Stop the presses! Jennifer Aniston and husband Justin Theroux just announced their separation, and the world is now a sadder place.
After less than three years of marriage, the couple released a joint statement, saying: "We have decided to announce our separation. This decision was mutual and lovingly made at the end of last year."
The Hollywood couple fell into an elite margin of celeb marriages with fans hoping that theirs would stand the test of time.
Alas, it just wasn’t meant to be.
As the fire turns to embers that once burnt bright, we take a look at other celeb breakups we never saw coming.
Anna Faris and Chris Pratt
They were described as the ultimate besties, so when the couple announced they would be separating after eight years of marriage, there was a collective gasp. Both posted statements to their individual social media accounts saying that they both tried hard to make things work but were committed to co-parenting their four-year-old son.
Bonang and AKA
Dramatics aside, we really thought we were going to get front row tickets to watch the made-for-reality TV union between two of Mzansi’s most loved and hated celebrities. The couple hooked up under dubious circumstances while AKA’s baby mama DJ Zinhle was pregnant with their daughter Kairo. Things are always up in the air between these two, so we’ll never know if the breakup is permanent or not.
Photo: Instagram/@bonang_m
Josh Duhamel and Fergie
Not even their close family and friends knew about Duhamel and Fergie’s split until they announced it to the world. Also married for eight years, the couple were an unlikely match when they first hooked up. Fergie’s bad girl image and Josh’s wholesome looks made fans do a double take. But still, they managed to look so loved up wherever they went.
Picture: AP
Meek Mill and Nicki Minaj
Well, we did see this one coming. The explosive relationship between two of the biggest names in rap royalty had us on the edge of our seats. Their two-year relationship was fraught with rumours of fighting and jealousy. But it was Minaj’s cryptic tweet in January 2017 that let her followers know things were over for good: "To confirm, yes I am single. Focusing on my work and looking forward to sharing it with you guys really soon. Have a blessed New Year."
Meek Mill and Nicki Minaj. Picture: Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP
Laurence Fishburne and Gina Torres
Going into 16 years of marriage is a milestone by Hollywood standards. The Matrix star filed for divorce from his actress wife in 2017, but the couple had been living apart for two years before that. The only reason they were forced to go public is when Torres set tongues wagging in early September when she was spotted smooching another man, believed to be entrepreneur Kevin Wright.
Picture: AP
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner
Their legions of fans were hoping that Garner’s nurturing personality would tame Affleck’s bad boy ways. And for a while it seemed to be working - the couple birthed three children and looked genuinely happy. The good news is that they reached the 10 year mark. The bad news: they announced plans to divorce a day after their 10 year anniversary.
Picture: EPA
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
Those in the Team Jennifer camp were shouting a resounding “yaaaas” when Brangelina announced their split in 2016. The former power couple painted a picture of domestic bliss with their six children, but the cracks started showing when stories broke about Pitt’s drinking and Jolie’s control issues. There was even talk about child abuse, which he was later cleared of.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. Picture: Carlo Allegri/ Reuters
Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston
You can’t mention epic breakups without Brad and Jennifer being in the same whatsapp group. They were America’s most loved celebrity couples while married from 2000 to 2005. But the battle lines were drawn when rumours started surfacing of Pitt’s infidelity with Jolie on the set of Mr & Mrs Smith. He then went onto to marry Jolie in 2014 after living together for a number of years.
Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston. Picture: Twitter