As Jennifer Aniston gears up to welcome a child, insiders reveal how her ex-husband and close friend, Brad Pitt, is planning to be hands-on
The tantalising pictures of their warm embrace at an awards bash earlier this year sparked a fan frenzy, with yet more speculation last week following reports that Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt had been spending most of their time together during lockdown.
And while rumours continue to swirl about the dynamics of their increasingly close friendship, insiders say actor Brad, 56, is playing a major role in guiding his former wife through her adoption process and on to the next stage, when she brings the child home.
Just last month, Closer revealed how Friends star Jen, 51, was once again considering adopting, only this time with the support of her ex, who has a wealth of experience as a co-parent of six children, three of whom – Maddox, 18, Pax, 16, and 15-year-old Zahara – are adopted.
A source says, “Jen is pushing through with the adoption process, which is both scary and exciting for her. She’s been looking into baby-proofing her Bel Air home, having Zoom meetings with her personal chef about child-friendly foods, and sorting out a play room with art-inspired children’s toys and books.
And while she’s doing it by herself, she’s been keen to involve Brad and get his practical take on what she can expect. He knows first-hand the hurdles you can face as a parent of an adopted child. He’s the closest person to her who has lived through this whole experience and now it could finally be happening at long last, she wants him on board.
“Brad’s been talking through the bonding process, giving her advice on finding a routine and getting some balance in the early days, as well as suggesting books to read and the parenting experts to look out for. He’s said he’ll be on hand to help her whenever he can – be it in person to give her a little break with the baby, or over text in the middle of the night for sleep tips. He’s promised he’ll be there to help and support her.”
Jen previously talked about starting a family with then-husband Brad in the May 2001 issue of Vanity Fair, saying, “I always thought two or three children, but Brad’s definitely seven. He loves the idea of a huge family.”
The couple broke up in 2005, amid rumours he’d grown close to his Mr & Mrs Smith co-star Angelina Jolie, with the pair going on to marry and have six children together. Brad and Jen were reunited at her fiftieth birthday bash last year, following his split from Angelina, 44, in 2016, and Jen’s 2018 divorce from actor Justin Theroux, 48.
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Opening up last year on the subject of children and marriage, Jen admitted she still wasn’t ruling out the idea of having a family of her own, saying, “Who knows what the future holds in terms of a child and a partnership – how that child comes in or doesn’t? And now with science and miracles, we can do things at different times than we used to be able to.”
More recently, it was reported that Jen had been considering adopting a child from a Mexican orphanage last February, with the actress said to have been visiting and quietly supporting the business in Tijuana for almost a decade.
Back in February, when asked what she looked forward to doing this year, she answered, “I hear laughter, I see kids running.”
And pals say that with Hollywood now in lockdown amid the coronavirus outbreak – curtailing shooting of the second season of Jen’s Apple TV series The Morning Show – the star has had plenty of time to prepare and get things in place for the next stage of her life.
The source says, “Being in isolation has meant Jen can clear her schedule and spend time thinking over every aspect of the process with Brad, so that if she does get the go-ahead, she’s prepared. She’s always respected his opinion and has been picking his brains on everything from the legalities to parenting styles.”
After their get-together at Jen’s fiftieth last year, the A-list pair caught the world’s attention again in January when their eyes locked and Brad tenderly held her hand at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, with speculation of a reunion mounting ever since.
And while Brad has been linked to Arrested Development actress Alia Shawkat, insiders say Jen has remained one of his closest confidantes throughout lockdown – and there have even been US reports that the current situation has meant them spending time holed up together in Jen’s LA mansion.
The source adds, “As it stands, they just have a really close friendship – but their mutual pals are still holding out hope that the pair may get back together. Certainly, the adoption process has been a bonding experience and has brought them closer.
"It’s early days, but they’ve even tentatively talked about the idea of co-parenting, should things develop further. Whatever happens, Jen is just grateful to Brad for encouraging and supporting her. It’s largely thanks to him that she’s got this far making her dream a reality.”
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