This weekend, Angelina Jolie followed the biggest trend of summer 2021: reuniting with an ex. Details are scarce, but the Oscar-winning actress was photographed leaving the Brooklyn apartment of British actor Jonny Lee Miller. The pair were married several years ago. She could, of course, have been housesitting, or his flat could be in the same building as her holiday rental. But the mere idea that she could be back with an old flame has got us very excited. But why?
We do this all the time in the celebrity sphere. In the last month, we have gone absolutely mad for every nugget, every picture, every snippet of info, surrounding Jennifer Lopez's apparent reconnection with Ben Affleck. She has also been hanging out on TikTok with former long-term boyfriend P Diddy and was seen catching up with ex-husband Mark Anthony. Sienna Miller giving it another try with Jude Law in 2009 made headlines. The platonic reunion of Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt caused ripples all over the world. Actress Talulah Riley married Elon Musk, divorced him, then married him again, then divorced him again. And all the while we sit at home screaming our approval at our magazines or computer screens. And yet, on the whole, we don't do this in real life. A friend getting back together with their ex is something that we generally advise against. So what's the difference when the people involved are celebrities?
When Jude and Sienna broke up in 2006 - Jude cheated with his nanny and apologised publicly - Sienna was devastated. She has since described feelings of trauma in the aftermath, while she was starring in a play on the West End. 'People who came to see me said we had dinner, and I don't remember,' she said. 'I was in so much shock over it all. But if you get through that, you feel like you can get through anything.' If our friend said she was back with a man or woman who had made her feel this way, wouldn't we suggest that they reconsidered or proceeded with caution? If our mate's husband had left her for a beautiful and accomplished woman, had several kids, then approached her with a wide smile and open arms at a party once they'd split - a la Brad and Jen - wouldn't we tell her to run for the hills?
So what is behind this contradiction? Is it the distance? Does the fact that we don't actually know these people mean that we are less concerned with the possibility that it could end badly? We, after all, will not be the ones going over to JLo's house with pizza and ice cream if her rekindled flame were to go out again. Someone else is picking up the pieces, leaving us free to simply enjoy only the fun bits: the gleeful enjoyment of a new, old love. Does it give us succour to see someone succeed where we wish we could thrive with our own ex? Is it the fact that we see famous people as ours to be enjoyed, regardless of consequences? Or are we so overcome with nostalgic excitement that we simply forget that the happily ever after is not guaranteed just because it's the second try.
We love love. Part of us will always want to celebrate it in all its forms, as it gives us that warm fuzzy feeling inside. A-List love? Even better. We treat these celebrities who have returned to their exes as sources of fun and escapism, ignoring the feelings that we would be experiencing if we knew them. They don't know us either: our reaction could be seen as largely harmless. But let's not forget that these are two potentially emotionally vulnerable people who are taking a risk: they are opening their hearts to love, something we could all strive to do a bit more of. And while they're not our mates, they are people: if it doesn't end well, they deserve sympathy and privacy.
So best of luck to Ben and Jen. And if the rumours are true, to Angeline and Jonny too. Lasting love is always something to be celebrated. Maybe think about that next time a friend tells you their ex has come calling.
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