Following the tragic news that Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux have called time on their two-year-marriage, it's rumoured their untimely split was to be expected.

A source has told Entertainment Tonight that one of the major factors in their break-up was the pair's disagreement about where they should live.

The source reveals Theroux considers himself a New Yorker through and through, and previously lived in the Big Apple with his long-term girlfriend Heidi Bivens for 14 years before his meeting Aniston. Even after his marriage to the actress and the move to the West Coast, he kept a Greenwich Village pad in the city.

Sadly, living in Hollywood was something that he never really wanted.

'He much prefers being [in New York] and that's been a major issue for them for a long time,' says the source, adding his close friend are all based in NYC.

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'Justin has a very diverse friend group, and he likes that they're not all "in the industry."

'He's friends with people in the restaurant world, writers, comedians, artists, tattoo artists. It's an eclectic group and he doesn't have that type of network in LA.'

Despite developing her early career in NYC, Aniston has always seen Los Angeles as home, years after calling time on her five-year marriage to fellow actor, Brad Pitt.

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Justin reportedly tried to integrate Jennifer into his New York lifestyle, with the couple even purchasing an apartment in the West Village, according to the source.

'He really wanted her to be comfortable [in New York].

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'He even negotiated with the paps to make a deal that they would only shoot her once per day and then leave her alone. He also agreed to move out of his apartment, which he loves.'

However, a lawsuit with one of their neighbours in 2017 - who reportedly antagonised the couple's construction workers making renovations on their home - escalated the pair's disagreement over where to nest.

'There was the construction, which is obviously a nuisance, but what really pissed off the neighbours was just the constant commotion outside their door all the time with the photographers,' the source says.

'It made for an awkward living situation for Jen and Justin because they knew the neighbours weren't happy.'

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As a result of Jen's unhappiness, Theroux acquiesced and agreed to move across the country to Los Angeles but, while he continued to enjoy a bicoastal lifestyle, Jen did not.

When visiting the city, Theroux would reportedly regularly stay at his Greenwich Village, while Aniston would opt to stay at luxury hotels, instead.

Regardless of their love for each other, the source said their constant disagreement over where they should live drew a wedge between the pair, which resulted in them living two very different lifestyles.

'They really were a great couple. And they cared a lot about each other. Justin was always really protective of her,' says the source. 'They both wanted this to work.'

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Aniston and Theroux, who tied the knot in a secret ceremony at their home in Bel-Air, California in August 2015, announced their separation in a statement released to ET on Thursday.

The 49-year-old Friends star released a statement via a publicist, who told Associated Press the couple insist they still care very much about each other and will remain friends.

'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 actress recently celebrated her 49th birthday in Malibu with friends, while Theroux was spotted attending NYFW.

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Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.