John Aniston, the father of actress Jennifer Aniston, who played Rachel Green in the popular sitcom ‘Friends‘, passed away at the age of 89. Jennifer took to Instagram to pay tribute to her late father with a series of childhood pictures. In the caption, she wrote, “Sweet papa… John Anthony Aniston. You were one of the most beautiful humans I ever knew.” John Aniston was an actor who had long worked on the television screen. He is best known for his role as Victor Kiriakis in the sitcom ‘Days of Our Lives’.
“I am so grateful that you went soaring into the heavens in peace – and without pain. And on 11/11 no less! You always had perfect timing. That number will forever hold an even greater meaning for me now I’ll love you till the end of time Don’t forget to visit,” Jennifer continued with her eulogy on Instagram. But the father-daughter did not have the same warm relationship up until recently. Apparently, Jennifer held a grudge against her father before reconciling.
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What Caused The Rift Between Jennifer Aniston And Her Father John Aniston?
John Aniston married Jennifer’s mother, Nancy Dow and the actress was born in 1969. While John was working in the soap opera, ‘Love Is Life‘, he met his co-star Sherry Rooney and they both fell in love. Consequently, in 1979, Jennifer’s father separated from his wife and moved out of the house. Jennifer admitted that probably due to trauma, she has blocked out most of her memory of that time. According to The Daily Mail, Jennifer related the episode “I went to a birthday party, and when I came back, my mother said, ‘Your father’s not going to be around here for a little while.’ She didn’t say he was gone forever. I don’t know if I blocked it, but I just remember sitting there, crying, not understanding that he was gone.”
She further added, “I don’t know what I did later that night or the next day. I don’t remember anything other than it being odd that all of a sudden my father wasn’t there. And he was gone for a while, about a year.”
John, after a year, called up his daughter to spend the day with him watching a movie, ‘The Fantasticks‘. This was the start of a new life where Jennifer had to accept and adjust to two separate life with her parents. Jennifer didn’t talk to her father for years but the two estranged souls finally found it in themselves to fix their relationship.
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How Did They Reconcile?
According to Insider, “Jennifer didn’t speak to him for ages. But since the coronavirus crisis, she has been on the phone almost every day.” Like many during the COVID-19 crisis, Jennifer too re-evaluated life and its short nature. Thus, she concluded that she wanted to mend her relationship with her father and cherish all the moments. In an interview with Allure, she said, “It’s toxic to have that resentment, that anger. I learned that by watching my mom never let go of it.” She had long meaningful conversations with her father over the phone during the lockdown. John was immensely happy that his daughter approached to reconcile.
Since then Jennifer often cheered her father on social media for his milestones. In June, she congratulated him for his Lifetime Achievement Award at the Daytime Emmy Awards. She wrote, “It’s an opportunity to not only pay tribute to a true icon in the daytime television world, but it’s also a chance to recognize the lifelong achievement of a great and well-respected actor who also happens to be my dad.”
John also praised his daughter although he didn’t agree with Jennifer pursuing a career in the television industry. Jennifer said her father advised her that showbiz is a “tough business” but it only compelled her to do it with even more dedication. John believed “Jennifer is a natural talent.” It is heartwarming to see that Jennifer can say goodbye to her father with happy tears.
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