It’s been a long time since Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt were Hollywood’s golden couple, but seeing them both at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday made it feel like 2002 all over again. The exes, who were married from 2000 to 2005, crossed paths while backstage at the show and were snapped greeting each other and sharing a hug before Jennifer breathlessly brushed past Brad in a very casual, cool-girl, “Well, I’ll catch you later!” type of way. Vivien Killilea Best, a photographer who captured the moment, revealed that she heard “a familiar voice” (Brad Pitt’s!) yelling, “Aniston! ANISTON!” The importance of this sweet moment – and the fact that Brad called her by her last name – is not lost on me for a second.
Brad arrived at the SAG Awards in a slick black suit and sunglasses, while Jennifer switched things up in a ’90s-chic white silk gown. Both actors took home trophies during the show – Brad for his role as Cliff Booth in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Jen for her performance in the Apple TV+ series The Morning Show. During Brad’s acceptance speech he made a reference to not “getting along with his wife,” and cameras couldn’t help but cut to Jennifer’s seemingly charmed reaction. While Jen was on stage giving her own acceptance speech, Brad was photographed watching her give thanks. Maybe we do deserve nice things.
Despite their past, Brad and Jen have been rebuilding their friendship for a few years. Brad showed up to Jen’s 50th birthday party last year – which also brought out another of his exes, Gwyneth Paltrow – and was reportedly seen arriving at her LA home for a Christmas party in December.
It was rumoured that Brad reached out to Jen after his split from Angelina Jolie in 2017 and that the two bonded even more after Jen’s divorce from Justin Theroux a year later. “Jen wouldn’t consider being with Brad in a romantic way,” it was reported in 2018.
Let’s do our best to enjoy this nostalgic reunion without reading too much into it. But, you know . . . still enjoy it.
