Nearly two decades after one of Hollywood's most talked-about love triangles dominated headlines, Jennifer Aniston has finally opened up in detail about the media frenzy surrounding her divorce from Brad Pitt and his subsequent relationship with Angelina Jolie.

In a new, wide-ranging interview with Vanity Fair, Aniston reflects on the personal toll of that period, calling it a "vulnerable time" and admitting she took the public narrative "personally."

The Media Circus

Aniston, who was married to Pitt from 2000 to 2005, candidly addressed the media's obsession with the situation. "It was such juicy reading for people," she told the publication. "If they didn't have their soap operas, they had their tabloids."

She acknowledged that the constant speculation and headlines were difficult to endure, especially as her personal life was being discussed on a global scale. "It's a shame that it had to happen, but it happened. And boy did I take it personally," she said.

Aniston's comments provide a rare glimpse into the emotional weight of being at the center of such a high-profile scandal. She explained that she felt like "they were sort of building us up and then tearing you down," and confessed that she "didn't have a strong enough constitution to not get affected by it."

The Friends alum challenged the public's perception of celebrities, stating, "We're human beings, even though some people don't want to believe we are. They think, 'You signed up for it, so you take it.' But we didn't sign up for that."

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A Retrospective on "The Unsinkable Jennifer Aniston"

The new interview also touches on Aniston's now-famous 2005 cover story for Vanity Fair, which was published shortly after Pitt went public with Jolie. In that article, a devastated Aniston famously remarked that a "sensitivity chip" was missing from the situation.

Looking back on the experience of that original interview, she described it as "jarring" and "one for the memoirs." She revealed that she has not re-read the article in years, but vividly remembers the feeling of doing it during such a raw and vulnerable time in her life.

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Moving Forward: "Pick Yourself Up by the Bootstraps"

Despite the emotional hardship, Aniston shared the mindset that helped her get through it. She recalled telling herself to "Just pick yourself up by the bootstraps and keep on walking, girl."

She also spoke about the "cathartic" experience of filming the 2006 movie The Break-Up shortly after her split, noting that the movie's producers were initially nervous about offering her the role. However, she knew it would be a beneficial and emotionally freeing experience for her.

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