Many people believe that Justin Theroux is poised to have a big breakout with the release of The Girl on the Train. His role is significant, and if Theroux delivers and the film has a decent box office, a lot of scripts could be coming his way. He could be fashioning a very interesting career for himself in his 40s, which basically only men are allowed to do (when was the last time an actress had a big career break in her 40s?). I tend to think Theroux knows he’s poised for a breakout too, and his promotional tour for the film has been a study in well-executed PR. He managed to answer the Brangelina question with respect, he’s carefully avoided overshadowing the actual star of the film, Emily Blunt, and he’s been talking about feminist hot-button issues, like how dudes love to gaslight the ladies. And perhaps most importantly, he’s been graciously answering inane questions about Jennifer Aniston and their marriage. He recently sat down with the Sunday Times and he got so many questions about Aniston. And he handled them with aplomb.
He’s fine with being called “Mr. Jennifer Aniston.” “It doesn’t really get under my skin. It’s just one of those things that’s a shorthand for describing who I am.”
He’s proud of Aniston & he knows she’s more successful: “[Jennifer] is a proper badass. She has lived through a lot of bullsh-t. Many people would have crumbled under some of the stresses that have been put on her. I’m very proud of her for that, for the way she handles herself. So in a weird way it’s an honor to stand behind her. Truly, in that sense, she’s amazing.”
On the tabloids: “There are definitely times when I don’t like walking past the newsstand in the U.S. You start to feel like the crazy person [with the media] portraying you as if you follow that sh-t. When it first started happening I’d sort of casually pay attention to it, and then I’d realize I was eating poison. Now I just avert my gaze.” Still, he revealed he is “constantly surprised” by strangers congratulation him on the birth of his child. “It’s insane,” he said.
He’s particularly annoyed by the “Aniston is pregnant” stories: “You feel protective, of course. She’s similar to me—she doesn’t pay attention to it unless she has to. But there’s definitely times when your privacy is invaded. Areas of your personal life that are yours to discuss among yourselves and your friends and family shouldn’t be a topic for national debate.”
Jennifer’s HuffPo essay: “I was very, very proud of her for writing that. It was very well written. She expressed herself beautifully. [Jennifer] understands that she is someone who has attracted, for whatever reason, a level of attention where she’s become this sort of fable, I guess, in some sort of bizarre morality play of what a woman should be.”
“Some sort of bizarre morality play of what a woman should be…” Yeah, I get that. Eleven years ago, the tabloids cast Jennifer as the good girl/wronged woman/pitiable Miss Lonelyhearts/everywoman. And that worked for her for years, until that image became suffocating, and she tried to break out of it. Which sort of happened around the time she fell for Justin, I guess. But the remnants still float around, obviously. As for Justin being comfortable with the “Mr. Jennifer Aniston” title… maybe he’s the biggest feminist out there, but I really doubt he’s completely cool with it.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
If he is being sincere then I adore him. If only more men were confident having a female partner that is more financially successful
well its not like all women are cool with men making less either.
He wouldn’t be with her, if her connections and fame weren’t part of the package. He got insta-fame tabloid or otherwise when he was cast as her new savior..I mean bf, as everyone does. New CAA agent to get him gigs, spreads in Huvane run magazines. I doubt Heidi the costume designer was gonna hook him up like that. She hadn’t in 14 years.
As for gaslighting, he must be speaking of his pal perv extraordinaire Terry Richardson. How does he reconcile acting all woke about women, and yet be a bestie to that creep? Gross.
You could be right but I don’t get that vibe. I don’t like what they did to Heidi at all (of course I don’t know the story but I can guess), but I don’t think he is with Aniston for fame anymore than I think Brad was. I think she’s just got a light about her that some men enjoy.
@Lalu
That may not have been the whole reason……but dude literally signed up with her PR like a month after they ‘officially” got together. He started getting higher profile gigs than before. He started going on a lot more talk shows i.e. Ellen, due to that change in PR. None of that would’ve happened without Jennifer. Maybe it wasn’t the WHOLE reason that he got with her….but come on. His entire profile went UP after they got together. If he’d have stayed with Heidi, then hardly anyone would know his name. I only knew who he was because of Charlie’s Angels.
And even his roll out with Jennifer was extremely calculated—his bestie rapist, Uncle Terry took couple-y pics of them and released them online. If that wasn’t meant to start anything, I’ve got a bridge to sell you.
Why does it matter if he signed with her team? If my bf is in my industry and he is able to introduce me to people who can propel my career, I would have to be a self sabotaging idiot not to use those networks. It clearly paid off. Should we now begrudge his success? Honestly so much about the bile that shows up in the triangle threads are such “so what?” moments. And I’m not trying to be rude but seriously, so what?
@Lalu: Brad was already a star when he met Aniston and she was still a sitcom actor trying to break into movies. She needed him, he didn’t need her.
Carmen, Aniston had already made many films before getting together with Justin.
@lalu
Ha. A light? Ok. Maybe lightweight? Because other than hair, and drug store lotion endorsements and complaining about the tabloids gossip that she fed for decades, she doesn’t seem that ‘light,’ but she does seem a lightweight.
Why would movie star Brad Pitt have been with a tv sitcom ensemble actress Aniston, for fame? Lolol I just said her current husband had been a struggling actor into his 40s, a no-name who hadn’t yet had a big break and was unknown as of a couple years ago, and you’re putting him on par with Pitt?!
Come now.
Ha! Jade, maybe it’s where I live, but throughout my career I’ve been surrounded by men with mommy-wives, women who make more and call the shots while the men behave like petulant children. I honestly don’t know what women see in these little boys, but they’re definitely not threatened by more successful women.
That’s the opposite extreme, though. Most couples I know are equal partnerships regardless of who earns more.
i dont think anyone really is cool with only being seen as some sort of by product of someone else. no matter how much you love and support them. Chris Pratt talked about when his wife was more famous people completly ignored him. its like you dont matter at all.
i also wonder how that is when you know a person closely and are ok with their flaws but they obviously annoy you from time to time but everyone just fawns over them.
I just saw that The Girl on the Train has a 46% score on RT. Both he and Emily Blunt aren’t box office draws so I don’t think it’ll do that well.
The trailer was way too long and revealed way too much. They didn’t do a good job of making it seem appealing.
But I agree that Emily Blunt’s casting will be an issue as well. Justin is neutral IMO
IMO, the criticisms of the book seem to be the same as the film.
I read the book and didn’t like it at all.
She’s as badass as a chipmunk! She was fine with the narrative until it changed & became more about that she put on weight. I like them both but she plays the game as good as anyone else & has the most powerful publicist in the business. As for everything she has been through compared to people going through real problems in the world right now?please!
Her problems are real to her, and to him apparently. Just because you don’t consider them real problems doesn’t make them any less real. We all experience different things or maybe even the same things in different ways. We don’t know what her real life is about. Besides, what’s he, her husband, supposed to say?
Well said. I liked his thoughtful answers to the questions. We really have no idea what any celeb’s real life problems and struggles are.
I think having a narcissistic mother who belittled and resented your success while simultaneously profiting off your fame by selling you out (for public consumption no less) is more than enough…
I never knew how tumultuous that relationship was until reading an article here but that’s some serious baggage to live through, especially because it’s from the person you should be anyone to count on, a parent.
Is she struggling turn finances like most of us? Nope, but a lifelong of parental negligence/abuse is just as wretched compounded with every facet of your life being picked apart my the masses (actually I tip my hat off to all celebrities for dealing with this)..
It does take strength.
I completely agree @The Other Maria. That’s a lot to deal with and I don’t know how she or anyone couldn’t be effected by it.
I have to agree with your assessment as well – I would never slap a badass label on her. I think most women are strong and interesting but to me, badass is reserved for someone exceptionally brave and strong and groundbreaking, and she’s more like a piece of white toast – comforting and perfectly plain. She had connections, landed good jobs, and kept her PR alive on a bizarre combination of hair, diet and passive-aggressiveness. She is a good comedic actress but her PR tactic mostly consists of never saying anything substantive or doing anything threatening or interesting. That’s kinda the opposite of badass.
I like Jen. I was never into Friends, but she’s given good drama in The Good Girl, The Breakup was a decent “dramedy” and she was hysterical in Horrible Bosses/We’re The Millers. And I bawled like a baby during Marley and Me. I don’t know if badass is the word I’d use, but she’s certainly has a pretty successful career and carved out her spot in the limelight.
To me, watching her in interviews is like hearing fingernails scraping on a blackboard. She always gives me the impression that she has vacuum between the ears.
Wait, how the hell will this movie be a breakout for him? The movie is getting panned, the only person getting acting praise is Emily Blunt, and it’ll do decently at the box office then be forgotten.
ITA, but if it attracts some portion of the Gone Girl crowd, who become JT fans, that’s more exposure than he has now, right? I’m not familiar with his show, but I’ll probably watch this movie on Netflix someday because I read the book.
I think they are probably happy together. I don’t know why they bothered to get married though. I have to agree with him about her. She made quite a name for herself. I never really thought she was that cute… But she definitely took what she was given and turned it into quite a life. I have grown to really like her.
I always enjoy his interviews. He has a great sense of humor and a fresh way of speaking. I think he is comfortable within himself and it shows.
Really?
When I read his interviews, for the most part he seems to be very uncomfortable in his own skin. Especially, for example, when he talks about his wardrobe, and describes it as his 13 year old self’s style, and now his armor. And you can certainly tell, given that he literally said he’s worn the same clothing since he was thirteen i.e. skinny jeans, boots, ripped tshirt, and leather jacket.
“when was the last time an actress had a big career break in her 40s?”
It definitely doesn’t happen very often, but when I read that line Melissa McCarthy immediately popped into my head. I’m pretty sure she was in her 40s when Bridesmaids came out, which really launched her into being a big star. Which doesn’t take away from the larger point, but good for her for bucking that trend.
ESTI, I love your post. Melissa Mcarthy is great, but she’s kinda the exception across the board.
Melissa was in her latter 30s when she came onto the scene.
She’s similar to me—she doesn’t pay attention to it unless she has to. But there’s definitely times when your privacy is invaded. Areas of your personal life that are yours to discuss among yourselves and your friends and family shouldn’t be a topic for national debate.”
+++++++++++++++++++++
Again, “hilarious” that she wasn’t paying attention when the widow of her ex boyfriend’s life was picked apart, after she proclaimed him to be the love of her life……after not having anything to do with him for 20+ years. There was no apology, no condemnation of the media…..not until some stupid tabloids called her fat/pregnant while on vacation. Then the op ed, and then the DM had at least 3 days of pics of her in tight workout clothing out and about in NYC. That is the definition of calculation and paying attention to all the BS.
@VC, how nice to see you, haven’t heard from you for ages! Hope all is well in your world. I agree that JA is, and probably always has been, very media savvy. I have no particular feelings for her one way or the other, but girlfriend is living life her way in the glare of a constant spotlight. I guess one would get use to it after many years of exposure, and she makes the best of it. Really, the narrative that is written about her life by others may be right, it may not be, but from where I stand she looks to be doing it quite well, emo husband notwithstanding!
I don’t know, I like the guy.
It’s possible that he got with Aniston for the boosted image, but I don’t think they’d have lasted this long if that was the only thing keeping him.
I think he’s relatively self-aware for a celebrity, and well spoken. I believe that he does care about feminist issues, and he can speak about them with knowledge, not just buzzwords.
He can come off as a bit insecure, but I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing either.
I want to like him, I think he’s a decent enough actor, but then I always remember how he screwed over his long time girlfriend when Jennifer came sniffing around.
Aniston does well with her commercial endeavors (water, skin, hair, perfume, Emirates first class). However, I don’t buy the naturally beautiful Aveeno tag for her or any Flawless Celebrity. Her Eyelove ad for chronic dry eyes is strange to me because I question her Decades of Blue Contacts. Lady, please.
I’m interested whether this will be a career breakout for him? Reading reviews, though, he’s not even mentioned?
Didn’t Julianne Moore breakout in her 40s?
Oh he’s just so edgy. Not. He is to edgy what Olive Garden is to Italian food…and she’s not exactly a badass. Please.
Never cared for her, and he’s uninteresting by association. What little I know about the book convinced me it isn’t my kind of reading. I usually see only 2-3 movies until the Oscar noms are announced, and this won’t be among them even though I like Emily.
Judi Dench was a hugely successful stage actress, but only ‘broke out’ in movies in her 50s and 60s!
OMG! I can’t stop laughing!