Why Justin Theroux Won’t Talk About Ex-Wife Jennifer Aniston

Speak with esquire For a new cover story, the actor was asked what it’s like to be “on the other side” of all social media and draw press attention to his personal life and divorce from the “Friends” actress.

Theroux, 49, and Aniston, 52, confirmed In early 2018 they split up at the end of 2017 after more than six years together. However, despite their split, the two have remained friends.

“There is work to be done once you get out of where I want all of my relationships to exist within the four walls of the space we are in. And I’m not trying to be evasive, but I’m talking to Jen — – I’m not talking about Jen,” Theroux told the publication.

“People will always want to gossip and say things, but you have to find that balance. And after you’ve been in a public relationship, it’s a lot more fun not to be in a public relationship,” he continued. “If I say anything, even if it’s something loving, it would just turn into a thing. So it’s a classic no comment situation for me.”

Speaking more broadly about going viral and engaging with online trolls, Theroux made it clear that he doesn’t “linger” on social media for too long. “The internet is like this really big high school, and why on earth would you walk around it and search every room and broom closet for that bully who’s kicking your butt?” he explained.

The reporter then asked Theroux about an online gossip they wanted to “die” for some clarity: that he sleeps shirtless on planes.

Theroux called it a “wild rumor” and explained that his publicist once called and asked if he wanted to make a statement to a tabloid claiming he was “a nudist on airplanes.” At the time, he relayed the situation to Jason Bateman and thought the story was total bullshit when Bateman told him, “But you Do Get on planes naked!”

“Jason and I had flown from Los Angeles to London on one of those 12-hour overnight flights, and he reminded me that after they turned off all the lights and everything on the plane was quiet — And we’re in small pods, we’re not in 38J – I had some clothes off,” Theroux said. “I think I took off my shirt and maybe my pants. But I was definitely wearing something underneath. And I lay down and went to sleep.”

“At one point Jason came up to me and said, ‘Hey man, what are you doing?!’ He was wearing the full pajamas — like the slippers and a toothbrush sticking out of his mouth,” he added. “I’m like, ‘I’m going to sleep! Nobody will see it!’ And I had a blanket! So it was actually true that I was essentially naked on the plane, but not really naked.

He concluded, “I mean, look, if it’s a long-haul sleeper flight…I’m not going to fall asleep in my denim jacket!”

Read Theroux’s full Esquire interview – along with his ‘White House Plumbers’ co-star Woody Harrelson – right here.