Over the years, Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon have shared a long-standing, close friendship that blossomed both on and off-screen. The two first worked together on FRIENDS, where the Legally Blonde star played Rachel Green’s younger sister, Jill. Although their on-screen personas often bumped heads, the collaboration sparked a bond that has only grown stronger over the years. In fact, their friendship was further solidified when they reunited on The Morning Show, a hit series in which they both star and serve as executive producers.
Aniston and Witherspoon have often expressed admiration for one another, celebrating each other’s achievements and offering support both personally and professionally. However, it looks like their relationship has recently hit a rough patch.
Jennifer Aniston feels slighted by Reese Witherspoon
Back in 2000, the world got to see Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon share the spotlight for the first time. With the 48-year-old guest-starring in two episodes of the sixth season of FRIENDS, they wound up carrying that bond into their personal lives. After all, they even planned to create a safe space for women and came up with The Morning Show. However, after everything they have been through, a source recently told Life&Style magazine that there was some friction in their friendship.
When Reese got divorced, she was really lonely and Jen went out of her way to include her in her life. She was totally there for her and felt they’d become true friends.
However, ever since Witherspoon met her now boyfriend, the German financier, Oliver Haarmann, the dynamic in their friendship shifted. In fact, the sudden switch-up had left Aniston feeling extremely hurt. The insider added, “Now that Reese isn’t single, she’s acting like she no longer has any use for Jen, it’s very hurtful and has her nose out of joint.”
With Witherspoon continuing to live her best life with her new beau and focusing on her friendship with Nicole Kidman, it looks like Aniston has taken a back seat. However, there is no doubt that the 55-year-old reaction to the sudden switch is genuine. After all, she even revealed that she had considered the younger star like family.
Jennifer Aniston viewed Reese Witherspoon as part of her family
Throughout their 20-plus-year friendship, Jennifer Aniston has often expressed her deep affection for Reese Witherspoon, considering her more than just a co-star or friend. In fact, when the FRIENDS star presented her co-star with the American Cinematheque Award in 2015, she ended up shining a light on their friendship. According to reports from InStyle, the Bruce Almighty star had always considered the 48-year-old to be more family than just a friend.
Even before Reese played my lovely, albeit somewhat spoiled, sister Jill, she somehow felt like family to me. Reese’s amazing talent, both professionally and personally, has long made her a very strong and welcome presence in my life—and I’m sure in many people’s lives in this room.
In another interview with Variety, Aniston continued to praise her friendship with Witherspoon and even shone a light on how close they were. She stated, “We’re partners. We’re friends. We’re girlfriends. We share all sorts of heartbreaks in life and love and everything.” Although that might have been the case once, it looks like things have been changing between the two iconic stars.
With the fourth season of their series, The Morning Show set to release later next year, Aniston and Witherspoon will have to spend a lot of time together. Hopefully, the stars will manage to work things out the kinks in their friendship by then.
Stream NBC’s FRIENDS on Netflix and The Morning Show on Apple TV+.
