Jennifer Aniston was reportedly the last one to sign with HBO Max’s highly anticipated Friends: The Reunion, which aired in May 2021. The documentary saw the reunion of the iconic cast of Friends as they revisited the sets and their decade's worth of memories on the legendary sitcom.
Aniston, 51, despite her great dynamic with the cast, was apparently unsure about the reunion. It is rumored that her ex-husband, Brad Pitt, convinced her to sign the deal. A Hollywood insider told Closer Magazine at the time that the Friends alum had asked him for “advice” when they reunited for her birthday in 2019. He felt it was a good opportunity to “honor” their TV success.
“He advised her to say ‘yes’ when everyone got together in October to celebrate the show’s 25th anniversary,” the insider revealed. The 60-year-old actor reportedly suggested that it was the right time to reunite with her Friends co-stars, further encouraging a “change of heart.”
Although it’s worth considering why Aniston would not have wanted to be on board for the official Friends reunion fans had been long waiting for. The rest of the cast were evidently thrilled as they announced the news on their social media.
However, a source close to the Bullet Train star debunked the rumors as “not true.” They told The Sun that Pitt had “no role” in persuading Aniston to appear on Friends: The Reunion. In 2001, Pitt guest appeared on Friends while he and Aniston were dating for the episode The One with the Rumor.
The HBO Max special was filmed 15 years after Friends aired its season finale, The Last One, in May 2004. Jennifer Aniston reportedly earned USD 5 million from the reunion documentary film.
Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt crawled back to the headlines following their friendly exchange at the 2020 SAG Awards. The former couple were photographed sharing a hug and a brief chat as they stood in close proximity. The snap that went viral on social media and sensationalized the duo featured Pitt clutching onto Jen’s hand while they grinned ear-to-ear.
The instance sparked rumors about an alleged rekindled romance but the Emmy winner was quick to dismiss it in her red-carpet interview. She deemed it “hysterical” while the media was cashing in on the two A-listers, reminiscent of their messy 2005 divorce. "But what else are they [the media] going to talk about?" Aniston quipped then.
Aniston and Pitt won awards for The Morning Show and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood at the SAG Awards. The former couple also reunited at the Golden Globe Awards.
Once Hollywood’s hottest couple, they tied the knot in 2000 but divorced five years later amid rumors of an affair with Angelina Jolie. Then, Pitt was filming Mr. & Mrs. Smith with Jolie as his co-star, whom he later married in 2014.
Whereas, Jennifer Aniston moved on with actor Vince Vaughn before exchanging vows with producer Justin Theroux in 2015. Both Aniston and Pitt are now divorced from their respective spouses.
Friends: The Reunion is available to stream on HBO Max.
