Jennifer Aniston had to walk off Friends reunion over reminders of ‘hardest time of her life’ amid Brad Pitt split

Jennifer Aniston recalled being reminded of ”hardest time of her life’ during Friends reunion (Picture: Getty)

Jennifer Aniston has opened up about the hidden emotions from the Friends reunion, and how it stirred up reminders of the ‘hardest time of her life’.

The 52-year-old played Rachel Green in the sitcom alongside adored co-stars Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt Le Blanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer, before it ended in 2004.

However, her personal life imploded soon after when she divorced ex-husband Brad Pitt the next year, with the fall-out from their public split making headlines around the world.

In a candid new interview, the actress detailed how ‘naïve’ she was about the much-publicized reunion with her castmates, and how surprised she was by ‘jarring’ moments behind the scenes that reminded her of her lowest moments.

Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter, she admitted that she ‘walked out’ in unaired scenes when her emotions became too much.

‘We really did have so much fun together,’ she told the publication. ‘I think we were just so naive walking into it, thinking, “How fun is this going to be? They’re putting the sets back together, exactly as they were.” Then you get there and it’s like, “Oh right, I hadn’t thought about what was going on the last time I was actually here.”

The Friends reunion aired earlier this year (Picture: HBO Max)

Jennifer and Brad announced their divorce shortly after Friends ended (Picture: WireImage)

‘And it just took me by surprise because it was like, “Hi, past, remember me? Remember how that sucked? You thought everything was in front of you and life was going to be just gorgeous and then you went through maybe the hardest time in your life?”

‘It was all very jarring and, of course, you’ve got cameras everywhere and I’m already a little emotionally accessible, I guess you could say, so I had to walk out at certain points. I don’t know how they cut around it.’

Liftin the lid on what she thought her situation would be like after Friends finally ended, Jennifer explained that the expectations on her personal life had ‘shape-shifted’.

But, far from being enveloped in heartbreak, she shared a positive outlook on life, describing it as a ‘blessing’ in some ways.

Jennifer is ‘ready to date again’ after Justin Theroux divorce (Picture: Getty)

‘That was what was jarring, that we all had an idea of what the future was going to be and we were going to go hunker down and focus on this or that and then it all just changed overnight, and that was it,’ she added. ‘But again, everything’s a blessing if you’re able to look at life’s ups and downs in that way. And if it all hadn’t happened, I would not be sitting here the woman that I am.’

Jennifer recently made headlines after she opened up about her love life, revealing that she is now ready to resume dating after her second marriage, to Justin Theroux, ended in divorce.

The Morning Show actress, who has remained highly guarded about her private time, let slip that it’s ‘time’ for her to find love again – although there is no one special at the moment.

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‘I think I’m ready to share myself with another,’ the actress said on the Lunch With Bruce podcast. ‘No-one of importance has hit my radar yet but I think it’s time.

‘I didn’t want to for a long time, and I loved really being my own woman without being a part of a couple.

‘I’ve been a part of a couple since I was 20 so there was something really nice about taking the time.’

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