In a stunning revelation that has left fans reeling, Jennifer Aniston has confirmed long-standing rumors that she had a child in the past. The Friends star, now 56, shared the news during an emotional interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on April 12, 2025, also disclosing the identity of the child’s father—a man who was neither of her ex-husbands nor any of the high-profile figures she has been linked to romantically.
Aniston, who has been fiercely private about her personal life, addressed the rumors with a candidness that caught even her closest confidants off guard. “I’ve spent years dodging questions about kids because it was always so painful to correct the narrative,” she said, her voice breaking. “But yes, I did have a child—a daughter—back in the early 2000s. Her name is Lily, and she’s the light of my life.”
The actress went on to reveal that Lily’s father is Daniel Rivera, a humanitarian aid worker she met while volunteering for a disaster relief effort in Central America in 1999, shortly after her rise to global fame with Friends. Rivera, a Guatemalan native, was not part of Hollywood’s elite and had no connection to Aniston’s public world. “Daniel was unlike anyone I’d ever met,” Aniston explained. “He was kind, grounded, and completely uninterested in fame. We fell in love during a time when I needed something real.”
Fans were floored by the revelation, as Rivera’s name had never surfaced in connection with Aniston. Her high-profile relationships with Brad Pitt, whom she was married to from 2000 to 2005, and Justin Theroux, her husband from 2015 to 2017, dominated tabloid headlines, as did rumored romances with stars like Vince Vaughn and John Mayer. More recently, speculation about her and Pedro Pascal made waves after they were spotted dining together in West Hollywood in March 2025, though Pascal clarified they were just friends.
Aniston shared that she and Rivera parted ways amicably in 2001 due to the challenges of their vastly different lives, but they remained in contact for Lily’s sake. Rivera, now 58, has since dedicated his life to sustainable development projects in Latin America and has stayed out of the spotlight. “He’s an incredible father, and we’ve worked hard to give Lily a normal life away from all the craziness,” Aniston said.
The actress explained that she kept Lily a secret to protect her from the relentless media scrutiny that defined much of her own life, particularly during her marriage to Pitt and its highly publicized end amid rumors of his affair with Angelina Jolie. “I didn’t want my daughter to grow up under that kind of pressure,” she said. “It was the hardest but best decision I ever made.”
Social media exploded with reactions, with fans expressing a mix of shock and admiration. “Jennifer Aniston hid a whole child AND the dad isn’t even a celeb? I’m shook,” one user posted on X. Another wrote, “This just makes me love her more—she protected her daughter all these years.” Aniston’s revelation adds a new layer to her public persona, one that underscores her commitment to privacy and family despite decades in the spotlight.