t have that dramatic split, and we love each other. I’m sincere when I say that I cherish our friendship. We can not be together and still bring each other joy and friendship. Also, she makes me laugh very, very hard. She’s a hilarious person. It would be a loss if we weren’t in contact, for me personally. And I’d like to think the same for her.

This proves how much Justin Theroux really cares about his ex-wife, and he's continued to do so by doing things like wishing her well on her 52nd birthday in 2021. When the actor spoke before about their “painless” breakup, the Rock of Ages writer said there was no animosity between them, and they have been navigating their shifting friendship outside of marriage. With no bad blood between these two, it definitely makes their friendship a lot easier to maintain.

I give Justin Theroux a lot of respect for wanting to keep Jennifer Aniston’s name out of public interviews (except, of course, to say that he won’t be talking about her). It appears he’s followed the advice that Jason Bateman once gave him about not caring what the headlines say. 

Keep up to date with our 2023 movie releases and 2023 TV schedule to follow what films are next for both Justin Theroux and Jennifer Aniston.

Carly Levy
Entertainment Writer

Just your average South Floridian cinephile who believes the pen is mightier than the sword.