Justin Theroux breaks silence on 'painless' Jennifer Aniston breakup for the first time

close

Video

Jennifer Aniston, Justin Theroux announce split

Fox411: Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux announced that they've separated after less than three years of marriage.

Justin Theroux has opened up for the first time about his famous split from ex-wife, Jennifer Aniston, seven months after their breakup.

In an interview published on Saturday by the New York Times, the actor candidly discussed what occurred during his breakup with the "Friends" actress.

“The good news is that was probably the most — I’m choosing my words really carefully — it was kind of the most gentle separation, in that there was no animosity,” he told the Times. “In a weird way, just sort of navigating the inevitable perception of it is the exhausting part.”

The famous acting duo were together for almost eight years before announcing their split in February. (Reuters)

Sharing a little bit about what may have created the distance that resulted in the break of the couple's three-year marriage, “These are actually in reality small events that take place. But everything can feel like 10 on the Richter scale if you make the headline big enough and salacious enough.”

Aniston and Theroux, who began dating four years before their 2015 wedding, shocked fans when they annouced their decision to split in February. Both actors kept mum about their break up until the 49-year-old actress opened up in the September issue of InStyle Magazine. 

In the interview, Aniston clarified that while her split from her ex was hard, she was not mourning the relationship.

"It’s pretty crazy. The misconceptions are  ‘Jen can’t keep a man,’ and ‘Jen refuses to have a baby because she’s selfish and committed to her career,'” she said. “Or that I’m sad and heartbroken. First, with all due respect, I’m not heartbroken. And second, those are reckless assumptions. No one knows what’s going on behind closed doors. No one considers how sensitive that might be for my partner and me. They don’t know what I’ve been through medically or emotionally.”

Similar to Aniston's feelings about the split, Theroux said that their breakup didn't leave him devastated.

“Neither one of us is dead, neither one of us is looking to throw hatchets at each other," he clarified. "It’s more like, it’s amicable. It’s boring, but, you know, we respected each other enough that it was as painless as it could be.”

He continued, “It was heartbreaking only in the sense that the friendship would not be the same, as far as just the day to day. But the friendship is shifting and changing, you know, so that part is something that we’re both very proud of.”

When Theroux was asked about his post-split dating life, the actor asked, “Is this the part where I coyly raise an eyebrow and not answer the question?”

At the time of the former couple's split, the actors released a joint statement that read, “In an effort to reduce any further speculation, we have decided to announce our separation. This decision was mutual and lovingly made at the end of last year. We are two best friends who have decided to part ways as a couple, but look forward to continuing our cherished friendship.”

In March, a month after the split, a source told Us Weekly that the two had barely spoken to each other since announcing their separation.

"She wishes the best for Justin," the insider said. "They had some wonderful times together but are better off going in separate directions."