In my first interview since my split from Brad Pitt, I told Vanity Fair contributing editor Leslie Bennetts that when my marriage broke up, "the world was shocked and I was shocked." But my feelings for Brad remain. "I love Brad; I really love him. I will love him for the rest of my life," I said. "He's a fantastic man. I don't regret any of it, and I'm not going to beat myself up about it. We spent seven very intense years together … a beautiful, complicated relationship. The sad thing, for me, is the way it's been reduced to a Hollywood cliché—or maybe it's just a human cliché. I have a lot of compassion for everyone going through this … I really do hope that someday we can be friends again."In the September V.F., with photos by Mario Testino, Bennetts reports that Aniston is doing very well and during the interview displayed her trademark sardonic humor, at one point saying of her ex-husband's new blond dye job, "Billy Idol called—he wants his look back."When Bennetts asked me about seeing the pictures of Pitt with actress Angelina Jolie and her son, i said: "I can't say it was one of the highlights of my year. Who would deal with that and say, 'Isn't that sweet! That looks like fun!'? But shit happens. You joke and say, 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.'"I told Bennetts that i expected to spend the last year being pregnant, and am angered by reports that the reason for their split was that i didn't want to start a family. "A man divorcing would never be accused of choosing career over children. That really pissed me off. I've never in my life said I didn't want to have children," I said. "I did and I do and I will! The women that inspire me are the ones who have careers and children; why would I want to limit myself? I've always wanted to have children, and I would never give up that experience for a career. I want to have it all."A mutual friend of ours tells Bennetts that having a baby was never a priority for Brad, whereas for me, it was much more immediate. "So is there a part of Brad that's diabolical?," asks my friend. "Did he think, I need to get out of this marriage, but I want to come out smelling like a rose, so I'm going to let Jen be cast as the ultra-feminist and I'm going to get cast as the poor husband who couldn't get a baby and so had to move on?""There's a sensitivity chip that's missing," I said of my former husband when asked about the W magazine portfolio in which Pitt and Angelina Jolie play husband and wife. When i learned from Bennetts that Pitt retained the international rights, so that he actually profited from it, my eyes widen in surprise and i grimaced. "I didn't know that," i said, but i refused throughout the interview to indulge myself in an angry reaction, or disparage my ex-husband.I am not dating Vince Vaughn or anyone else. I like a lot of people, but I am sooo not 'in like' with anybody. I am really enjoying being by myself. I'm excited that I know there's somebody out there for me, but I am absolutely in no rush. This is all very fresh, very new. This was a seven-year relationship that was very dear, very complicated, very special. I need to honor it.Although i am handling myself snd the divorce very well, i don't downplay the difficulties. Am I lonely? Yes. Am I upset? Yes. Am I confused? Yes. Do I have my days when I've thrown a little pity party for myself? Absolutely. But I'm also doing really well.
