Jennifer Aniston and Sandra Bullock recall both dating Friends actor Tate Donovan

Donovan previously said working on Friends with Aniston was 'horrible' and that he 'wouldn’t recommend' working with an ex
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Megan C. Hills14 February 2020

Besides being highly successful Hollywood stars, Jennifer Aniston and Sandra Bullock have another thing in common.

The pair sat down for a candid conversation in Interview Magazine where they reflected on their long friendship - including the fact that they were introduced to each other by a man they both would end up dating.

The pair both went out with actor Tate Donovan in the 90s, who they both starred alongside onscreen - Bullock in the film Love Potion No.9 and Aniston in Friends, where Donovan played her boyfriend Joshua.

Sandra Bullock and Tate Donovan in 2004
Bei/Shutterstock

Bullock dated him for four years between 1990-1994, while Aniston dated him shortly after between 1995-1998.

Aniston recalled she and Bullock had first met at a Golden Globes party thrown by talent agency CAA, where Donovan introduced the pair.

Bullock said, “We were introduced by our former boyfriend [Tate Donovan]. I say 'our' because you and I both partook of this one human being.”

“Yes, we did,” Aniston said, “that’s a beautiful way of saying it.”

“We both partook of Tate,” Bullock repeated.

Jennifer Aniston and Tate Donovan in 1997
Getty Images

Bullock later described Donovan as “a very patient human being, given that he dated us both.” Aniston responded, “He seems to have a type.”

“Talented. Funny,” Bullock continued. “Kind. Introspective. Generous.”

“Lovers of architecture, lovers of interior design,” Aniston continued.

Jennifer Aniston and Tate Donovan in 1997 on Friends
Getty Images

Donovan was asked about his relationships with Aniston and Bullock on Huffington Post Live in 2013, reflecting that his time working on Friends with Aniston was “horrible” and that he “wouldn’t recommend” working with an ex.

He explained, “I love those guys [on Friends.] I’d go and visit the guys when I wasn’t working...But unfortunately Jen and I were breaking up [when I was on the show]. We were broken up and the producers were like, ‘Hey, would you wanna do six episodes on the show?’ And I was like, maybe it would be good to work through this breakup.”

“What an idiot,” Donovan continued through laughter. “It was bad.”

Donovan played Joshua Burgin on Friends, who was a client of Rachel's while she worked at Bloomingdale's as a personal shopper and he didn't realise for a while that she was interested in him.

They later split up after Rachel panicked him after the subject of marriage kept coming up in their conversations, culminating in Joshua finding Rachel in a wedding dress and eventually led to their break up.

He remembered calling Aniston in April that year to tell her that he had been asked to star in Friends as her boyfriend and said that she “thought it was an April Fool’s Day joke”, until she realised he was serious.

Donovan said that they “both thought maybe we should” but said they both found it hard.

“It was horrible. It was so tough man. Oh gosh,” Donovan said. “I remember just getting back to my dressing room and just weeping. It was tough. Could you imagine?”

When asked what it was like seeing his famous exes Aniston and Bullock around Hollywood, he revealed he still sees Bullock “a bunch”.

He said, “[Seeing Aniston and Bullock] is awkward and also wonderful. You’ve both moved on and found other loves, and you have this great smile.”

“I generally, you know, enjoy it,” he finished.

After splitting from Aniston, he later married writer Corinne Kingsbury in 2005 though they divorced in 2008. Donovan, Aniston and Bullock are all currently single.

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