This Update On Justin Theroux After His Split From Jennifer Aniston Will Break Your Heart

Hollywood is still being rocked by its most recent high-profile split, so it's no surprise that those most closely affected by it reportedly aren't quite ready to talk. Justin Theroux pulled out of a late-night show appearance on Tuesday night following the announcement of his separation from Jennifer Aniston. And, according to ET Online, this wasn't a fluke. The outlet has a source claiming that Theroux wants to take some time out of the spotlight to recover from the breakup, and, if at all true, there's no telling how long that might take.

Theroux had been scheduled to appear on the Feb. 20 episode of Late Show With Stephen Colbert. And while the 46-year-old was initially set to join the program in order to promote upcoming projects, this also would've been his first interview since the breakup of his marriage — so you can hardly expect that the topic wouldn't come up. According to ET's source:

"Justin's going to lay low now and just try to recalibrate. The last thing he needs is to be on a major talk show so soon after the announcement where the focus will inevitably be on the split."

Theroux and Aniston announced that they would be parting ways after two years of marriage on Feb. 15, just five days before the scheduled broadcast. So when the list of scheduled guests for The Late Show was released the following Monday, it was hardly a surprise that the Leftovers star's name wasn't on it. Talk of his romantic life would almost certainly have eclipsed any promo that Theroux might have been hoping to do for the dark comedy series Maniac and the film Mute, both Netflix projects slated to hit the streaming platform this year.

The only aspect that might be in question was why Theroux waited so long to pull out of the appearance. But ET's source claims that he reportedly delayed his cancelation until after the announcement so as not to feed the rumor mill unnecessarily. And, indeed, you can see those same inclinations toward privacy in Theroux and Aniston's public statement, released last week:

"In an effort to reduce any further speculation, we have decided to announce our separation. This decision was mutual and lovingly made at the end of last year. We are two best friends who have decided to part ways as a couple, but look forward to continuing our cherished friendship. Normally we would do this privately, but given that the gossip industry cannot resist an opportunity to speculate and invent, we wanted to convey the truth directly. Whatever else is printed about us that is not directly from us, is someone else’s fictional narrative. Above all, we are determined to maintain the deep respect and love that we have for one another."

The joint statement makes it clear that the decision is both amicable and mutual, but invites the reader no further in. And the two have been tight-lipped about their romance throughout their seven-year relationship. From their early beginnings in 2011 to their three-year engagement, which ended in a quiet wedding at home in August 2015, this couple has always valued their privacy. So it should come as no great shock that they're extending the same treatment to their breakup as well.

Maybe the A-List pair will end up speaking about their split, and maybe they won't. But the best thing that either side can do for themselves right now is to get re-centered. And no matter how eager you are to hear all the gory details and to see Theroux in a new project stat, it doesn't always work like that.

If Theroux really is taking this time apart to recalibrate, it's because he needs it. So, even if that means he misses a promo cycle or two for his upcoming projects, this is much more important.