2020 was no one’s perfect year, but like all the ones before it, the 365-day period was not without its bright spots. Jennifer Aniston, Brad Pitt, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and more celebrities were responsible for bringing a little joy to 2020 with picture-perfect moments that won’t soon be forgotten.
Aniston, 51, and Pitt, 57, proved they are the definition of friendly exes when they reunited backstage at the 2020 Screen Actors Guild Awards in January. The pair, who were married from 2000 to 2005, congratulated each other on their respective wins — her for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series for The Morning Show and him for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood — and briefly held hands as they beamed. He was even seen pausing to watch her acceptance speech.
Emma McIntyre, a Getty Images staff photographer who captured the viral run-in, told Us Weekly, “I saw Brad coming down the hallway and sensed that there would be a photo-worthy moment. He called out ‘Aniston!’ and she turned around and they embraced and congratulated each other. It was a moment of two accomplished people at the top of their game acknowledging each other’s successes and genuinely seeming happy to see one another. The moment was really touching and you could sense the respect between two people who’ve known each other 20+ years and are both outstanding in their field.”
Pitt, for his part, later reacted to the attention the moment received. “I don’t know,” he told Entertainment Tonight days after the awards show, noting that he had not read any headlines about the reunion. “I’m blissfully naïve and I’m gonna stay that way.”
Aniston, meanwhile, told Extra it was “sweet” that the Ocean’s Eleven star watched her speech backstage.
While 2020 started out like any other year, with awards shows and in-person reunions, it took a turn as the coronavirus pandemic spread throughout the world. The year was also marked by the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, a divisive presidential election, surprise pregnancies and new couples.
Scroll through the gallery below to revisit the best photos of 2020!