Jennifer Aniston still mourns her 'first, true love', lost due to 'Friends'

After two high-profile, albeit failed marriages, Hollywood A-lister Jennifer Aniston is still not over her ‘first and true’ love, whom she had to let go to find fame with ‘Friends’.

As revealed by a close friend of Jennifer Aniston, exclusively to a foreign publication, the ‘Friends’ star still mourns the lost love of her nine-year senior beau, Daniel McDonald, after at least three decades since it came to an end.

For the unversed, Aniston dated struggling film and theatre actor Daniel McDonald for five years before she landed the role of Rachel Green in ‘Friends’ and went on to become a household name with NBC’s hit sitcom, through its decade-long run.

Speaking to the outlet, Aniston’s friend shared, “Jen was born in Los Angeles and raised in New York City, but her parents were strict. When she moved back to L.A. and met an older man [McDonald], he was protective, and she felt safe.”

The insider continued to reveal, “Jen and Dan dated for almost five years before she landed the role of Rachel Green on Friends. And while Dan was happy for her success, they’d talked about moving back to New York – something Dan wanted because his goal was to perform on Broadway. He considered himself more of a New York theatre guy, and he and Jen had pretty much made a pact to go back.”

Faced with a tough decision, to pick between love and career, Aniston decided not to let go of the ‘chance of a lifetime’ she had with ‘Friends’, and hence, she stayed back, while McDonald moved to New York, to pursue ‘his dream on Broadway’.

“Jen and Dan kept in touch – but with time, they drifted apart,” the insider concluded.

Notably, Aniston, 56, later married twice, to Hollywood A-listers Brad Pitt and Justin Theroux; however, both her relationships lasted only a few years.

On the other hand, McDonald tied the knot with filmmaker Mujah Maraini-Melehi in 1999 and shared two children with her. He passed away in 2007, a year after being diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, at the age of 46.

According to sources, Aniston was devastated by his tragic death.

Also Read: Pedro Pascal, Jennifer Aniston are ‘more than just friends’