While the world is focused on Brad and Jen, it seems their exes have been busy striking up an unlikely alliance in New York.
Justin Theroux and Angelina Jolie were spotted dining together at Il Baco restaurant on Long Island, sharing a table in a dimly lit corner for close to three hours.
Sources say the couple were seen talking ‘intensely’ throughout the meal, leaning over and speaking in hushed tones as stunned onlookers watched intently.
‘We couldn’t believe it when Angelina Jolie walked in,’ says a patron. ‘When Justin Theroux arrived 15 minutes later and sat with her, we were dumbstruck.
‘They hugged warmly when they saw each other and then sat down and started talking very intensely straight away. They were all business after that, with Ange jotting down notes.’
While it’s unclear what the pair were discussing, sources close to Ange, 42, reveal that she was keen to speak to Justin, 46, after his break-up from Jen was announced on February 16, so they could discuss how best to handle their splits.
‘Ange is still locked in a pretty messy legal fight with Brad over their divorce and the custody agreement,’ says a source close to the actress. ‘And she was keen to talk to Justin to find out what he knew about Jen and Brad’s new romance, and how they should tackle things.
‘This was very much a strategy meeting for Ange, a chance for her to pick Justin’s brain and work out their next steps as exes.’
Ange, meanwhile, has told friends that she’s not surprised that Jen, 49, and Justin have split – believing the actress was too dull for The Leftovers star.
‘Angelina has never cared for Jen, even before she started dating Brad,’ a source told HollywoodLife.com. ‘She’s always thought of her as very vanilla and shallow, and not on her level intellectually. Whereas Justin is quirky and edgy and super-smart, so Angelina wasn’t surprised at all to learn they had split.’
The source adds: ‘Angelina can’t help feeling a degree of vindication – after all, she was painted as this evil home wrecker who lured Brad away from Jen. But nobody can point the finger at any “wicked” third party, as by all accounts, neither Justin or Jen were cheating.
‘So this time, Jennifer can’t blame somebody for the failure of her marriage.’
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