The Real Reason Brad Pitt & Jennifer Aniston Broke Up

Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston were such an iconic couple that people continue to ponder the reason for their 2005 divorce even decades later. The consensus is that the "F1" star cheated on his first wife with his second, fellow megastar Angelina Jolie. After all, the year leading up to Aniston and Pitt's shocking divorce announcement was plagued by rumors that he had developed a romantic connection with his co-star while they were working together on "Mr. and Mrs. Smith."

During a 2006 Vanity Fair interview, the "Friends" alum admitted that she was confused about how her first husband's relationship with the "Maleficent" star evolved into something romantic, while the conflicting stories in the media only muddled her understanding of things further. Despite everything, Aniston still asserted, "I choose to believe my husband." She continued, "At this point, I wouldn't be surprised by anything, but I would much rather choose to believe him." Her longtime friend, and fellow "Friends" alum, Courteney Cox similarly reasoned that the "Babylon" star likely didn't act on his feelings for Jolie while he was still married. 

Moreover, Cox revealed that Pitt had already told his then-wife that he was developing a close bond with his co-star. Even if he didn't cheat on Aniston, his marriage still paid the price of his connection with Jolie since it caused the Oscar winner to grow distant from her and prevented Pitt from emotionally supporting the "Murder Mystery" star. However, when Diane Sawyer questioned the actor about whether his feelings for Jolie had caused his first divorce, Pitt confidently answered: "No" (via YouTube). Notably, there may have been other pressure points in Pitt and Aniston's relationship.

Jennifer Aniston's brutal 6-word description of Brad Pitt explained so much about why their marriage broke down. While discussing her former husband with Vanity Fair, the "Morning Show" star rolled her eyes and disclosed simply, "There's a sensitivity chip that's missing." We witnessed an example of Pitt's insensitivity in real time during a 2011 Parade interview where the actor painted a dreary picture of his 4-year marriage to Aniston by saying, "I wasn't living an interesting life myself. I think that my marriage had something to do with it. Trying to pretend the marriage was something that it wasn't." 

Pitt's remarks gave the impression that he was calling the "Friends" star boring in a way. However, in a statement shared shortly afterward, the Oscar winner clarified that he wasn't throwing shade but rather trying to take accountability for the fact that he "was becoming dull to [himself]," (via Reuters). Regardless of Pitt's intentions, his words served as further proof that their marriage may not have been emotionally fulfilling for either party. 

Additionally, a confidant of the former celebrity couple informed Vanity Fair that they were on different pages about starting a family. While Pitt harbored an "abstract desire" to have children someday, the "We're The Millers" star reportedly saw it as a priority. Likewise, the A-listers could have faced even more friction over how Pitt's stunning transformation into a certified movie star coincided with Aniston's thriving career, leaving them with little time for romance. Although their history is full of ups and downs, Aniston and Pitt's relationship eventually got to a better place years after their divorce.