Jennifer Aniston Adopted Her First Dog, Norman, After His Cameo on Friends
Jennifer Aniston is recounting the heartwarming tale of how she came to adopt her first dog, Norman, after his appearance on Friends.
While appearing on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Wednesday, September 10, Aniston, 56, mentioned that Norman wasn’t the most compliant costar during his guest spot on the beloved sitcom, which ultimately resulted in him finding a home with her.
“Norman was part of an episode of Friends. The one where Joey and Chandler look after Ross’ baby, Ben, and accidentally leave him on a bus,” she explained. “They leave the baby on the bus, then race through the streets of New York City to retrieve him. You know how New York has those wonderful dog walkers managing multiple dogs on leashes? Norman was one of those dogs.”
Aniston further elaborated, “I told the animal trainers, ‘If there’s ever a dog available for adoption, I’m interested.’ They responded, ‘Actually, we do have a dog we’re looking to retire. He’s quite stubborn, doesn’t follow commands, and he never hits his mark.’ So, I adopted him, and he became mine.”
The actress noted that Norman was just 1 year old when she adopted him, and he lived a long, happy life by her side. Notably, Aniston has Norman’s name inked on her foot.
Although Norman passed away in 2011, Aniston is now a proud dog mom to Lord Chesterfield, a Labrador, and Clyde, a Schnauzer mix.
Her recent talk show guest appearance came just a day after social media buzz showed her new boyfriend, Jim Curtis, supporting her at the Morning Show season 4 premiere at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
The Friends star first fueled romance rumors with Curtis after they were spotted together during a Mallorca holiday with her longtime friends, Jason Bateman and his wife, Amanda Anka.
Later that month, multiple sources confirmed to Us Weekly that Aniston and the hypnotist were indeed dating.
“They’re keeping things low-key, but have been enjoying each other’s company. They’re happy and really connected,” one insider shared, revealing that “mutual friends” introduced them, and what began as a friendship blossomed over time. “They’ve been spending a lot of time together, mostly quietly at her home in L.A. It’s very peaceful, and she has always appreciated that. They complement each other well.”
Another source indicated to Us that while the relationship is “relatively new,” it’s “progressing quickly.”
“They just have such great chemistry,” the source explained. “Jen is radiant right now, and Jim is a big part of that. He feels refreshing, and all her close friends are absolutely delighted to see them together.”
After a few more public outings that summer, including Curtis’s attendance at her haircare event in Los Angeles, Aniston seemingly made their relationship Instagram official on Sunday, September 7.
“Thank you, summer ☀️❤️🙏🏼,” she captioned the post, which included a picture of a mystery man enjoying the sunset on a beach.
Aniston was previously married to Justin Theroux from 2015 until their split in 2018.
“To alleviate any speculation, we have chosen to announce our separation,” Theroux and Aniston stated in a joint announcement to Us in February 2018. “This decision was mutual and made with love at the end of last year. We are still best friends who have chosen to part ways as a couple but look forward to maintaining our cherished friendship.”
Since their separation, Aniston has not publicly dated anyone, but she has expressed openness to finding love again.
“Never say never, though I’m not actively looking. I’d love to be in a relationship. Who knows?” she shared with Allure in November 2022. “There are times I wish I could just curl up and say, ‘I need support.’ It would be wonderful to come home and sink into someone’s arms and say, ‘What a tough day.’”
