Hollywood glamour couple Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston have split, Pitt's longtime publicist confirmed Friday.

"We would like to announce that after seven years together we have decided to formally separate," the couple said in a joint statement released by Pitt's publicist Cindy Guagenti. "For those who follow these sorts of things, we would like to explain that our separation is not the result of any speculation reported by the tabloid media. This decision is the result of much thoughtful consideration."

The couple didn't indicate if they planned to file for divorce, and Guagenti declined to comment beyond the statement, which also said, "We happily remain committed and caring friends with great love and admiration for one another."

The separation, first reported on People magazine's Web site, comes 41/2 years after the pair's Malibu wedding and after months of speculation that their marriage was in trouble.

In their statement, they asked for the public's "sensitivity in the coming months."

Aniston has recently been photographed in public without her diamond-studded wedding ring, according to People, although the magazine said the couple had spent the New Year's weekend together on the Caribbean island of Anguilla with Aniston's former "Friends" co-star Courteney Cox and her husband, actor David Arquette.

Pitt, 41, and Aniston, 35, have been together since being set up on a blind date in 1998. They were married in a lavish wedding on July 29, 2000, on a Malibu estate overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Some 200 people attended the event, which included four bands, a gospel choir, fireworks and tens of thousands of flowers.

Part of Pacific Coast Highway was shut down to accommodate the influx of guests, which included actress Cameron Diaz and most of Aniston's "Friends" co-stars. Media reports at the time pegged the event's cost at $1 million. It was the first marriage for both.

Until rumors began swirling that they were about to split, there were near-constant tabloid rumors that Aniston was pregnant. The actress had told People in 2002 that she and Pitt eventually wanted to start a family.

"Absolutely it will happen but probably not for a while," she said at the time.

Since their wedding they have been touted not only as one of Hollywood's most glamorous couples but also one of the film industry's most powerful. They are co-owners of the Plan B production company with producer Brad Grey, who earlier this week was hired to replace Sherry Lansing as head of the Paramount studio.

Aniston is perhaps the most recognizable star of "Friends," the ensemble show that concluded a 10-year run last year as one of television's highest-rated comedies. She also has starred in such films as "Along Came Polly," "Bruce Almighty" and "The Good Girl." Her father is veteran soap opera actor John Aniston.

Pitt, long one of Hollywood' most bankable film stars, is currently seen in "Ocean's Twelve." Other film credits include "Ocean's Eleven," "Fight Club," "Meet Joe Black," "Seven Years in Tibet," "Sleepers," "12 Monkeys," "Legends of the Fall," "A River Runs Through It" and "Thelma & Louise."

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You know, I am actually kinda sad about this. Unlike a lot of Hollywood publicity stunts, they seemed to genuinely love each other and be good together. Oh well...

Yes, I care...I wanted them to have babies because they would have been the cutest babies ever! Why?!

So Jennifer Aniston is single

*grabs flowers, eats a Mentos, and walks off to Hollywood*

Why...? Seriously why...?
In my opinion it seems like actors think marriage is part of the dating ritual.
A vow is a vow, what's the point in makin' it if your just goin' to break it. C'mon.

And I thought it would last like Courtney's and David's marriage...
Well I guess it leaves her open for the takin'

Don't care... their lives don't affect my life

Eat my dust

*Leaves AtticusBlueprint caughing in a cloud of dust as he speeds off to Hollywood



I am and aren't surprised... I mean a lot of celebs don't seem to take marriage that seriously. They think they are in love and just go ahead and do it... Look at J-Lo. Maybe for some of them it's more because of the publicity. Maybe some of the time they do genuinely love each other but something happens along the way. But they seemed to be one of the couples that might actually genuinely be in love.

There have been a lot of tabloids suggesting Pitt doesn't cut it in the bedroom. Maybe there wasn't enough passion in the marriage? She is 35 and at sexual peak, he is 41 and declining from what some reports say was already a lack luster sexual ability.

Say it isn't so!!

Not really that suprising, but didn't Sylvia Brown predict this?

Let's see if I could care less...
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No, no I couldn't care less...

Well.....doesn't come as much as a surprise to me. They were in love and all..... but we all know that hollywood love doesn't last forever....... too bad.......

nope, but it's hollywood so it's all over the news

I'm crying on the inside................wait, no, of course Im not.

Heh heh...I thought it was pretty funny. I was listening to the radio today and I heard news of the tsunami, a crisis in Ohio, and then Brad & Jen split. I couldn't help but laugh out loud. Two disasters then Brad & Jen split. How anticlimactic!

Maybe THIS is the ultimate cause of the tsunami! *gasp*

It's one of those media things...no one really cares...it's just that it's displayed everywhere you go and as a result you can't not think about it.

He want's kids, she does not. What is there to discuss?

Well honestly, youd think they might of asked that question a while ago say before they got married....

But as was stated by others... Care factor = Zero

Yeah, who the Hell cares?

I'm surprised it took them this long to split. The baby issue and Jen's wannabe career plans have been around for ages.

I just care how this is gonna affect the upcoming Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, considering they were co-producing it.

I like how these hollywood breakups are all over the news all the time. It's funny how I don't read or watch any of this Hollywood news tripe, but I still found out about Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston.

That's the real tragedy.

I don't think it will affect charlie, i'm sure that they are both professional enough to carry on with it, especially as it is post production now anyway....

I heard that it's just their production company. The only thing they're putting into the movie is money...

You're probably right ames.
And i agree with Dis. Why is it that, seemingly, the world is so obsessed with the relationships of those in the limelight?

Just cos thats human nature really.

There was a picture of them in the paper on the day before they split up hugging and kissing etc, I think it might be a publicity stunt, but I'm not sure....

I guess as a way to vicariously see the glamour of living life in Hollywood. *shrug* I dunno.

They shore were purty together, though.

Possibly Ames.
Everyone is talking about them afterall.

Yeh I don't think you'd go from being like that one day to the next day announcing that your marriage is over, it's not like teenagers whove been going out for 2 weeks is it....

While you all head off to Hollywood in search of Jennifer, I have taken the initiative and overnighted her airfare to Atlanta and a limo to my house. Now I just have to explain it to my wife. Do any of you think my wife will understand and be willing to share her husband?

Well, if you were ever going to try to pulla spouse swap, that's about as good an offer as you could propose.

I suppose it would but wife prefers blondes, darn it. I guess I could hide Jennifer in the guest room.