8 Celebrities Who’ve Remained Friends With Their Exes

Splitting up from loved ones is always hard. But there are couples who stay close for the rest of their lives, cherishing a friendship in place of a romantic one. And it’s a whole other story when it comes to celebrities. Here are 8 celeb couples who have remained close to their ex-partners and most likely will always be. These celebs prove that friendship can sometimes work out even more perfectly than love.

1. Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck

After 10 years of marriage and 3 children, Violet, 15; Seraphina, 12; and Samuel, 9; Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck officially filed for divorce in 2017. “Going through it in public is not what’s hard, going through it is what’s hard,” Garner told The Hollywood Reporter. “My children’s eyes are on me.”

2. Jason Momoa and Lisa Bonet

Jason Momoa and Lisa Bonet shocked everyone when they announced in early 2022 that they had decided to go their separate ways after more than 10 years together. But since their breakup, Momoa has alluded to how important Bonet is to him. “We’re family, you know,” the Aquaman star told Access Hollywood on the Oscars red carpet. “We have 2 beautiful children together. We’re family forever.”

3. Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston

The truth is, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston have always been friendly. “They have a very mature relationship that has evolved over time because they both have experienced marriages that didn’t work out,” a source told ET in January. “Right now, they just love and adore each other and have been much closer friends since their divorces.”

4. Jenna Dewan and Channing Tatum

“We have lovingly chosen to separate as a couple,” they said in a public statement. “We fell deeply in love so many years ago and have had a magical journey together. Absolutely nothing has changed about how much we love one another, but love is a beautiful adventure that is taking us on different paths for now.”

5. Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake

Cameron Diaz revealed in a 2014 interview with Self magazine that she’s still friends with all of her exes, including Justin Timberlake. “I’m still friends with my ex-boyfriends,” she said. “I feel like all my relationships are strong — friends, family. I’ve invested in my people and they’ve invested in me.”

6. Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe

Reese Witherspoon said in an interview on the British talk show, Lorraine, that she doesn’t regret her marriage to Ryan Phillippe, explaining they were just too young when they got married. “It’s about that next chapter in your life,” she started. “What do you do when you get to 40 and you made a decision when you were 25 to get married and have kids? I got married when I was 23 and I had 2 kids by the time I was 27. So I don’t know, you know, sometimes it’s good to know yourself.”

Furthermore, the 2 remain dedicated to co-parenting their 2 children and are often seen together spending time together as a family.

7. Courteney Cox and David Arquette

Courteney Cox called David Arquette her “best friend in the world” in an interview with Ellen DeGeneres following the couple’s split in 2013. “I love him,” she said. “I appreciate David more now than I ever did. I mean, it’s hard. I don’t recommend divorce, in general, but, you know, he is my best friend and we’ve both grown and changed.”

A week later, Arquette echoed those sentiments to People. “She’s incredible,” he said. “I love her too, and she’s an amazing person, a beautiful person.”

8. Brendan Fraser and Afton Smith

Every love story has a sweet beginning, and so do Afton Smith and Brendan Fraser. The duo met at a barbecue thrown by their mutual friend, Winona Ryder, on July 4, 1993. Upon their first meeting, they felt a spark between them. To everyone around them, Smith and Fraser were a perfect couple, but they never knew what was really going on behind the curtains of their real life. After giving birth to their third child, the couple filed for divorce in 2007. The real reason behind the ending of the 9-year relationship is still a mystery.

Would you be cool staying friends with your ex?