It's a pity, but perhaps not that surprising.
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Jennifer Aniston, Brad Pitt announce split
Sat Jan 8,12:08 PM ET
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Hollywood's golden couple Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston have reportedly formally separated after four and a half years of marriage.
"We would like to announce that after seven years together we have decided to formally separate," People magazine reported the two said in a joint statement.
"For those who follow these sorts of things, we would like to explain that our separation is not the result of any of the speculation reported by the tabloid media. This decision is the result of much thoughtful consideration.
"We happily remain committed and caring friends with great love and admiration for one another."
Representatives for the two actors declined to comment further. There was no word on whether the couple plans a divorce.
Pitt, 41, and Aniston, 35, married in a lavish oceanside ceremony in July 2000 after meeting in 1998.
Some 200 people attended the party, featuring 50,000 flowers, four bands, a gospel choir and fireworks -- and a one-million-dollar price tag, according to reports.
In ensuing years, Brad and Jen seemed like a rock of stability amid the ephemera of Hollywood hook-ups like "Bennifer," actor Ben Affleck and songstress Jennifer Lopez.
The couple, long rumoured to be hoping for a baby, had recently been on the rocks, according to the gossip magazines, which linked Pitt to Angelina Jolie, his co-star in the thriller "Mr and Mrs Smith," due out in June.
Aniston was later photographed in public without her wedding ring, People said.
But the couple spent New Year's together on the Caribbean island of Anguilla with former "Friends" costar Courteney Cox and her husband David Arquette.
Aniston became one of America's most recognizable stars for her role in the hit television sitcom "Friends" which finally went off air in 2004 after a ten-year run. She won a Golden Globe and an Emmy for her portrayal of Rachel Green on the show.
Post "Friends," her career appeared headed for a healthy transition, as she has several movie projects in the works. Her last hit film, "Along Came Polly," a comedy co-starring Ben Stiller, grossed 86 million dollars in the United States.
Forbes magazine named her the most powerful star on the planet in 2003 in its annual "Celebrity 100" list. In 2002, she made 35 million dollars, according to Forbes.
Her marriage to Hollywood heartthrob Pitt seemed yet another star in her crown as she rose to the heights of stardom. His fame preceded hers, dating to his 1991 appearance in "Thelma and Louise." The veteran actor most recently starred in "Ocean's 12" and "Troy."
The two celebrities have repeatedly been named among America's "most beautiful people" and the "hottest Hollywood couples" by People and other media outlets that compile such lists.
Their July 29, 2000 wedding was a first marriage for both. Pitt was briefly engaged to actress Gwyneth Paltrow in 1996-1997, and dated a string of beautiful actresses and models before giving up his status as one of Hollywood's hottest bachelors at the age of 36.
Aniston was formerly linked to actor Tate Donovan.