Jennifer Aniston, Justin Theroux - a Breakup in the Making

There was a lot of hoopla about new celebrity couple Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux when it emerged that Justin had summarily ditched his girlfriend of 14 years for Jen.

Jen and Justin were wearing identical rings. Jen, under Justin's influence, got a tattoo. Jen and Justin had moved in together. Jen, it was rumoured, might even be pregnant with a little Theroux. Just as Brad and Angelina were dubbed Brangelina all over the net it was only a matter of time before someone - me for example - coined the term Justifer or Jennistin to sum the happy couple up.

But where are Jen and Justin headed?

In different directions I fear.

Consider the facts. By the time Jennifer met Justin she'd already had a long film and TV career. She's made a number of dire romantic comedies, but no-one can take Friends or Rachel away from her. And she's made millions of dollars.

Justin, on the other hand, has been trying to kickstart his film career for about as long as Jen has been rich and famous. Justin has been chipping away at acting and writing for years without getting a real breakthrough. He's had bit parts in episodes of series like Sex and the City and Ally McBeal. He was in the David Lynch movie, Mulholland Drive. Robert Downey Jr gave him a break in 2009 by recommending him as a writer for Iron Man 2 after Theroux had worked on the film Tropic Thunder. But Justin really wasn't hitting the big time.

He's a little younger than Jennifer and he was a lot less photographed than she is.

Until, of course, he started dating Brad Pitt's ex.

What Justin seems to have realised is that chipping away at a movie career will only get you so far. What he needs if he's ever going to get onto the A List is big publicity. And one of the easiest ways for an actor or film writer to get big publicity in or around Hollywood, and the world for that matter, is to date someone better known than you are.

It's all very well having a girlfriend for 14 years, but if no-one knows who she is...where does that get you in Hollywood? Nowhere.

So the 14-year girl was ditched and Justin and Jennifer went public.

Jennifer Aniston seems to be extremely excited to be seen out with Theroux. With her regulation shiny hair and bright girl-next-door smile, Ms Aniston has been waving madly to photographers ever since she first stepped out by Justin's side.

Now, numerous commentators have made the point that Jennifer seems to date every co-star she's in a film with, usually in the period coming up to the film's release. But let's assume that she actually does like Theroux.

Brad's ex is in danger of getting her heart broken all over again if she's attached to Justin. He's looking for a meteoric career and he's waited an awfully long time to get it. He has also tried to cultivate a reputation as a Hollywood-Bad-Boy - and you don't date Jennifer Aniston sincerely if you have pretensions to being a bad boy.

Hopefully Jen's heart won't be broken again, by another movie actor with plenty of other options to pursue. But now that she's taking a year out to "pursue" Justin, she may finally have the baby she says she's wanted for a while. At 42, she'll need to get started right away as fertility declines sharply in women after 35. There may still be time though and even if she ends up without Theroux she may end up with a much-loved baby. Motherhood may give her more than movies and millions have given her so far.