Brad Pitt 'Fought' Attraction to Angelina Jolie Before Divorcing Jennifer Aniston

Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston's highly publicized split captivated the world, but there's more to their story than many realized. The couple that got hitched in 2000 had their fairytale beginning came to an end in 2005. Before Pitt and Aniston's split, the Troy actor made a significant disclosure to Aniston regarding Angelina Jolie. In the midst of rumors, public perception often portrayed Aniston as the aggrieved party, setting up a perceived rivalry between her and Jolie.

However, according to Aniston's confidante and Friends co-star, Courteney Cox, Aniston was aware of underlying tensions between her husband and the Salt star. Cox shared that she got a whiff that not everything was going well between the married couple. In an exclusive word with Vanity Fair, she said, "I don’t think he started an affair physically, but I think he was attracted to her. There was a connection, and he was honest about that with Jen. Most of the time, when people are attracted to other people, they don’t tell. At least he was honest about it. It was an attraction that he fought for a period of time."

After the pair separated their ways they shared a joint statement for their fans, that read, "We would like to announce that after seven years together we have decided to formally separate," in January 2005. "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," it further stated.

According to Mirror, Aniston revisited this portion of her later when she shared, "It’s just complicated… You’re two people continually evolving, and there will be times when those changes clash. There are all these levels of growth – and when you stop growing together, that’s when the problems happen." 

Despite the circumstances, it appears that Aniston hasn't held onto any resentment. Reportedly, she faced challenges after the conclusion of Friends in 2004, with insiders suggesting that Pitt, preoccupied with filming alongside Jolie, was not as present for her during that period. In an exclusive word with ET Online Aniston stated, "I think it’s time people stop with that petty B.S. and just start celebrating great work and stop with the petty kind of silliness. I think that’s slowly coming to an end. I really do. It’s just tiresome and old. It’s like an old leather shoe. Let’s buy a new pair of shiny shoes." 

Pitt and Jolie initially met on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, where their on-screen chemistry translated into a real-life romance. Their relationship developed shortly after, culminating in marriage in 2014, but they filed for divorce just two years later. Their union became public knowledge after they went public with their relationship.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on May 18, 2024. It has since been updated.