HOLLYWOOD stunner Jennifer Aniston hits 40 this week and today she kicks off the celebrations with a string of revelations on all the men in her life.
In a sensational interview the Friends legend shares her dreams of having babies soon with her new love rockstar JOHN MAYER—who finally helped mend her broken heart after her failed marriage to BRAD PITT.
Before an early birthday party yesterday Jennifer admitted: “My split with Brad was the hardest thing I ever went through. But it made me strong, superhuman. Now I’m turning 40 and I’m very excited. When they say youth is wasted on the young, it’s so true.
“Oh my God, what I wish I’d known when I was 30!”
And Jennifer openly admitted that when it comes to men she has been right through the catalogue.
“Over the years I’ve gone for each type of man,” she said.
“The rough guy, the nerdy, sweet, lovable type, the slick guy. Men in general are a good thing, I think—as long as they’re not crazy!”
Eager to share her joy at finding new love with John, nine years her junior, Jennifer added: “Being in love makes you happy. Definitely. I deeply, deeply care about John. We talk, we adore one another. And that’s where it is.
Children
“Do I want to have children? I do, and I will. The women who inspire me are the ones who have families and children. Why would I want to limit myself? I want to have it all.
“I hope to be on the road to having a family and settling down. Ideally, I’d like a couple of kids, but who knows? I feel like that’s in my future and I’m on the verge of it in some way. I’m going to have children. I just know it.”
Not only was John at her side yesterday for the birthday bash behind the giant bronze doors of Jennifer’s Thai-inspired Beverly Hills mansion, she was joined by her closest friends including Friends co-star Courteney Cox, 44, and 46-year-old singer Sheryl Crow.
On the big day itself— Wednesday—Jennifer and John will be away on a romantic break. But she splashed a fortune to make the party a success with thousands of white flowers plus special plates and crystal glasses jokily engraved ‘40 is the new 30’!
And Jennifer means it. She revealed the milestone age holds no dread for her and explained: “I had more of a panic going into 30. You realise that it just gets better. I have my health, I have my friends, I have my loved ones. I’m extremely lucky.
“I’m not saying I’m 40. I’m thirty-ten! I don’t feel 40. I don’t know what it means. At this stage my life doesn’t have the traditional framework—the husband, the two kids and the house in Connecticut. It’s MY experience. I feel good. I don’t feel like I’m supposed to be any further along. . . I’m right where I’m supposed to be.”
And she insists that place is right alongside hunky ‘Your Body Is A Wonderland’ singer John, despite his reputation as something of a womaniser. The couple were first linked last April and rumours are rife John may even use Jennnifer’s birthday to propose.
But she coyly refuses to comment on that. Instead she said of her unlikely romance with John: “People need to mind their own business. Did you ever think Claudia Schiffer and David Copperfield made sense? Did Susan Anton and Dudley Moore make sense?“Love isn’t designed. Love just shows up and you go, ‘Wow, this is going to be a ride and a half!’
Loved
“In a man I look for a friend, someone who is an equal and with whom I’m comfortable. I want to be loved, happy and not settle for something less.
“We only have one life and we’re here for such a short time, so you’d better have a blast with the person you’re with. I’m a very lucky girl and I like to seize my moments.
“But I feel seriously protective of John and us. He’s a wonderful guy. We care about each other.
“And I had no idea what an extraordinary musician he is. It’s just great to sit and be witness to that.
“He’s a rare one. He is extraordinary and it’s wonderful to watch him. . . beautiful. We love just being able to go to a great restaurant, have a great conversation and walk on a beach”
Glowing Jennifer’s newfound joy for life comes after years of heartache.
In January 2005 her world came crashing round her when her marriage to movie heart-throb Brad, now 45, ended after he met Angelina Jolie, with whom he now has six children.
Jennifer and Brad had been considered a rare Hollywood success story when they married with a lavish ceremony in Malibu on July 29, 2000. Their wedding vows even included a pledge from Jennifer to always make her husband’s favourite banana milkshake.
Love
When it all fell apart it was a dark period which for a long time Jennifer was unable to discuss. But now she feels comfortable enough to look back and recall: “We had so much fun falling in love. It was so private. We kept it to ourselves for so long.
“It was something we were really proud of. We were put on a pedestal, but we were just a couple like anybody else. I really thought I’d be with him for the rest of my life.
“It was a beautiful, complicated relationship. The sad thing, for me, is the way it’s been reduced to a Hollywood cliché. But I don’t regret any of it.
“The marriage didn’t work out but pretty soon after we separated, we got on the phone and we had a long, long conversation and said a lot of things.
“And ever since we’ve been unbelievably warm and respectful of each other.
“Whoever said everything has to be forever? That’s setting your hopes too high. It’s too much pressure. I still feel so lucky to have experienced it. I wouldn’t know what I know now if I hadn’t been married to Brad.
“I love Brad. I really love him and I will love him for the rest of my life.
“We’ve exchanged a few very kind ‘hellos’ and ‘wishing you wells’ and ‘love and congratulations on your babies’. I have nothing but absolute admiration for him, and I’m proud of him. I think he’s really done some amazing things.”
Date
Jennifer went on to date funnyman actor VINCE VAUGHN, 38, in the summer of 2005.
They fell in love on the set of The Break-Up and were together for a year.
But Jennifer remains positive about that failed romance too. “I call Vince my defibrillator,” she said. “He literally brought me back to life. My first gasp of air was a big laugh. It was great. I love him. He’s a bull in a china shop. He was lovely and fun and perfect for the time we had together. I needed that. And it sort of ran its course.”
Now three years on, it seems Jennifer is finally lucky in love, although she has her own take on that, too.
She insisted: “This whole ‘Poor lonely Jen’ thing, this idea that I’m so unlucky in love? I actually feel I’ve been unbelievably LUCKY in love. I feel good. At the moment, I think I’m doing really well. There were times when I had a little ‘pity party’ for myself, sure there were. Absolutely. Who wouldn’t?
“When your parents split up like mine did, it’s impossible to delude yourself about a fairy tale romance and happy endings.
“Divorce is hard and you deal with your parents fighting through you. I want to do it differently from my parents. I think that taught me that life isn’t always perfect and gave me a realistic approach to life and marriage, which I value.
“I learned what not to do by watching my parents. I watched my mother be very bitter and angry throughout a divorce, never let it go and waste the whole second half of her life.
“It’s easy to blame and be victimised, but that’s just a waste of time.
“So every day I just concentrate on being the happiest I can possibly be.”
