Skip to main contentSkip to footer

Jennifer Aniston discusses marriage and family 'resentment' following parents' divorce

The Friends actress' parents got divorced when she was nine

jennifer aniston
Nichola Murphy
Deputy Lifestyle Editor
Share this:

Jennifer Aniston has spoken out about the impact her parents' divorce had on her and why she doesn't have "any interest" in marriage.

READ: 20 failed celebrity engagements: Jennifer Lopez, Perrie Edwards and more

The candid confessions came as part of the Friends actress' interview with Allure, in which she opened up about her family life. She was raised by Days of Our Lives actor John Aniston and The Ice House star Nancy Dow who divorced when she was nine. 

WATCH: Jennifer Aniston pays emotional tribute to her father as she makes surprise apprearance

While her father went on to marry his second wife Sherry Rooney in 1984, her mother "never let go" of her "toxic" resentment. Jennifer said she learnt from her mother's mistakes, telling Allure: "I forgave my mom. I forgave my father. I've forgiven my family."

She explained: "I think my mom's divorce really screwed her up. Back in that generation it wasn’t like, 'Go to therapy, talk to somebody. Why don't you start microdosing?' You're going through life and picking up your child with tears on your face and you don't have any help."

MORE: 11 royal couples who have divorced

RELATED: Inside Princess Anne's love story with Timothy Laurence: From personal letters to winter wedding

jennifers mother nancy© Photo: Rex

Jennifer Aniston's mother Nancy (pictured) and father John divorced when she was nine

The actress said of her mother's reaction to the breakdown of her 15-year marriage: "It's toxic to have that resentment, that anger. I learned that by watching my mom never let go of it. I remember saying, 'Thank you for showing me what never to be.'"

Despite her parents' split, it didn't put Jennifer off marriage. She tied the knot with Brad Pitt in 2000 before they went their separate ways in 2005, and she married her second husband Justin Theroux in 2015, but they split in 2017.

justin theroux jennifer

Jennifer Aniston and her second husband Justin were married from 2015 to 2017

During her latest interview, Jennifer explained that she had previously hoped to start a family, but she doesn't have "any interest" in walking down the aisle again. 

On the prospect of her dating again, she added: "Who knows? There are moments I want to just crawl up in a ball and say, 'I need support.' It would be wonderful to come home and fall into somebody's arms and say, 'That was a tough day.'"

READ: Jennifer Aniston's ex-husband reacts after Friends star reveals fertility struggles

Read more HELLO! US stories here

Planning your wedding? Sign up to HELLO!’s Bride Guide newsletter for expert advice, budget help, wedding inspiration and real life stories delivered straight to your inbox.

More Weddings

See more