Jennifer Aniston Separates From Husband Justin Theroux After 2.5 Years; Twitter Blames Brad Pitt!

Updated : February 16, 2018 09:31 AM IST

Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux are separating after two and a half years of marriage. The couple said Thursday in a statement to The Associated Press released through a publicist that the decision to split “was mutual and lovingly made at the end of last year.”

The couple said they are making the announcement publicly “in an effort to reduce any further speculation.”

“Normally we would do this privately, but given that the gossip industry cannot resist an opportunity to speculate and invent, we wanted to convey the truth directly,” they said in the statement released by Aniston’s longtime publicist, Stephen Huvane. “Whatever else is printed about us that is not directly from us, is someone else’s fictional narrative. Above all, we are determined to maintain the deep respect and love that we have for one another.”

Aniston and Theroux were engaged in August of 2012 and married in August of 2015. They have no children.

The two worked together on 2012’s Wanderlust, in which she starred.

They said they are “two best friends who have decided to part ways as a couple, but look forward to continuing our cherished friendship.”

Theroux, 46, had a small role in Star Wars: The Last Jedi and has several films slated for release this year, including Netflix’s Mute out this month. His writing credits include Tropic Thunder, Iron Man 2 and Zoolander 2.

Theroux said in an interview earlier this week that he and Aniston were not together on her Feb. 11 birthday, and he would not be spending Valentine’s Day with her.

Aniston, 49, is featured on the cover of the current issue of Architectural Digest with a story about the “pure domestic bliss” of the Beverly Hills, California, home she shared with Theroux. Known as much for her style and stalwart acting career as she is for being a tabloid target, Aniston was previously married to Brad Pitt from 2000 to 2005.

Aniston denounced tabloid culture in a 2016 op-ed, saying she “has worked too hard in this life and this career to be whittled down to a sad, childless human.”

Aniston rose to fame on TV’s Friends and has appeared in such films as Horrible Bosses, Office Christmas Party, Cake and Marley & Me.

She was earlier married to actor Brad Pitt, who later got married to actor Angelina Jolie. Brad and Angelina called it quits in September 2016, making it one of the biggest and most talked about divorce in the movie world. When Brad and Jennifer announced separation, their fandoms were divided into Team Aniston and Team Jolie, supporting their favourite stars. With Jennifer’s separation from Justin, fans on Twitter are suspecting Brad may be to blame.

Brad Pitt about to drive by Jennifer's house like...#JenniferAniston pic.twitter.com/TRNL9LQaq7
— Jackie (@Jackieannroth) February 15, 2018