It was finally Jennifer Aniston’s night. Exuding sex appeal at the Golden Globe Awards in a daring black gown with a mile-high split, Jen managed to win back the interest of former flame, Scottish actor Gerard Butler.
Neither had dates for the night but they walked the red carpet together and then presented the Best Screenplay award side by side, setting the scene for a steamy night of romance.
Jen cuddled close to Gerard and rested her cheek on his shoulder while he playfully hid the award winner’s name from her. “Jen never intended to flirt with Gerard in front of so many people – it was just one of those totally organic, unpredictable things,” says a friend.
Any hurt Jen (40) may have suffered over her ex-boyfriend Vince Vaughn’s marriage to a real-estate agent this month was put behind her as she flirted up a storm with Gerard (also 40) for most of the night.
They joked around, posing together for photographs while things started heating up backstage. “You wait for me,” Jen was overheard telling Gerard outside the ladies’ room. “They were drinking Möet backstage,” says a source. “At one point they were making out in the kitchen. They definitely seem very coupley.”
Later they joined Jen’s best friend Courteney Cox and her husband David Arquette at the after-show party, where a guest says Jen kept “whispering” in Gerard’s ear. “Jen tensed up every time another woman approached Gerard,” says another eyewitness.
Two days prior to the ceremony, the pair were spotted “downing shots” at the Creative Artists Agency pre-party. “They were all over each other and even fed each other mini-burgers,” says one guest.
The duo, who first became close when filming The Bounty Hunter together, recently posed for a sexy photo shoot for *W magazine that is tipped to raise a few eyebrows. “It’s the most outrageous thing Jen has ever done,” says an insider. “Gerard is dressed as a cop and Jen’s just wearing lingerie. The photos are amazing – Jen was nervous about it but she really enjoyed it.”
Jen’s rep denies she and Gerard are dating, and at the Warners’ Golden Globes after-party later, the dashing actor, who’s been labelled a serial womaniser, was seen prowling for pretty women, leading to whispers that Jen could be repeating her pattern of falling for bad boys.
But Jen wasn’t short on male companionship that night. She must be pleased that a last-minute decision to change her outfit more than paid off.
Knowing that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were not attending, Jen changed her mind about wearing a white asymmetrical Stella McCartney dress and made a statement with a gothic inspired Valentino gown, complemented by matching black nail polish – reminiscent of Angelina’s trademark black.
Determined to make a splash this year, Jen worked out for two hours a day during the run-up to the awards, and at one point during the night she flashed more than her legs – photographers also caught a glimpse of Jen’s black underwear. A friend reveals: “She purposely flashed her legs because they were always Brad’s favourite part of her body.”
Sure enough, Brad took the bait, calling Jen later that night to say she “looked absolutely incredible”.
