I shouldn’t have been worried about Justin Theroux’s promotional tour for The Girl on the Train. If you remember, I did think that the Brangelina Split – the gossip equivalent of a nuclear bomb – had the potential to derail Justin’s attempts at discussing his movie. I shouldn’t have been concerned though. Justin is a big boy and he’s got a good publicist and he knows how to angle the situation properly. Justin was asked flat-out about The End of Brangelina and his answer was… actually sort of thoughtful. At least he didn’t scream “KARMA!” into every microphone, you know? Some assorted quotes from his interviews this week:
On the end of Brangelina: “As a child of divorce all I can say is that’s terrible news for those children and that’s all you can really say. It’s boring to sort of comment on anything else. People are having a bad time, that’s horrible.”
He doesn’t want his wife included in the Brangelina headlines: “There’s an endless appetite for trash, apparently, though everyone would say that they don’t have that appetite. But I think a lot of people do because people buy it. But there are bigger things to bitch about. It’s shocking how much bandwidth things can take up when there are far more important things going on in the world.”
Why his marriage with Jennifer Aniston works: “We appreciate each other’s sense of humor, we respect one another and we get along. I know it sounds simple but it’s true!”
His favorite Aniston movie: “Oh God, what’s my favorite Jen movie? I think Cake, not just because it was her most recent one. I loved her in Good Girl, and her comedies are fabulous. Loved her in Wanderlust…She’s always so present and good.”
On all of the shady characters in ‘Girl/Train’: “Yeah, all these characters have these dark sides in the movie, you know there’s definitely no saints in this film, some less saintly than others. But it is a fiction. It’s a mountain of several very horrible events coming together.”
He doesn’t spy on Aniston: “I don’t know my wife’s passcodes. I think I should learn them.”
[From E! News, NY Mag & Us Weekly]
I wonder if Jennifer has his passcodes though? That wouldn’t surprise me at all if she did have her little ways of checking up on him. As for what he says about Brangelina… I’m fine with it. In fact, I appreciate the graceful way he completely avoided saying their names or even engaging in the larger speculation, yet it wasn’t a completely boilerplate answer. He has a gift! (I did chuckle at Cake being his favorite Aniston movie though.)
Photos courtesy of Pacific Coast News.
He’s right.
The children are the ones suffering, I have been side eyeing EVERYONE bringing up Aniston in this mess–it’s trashy, regardless of which “team” you’re on.
agree…I mean, I feel bad for both Jolie and Pitt…ending a long relationship/marriage like that is never easy, but they’re adults and they understand the “WHY” and they’ll get over it, but…
…those poor kids.
I think it’s crazy to ask a man about the divorce of his wife’s ex husband from well over a decade ago.
It is crazy, bit everyone knew it was coming and he was prepared with a solid answer. Actually, Clooney gave a good answer too (and he wasn’t married to any of them).
Everytime I see a photo of him (that header photo trumps all photos) I want to say something nasty about this guy, but his answer was good. People do need to get some perspective and see this whole thing for what it is — a break up of a family. But then he even managed to warm my wicked cold heart when he answered that question about a favorite Aniston movie – ”all the comedies”… it seems like boyfriend doesn’t even know one title of one comedy or just didn’t bother and waste any energy on naming any of gazillion stupid comedies she’s made. That gets a slow clap from me.
Yeah his face in that header picture pretty much warmed me up to him completely. Didn’t get into The Leftovers. And I LOLd at the end to… He’s all… “The one where the dog dies… I think…” Haha but Good Girl was legit an awesome movie and I think her best moment besides Office Space just because that movie’s a modern classic.
I am unashamed in my Justin Theroux appreciation. I think he’s just a great actor and seems to be a fairly genuine guy IRL (despite the intense hipsterness).
I’m excited to see The Girl on the Train, too.
I actually love him every since I saw “Your Highness”. 🙂
That was when I became a fan, too! He’s hilarious!
I appreciate him as well, especially since I started The Leftovers. His response here is actually very classy.
I really like him too! Not an Aniston fan by any definition but I fid Justin very talented (and hot!)
I’m Totally a fan of His from The Leftovers, he is too skinty/gristly for me but he is a very good actor which is more than I can say for her for example?
Yeah, I think he’s a great actor and a smart guy. I’ve liked him since his gig on Six Foot Under.
The fact that people think it’s OK to ask him about his wife’s ex from over a decade ago, who he’s probably never met… sheesh.
Classy response especially since he shouldn’t have to respond AT ALL. I like that he only mentioned the real people that will suffer the most…the kids. The gossip and the ugly divorce will affect them most
I agree with you, completely. He handled that amazingly well.
It’s so obvious, boring, and totally asinine for tabloids to try to eek out the last drops of gossip from that triangle, at this point.
To harass the new husband about how he and his wife feel about her EX is just plain dumb…not to mention rude.
Class act, all the way, Justin!
Oh please he could have said no comment and told the reporter not to ask him questions about it at all prior to the interview . It’s a good response but it’s also self serving because now everyone’s talking about his movie, and how great his marriage is. He’s totally benifitting from this.
It is not wrong for him to garner benefit for himself & his wife. This is how you win.
He could have said, no comment, but he didn’t. He is a very smart man.
I don’t think it was necessarily wrong. But it wasn’t necessarily classy either. It’s self serving that’s just my opinion.
To me it sounds judgy and the old fashion advice to women of “stay together for the kids even if it’s a potentially abusive/unhealthy environment”. I think saying “it’s not my business, I wish nothing but the best for the children” is a more neutral and classy response.
My initial response too as a fan was to wish there were no divorce but I have changed my mind with new information about possible on-going fights or yelling matches. That’s just not right for children. Just like the Ben and Jen situation seems not good for the children especially the girls who might grow up thinking cheating husbands are normal and you should continue to stay married to them.
Did we read the same thing? There wasn’t anything in Theroux’s comment suggesting women should stay for the kids.
I think he said what what everybody else is saying (maybe even George Clooney said the same thing when asked about it at the…UN).
He never said…
That’s a good answer and probably the only one he could’ve given. Even a ‘no comment’ would’ve been read into.
That’s what I think, too. It was pretty decent. It still kind of shut it down, and a ‘no comment’ would have been jumped on.
Yup. He would be hounded after with a no comment. I think his response was great and should shut down future questions.
A simple “no comment because it’s none of my business” would have worked, too.
+1
He’s just starting a promotional tour. Many people say no comment for a while and then eventually give an answer to someone who pushes for it, so it’s basically an invitation for every reporter to keep trying, not to mention avoidance of the story can become a story if you have to say no comment 100 times.
This way he’s shut it down right at the very start with a polite and thoughtful answer that still makes it clear there’s zero point trying for more. It’s a smart move.
No comment shuts the door.
Commenting even about the kids IMO opens the door. Not my business shuts the door permanently IMO. Because the next reporter’squestion: as a child of divorce what do you think the kids are thinking….
Actually, no, I don’t think it would have. People read into every little thing. So he bypassed mentioning Angelina and Brad by name and expressed sympathy for their children, which I think was pretty classy of him.
I agree I don’t think it would have worked, I think that would have made it his lack of comment the story.
What he said was nice and simple and respectful. Also by not mentioning the names but reminding the press their are kids it shut it down.
I read on another site that everyone they interviewed for that movie was asked what they thought of the brangelina breakup. His answer was written about because of the triangle. I think it is good he just got it out of the way so hopefully others won’t keep asking.
Kudos to him for having the common sense to answer the question gracefully and succinctly.
I’m glad she has made no comment on it too (it helps that she’s not promoting anything right now too)-the best thing she can do is stay silent until she is absolutely forced to produce an answer and then she should follow this lead and offer up the same reply.
I think he could have said “it’s not my place to discuss it” however I do like what he said. For all of the tabloid craziness, it is important to remember that those kids are having their world really shaken up.
Nothing incorrect about that. I don’t care about either of the adults – they both seem like twits in their own way – but I do feel bad for the kids.
Well big up to Justin. That’s how you answer a question about something that has nothing to do with you. Show a bit of compassion and shut it down.
+1 Yes, very well handled.
I agree.
I’m sure JT had already prepared what he would say to reporters when the eventual Brad/Angie split question came up. It was inevitable. Great answer, though!
Exactly, he shifted the conversation to the children (those who will be most affected by the divorce) and then shut it down.
Agreed.
I really enjoyed Cake and think she did a great job.
I had vowed never to watch her movies after some disappointments but I was talked into watching Cake and was glad for it. It was in my top five of that year and she really did kill in her role.
Yeah, I don’t get the snark about Cake. Very good, touching film. I still think about the scene when the unexpected visitor showed up at her house.
I liked it and thought Jennifer was really good. That sounds a sensible answer from Justin.
Exactly. Even if you don’t like her, you can’t argue she that she doesn’t take on challenging roles when she could have easily stayed in the comedy/romcom space. Her performance in Cake was very well-received.
It’s a good movie, and she and the rest of the cast were great in it.
As someone who suffers from chronic pain, she really nailed that part of it. Not just the obvious, showier stuff, but the little things.
Chelsea handler take note! This is how you answer this question about their divorce. Something that has nothing to do with either but one was very graceful & the other just vile.
Agree with you 100%, we don’t have to always “mean girl” each other.
The fact this dude is a Theroux has always impressed me.
I mean, Paul, Louis…jeepers, what a lineup.
Louis is the ‘intelligent woman’s crumpet’ ( I read that somewhere once, probably in Hello) and Im liking it 😉
I read some interview of JT where he was saying something like he’s the stupid one in the family. Interestingly enough Paul Theroux wrote some article for the NYTimes a while back about celeb mythomaniacs – and mentioned BP and AJ by name (calling them Tarzan and Jane).
I’m still so shocked that he was cast as Tom in this movie. He’s not at all what i pictured and I’m on fence about seeing the movie because he seems so miscast. I’ll have to wait for the reviews.
He’s not what I pictured for Tom and neither is the man playing Scott, but I’m still going so I can see what they made of it. I like Emily Blunt loads and I think Justin can act so I’m actually looking forward to seeing it.
In the pap pics taken during filming, I was surprised to see how different he looks when styled in classic, sophisticated attire. Too bad that’s not his speed IRL!
Right. Wish he would dress like that in real life. Looks much better.
None of the casting seems right to me! But, I loved the book, so, I really want to see what they did to with the movie…
I really liked the book, too.
it’s funny, someone on here (I think) referred to it the other day as a “dumbed down Gone Girl”. I couldn’t have disagreed more. Gone Girl wasn’t really much of a “mystery” once you got a little ways into the book and, though I kinda figured out the “twist” in Girl on the Train, at least there was more mystery there. and sympathetic characters. I mean, who were you supposed to root for in Gone Girl? the cops? I hated the ending of that book. ok, end rant.
I pictured the character differently too, but now I’m thinking he may end up being a great choice. Looking forward to the movie.
The fact that they had to break up is terrible. But the fact that they are breaking up is good news if the alternative was staying together in an unhealthy and unhappy realationship.
Classy JT. To know you will undoubtedly be asked a ridiculous question about something in which you know you have no place or vested interest must make preparing for its inevitable asking somewhat difficult. He gave a thoughtful answer re: the children but managed to indicate he wished to be absented from further speculation on the matter. Rightfully so as it is nothing to do with him.
He gave a specific response to that which ought to be the main focus (the children) in an empathetic manner, then made a general point in the hope of shutting down further attempts to draw him on the subject. Sensitively, yet pointedly, done.
Now I hope he can be allowed to get back to matters which do concern him – his work and own personal life.
I think it would be incredibly hypocritical of him to say anything about karma (I know it was a joke), considering he cheated on his ex girlfriend with Aniston. However, his response was nice, so no shade.
Justin handled the Angie and Brad question like a pro. He knew there were going to be reporters who asked. He stated the truth about it being a difficult thing for all the kids.
You know what’s trashy? The media asking him his opinion on the Brangelina drama. I think he did well in his interview.
Can we just stop with implementing Jen in all of this drama? It clearly has nothing to do with her or Justin, and both deserve to move on without a damn mention of Brad or Angelina.
He knew the question was coming up. In an interview like that a publicist can say straight off the bat we aren’t talking about Brangelina/personal lives etc. He wanted to address it on his terms.
It was a great answer, an accurate answer and he also personalized it by saying he too was a product of divorce. By phrasing it like that, I feel he showed great empathy for not only the children, but that answer also showed empathy for the parents.
What does it actually mean when he says his wife’s ‘always so present’ in her movies? Is that a compliment? Is there an alternative? I mean, can she be there but not be there while she’s in the movie?
I can’t keep up with these trendy expressions. Smh.
I would take it as a compliment, that she doesn’t phone it in. I can describe co-workers who aren’t always “present” even when they’re right in front of you.
Ah, fair enough, as in she puts in the effort.
I’m falling behind in my old age!
Thanks
I’ve heard a lot of actors refer to other actors that way. It always seems a bit of industry lingo to me, but it’s always said as a compliment.
Kaiser should write about how fugly justins style is. I roll my eyes everytime I see him and how hard hes trying to come across. I wonder if jennifer aniston picks out his clothes
Kudos to him. He dealt with it head-on and put it to rest.
“There’s an endless appetite for trash, apparently, though everyone would say that they don’t have that appetite.”
Guilty as charged.
Never been an Aniston Fan. But I do like Justin. Specially for his writing. He’s written gret comedies and I’m glad his career is kind of taking off. Love the Leftovers, I’m looking forward to see The Girl On The Train and whatever he does after that.
I really like Justin and while I think he shouldn’t even have been asked (the world really does not revolve around Brangelina), his response was a nice balance of grace, sensitivity and shutdown.
Has he always had the one expression, eyebrow raised or is it the pictures you are choosing?
It’s funny all the same.