Jennifer Aniston laments the loss of her “sweet papa,” but her mother was the cause of a lingering trauma
Jennifer Aniston is lamenting the passing of her “dear papa,” John Aniston of the popular soap operas, who died on Friday at the age of 89.
The “Friends” star, who was well known for her devotion for her father, posted a heartfelt homage to him on Instagram, calling him “one of the most beautiful persons I ever knew.”
Although she was very close to her father, Aniston’s relationship with her mother, Nancy Dow, was much more strained and marred by betrayal, mistrust, and hurt.
Aniston and Dow had a long-standing estrangement, and after her mother passed away in 2016, the “Morning Show” actress paid her mother a less flattering tribute.
“My brother John and I announce the demise of our mother Nancy Dow with deep sorrow. She was 79 years old when she passed away peacefully in the company of her loved ones after a protracted illness, according to a comparably brief statement made at the time by Aniston. “As we mourn our loss, we request that the privacy of our family be respected.”
Aniston and Dow had a tumultuous relationship for years; the actress was reportedly furious when Dow decided to publish a memoir about their relationship called “From Mother and Daughter to Friends: A Memoir.”
Aniston and her mother eventually made amends, but she has frequently discussed their tumultuous relationship and the trauma she now bears as a result of their falling out.
She was judgmental. In a 2015 interview with the Hollywood Reporter, the actress remarked about her mother, “She was quite judgmental of me. Because she was a model, she was dazzling and beautiful. Not me. I’ve never been.
Aniston added, “She was also quite unforgiving. She would harbour grudges that I simply felt to be so trivial.
Dow, a model and actress who starred in “The Beverly Hillbillies,” wed John Aniston in 1965; four years later, they had Jennifer, their only child.
Aniston and her mother’s connection deteriorated during her adolescent years after the parents divorced when she was nine years old.
The relationship, however, apparently took a major turn for the worse in the early 1990s after the pair went to treatment together and Dow felt she was being “blamed” for all of her daughter’s issues, according to a 2000 piece in the National Post.
After “Friends” debuted in 1994, Aniston’s career took off and she hardly spoke to her mother. As a result, she made the decision to write the 1999 book about their relationship.
The book was written in an effort to “help those trying to overcome their own childhood trauma, fallout from divorce, single-parenting issues, and the ‘dark hole of child/parent estrangement,'” according to the publisher. Aniston was reportedly incensed by the book’s release.
Dow was completely cut out from Aniston’s life and was not invited to her celebrity-studded wedding to Brad Pitt in 2000.
Aniston and Dow did not talk for a further six years, until the actress’ breakup with Pitt made her reexamine the connection.
After her widely publicised divorce, the actress admitted in a 2006 Vanity Fair piece that “We’ve exchanged messages.” “Entry is welcome. We’re moving slowly. It’s beneficial.
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In the years since her mother passed away, Aniston has not stopped talking about her, claiming that she has come to see her in a new light.
She frankly acknowledged that her mother had inflicted “deep scars” on her in an Elle interview from 2018 but acknowledged that they were accidental.
The “Picture Perfect” actress remarked, “She was from this world of, ‘Honey, take better care of yourself,’ or ‘Honey, put your face on,’ or all of those odd sound bites that I can remember from my childhood.
“However, I now understand that my mother said those things because she genuinely loved me. She wasn’t intentionally trying to hurt me or anticipating that I would need to spend a lot of money to heal the deep wounds she caused. She did it because that’s how she was raised.
And just last week, Aniston brought up her mother once more in a new interview with Allure, claiming to have “forgiven” her of any transgressions.
Aniston seemed to imply in the interview that her adored father might have also had flaws, which she has also accepted.
“I pardoned my mother. My dad was pardoned by me. I’ve made amends with my family, she said. “It’s significant. Having that animosity and that rage is harmful. My mom never let go of it, so I observed that. I recall thanking you for “teaching me what never to be.”
The Anistons’ representatives informed The Message that her touching Instagram post would be her sole word regarding the passing of her father.
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