Actress Jennifer Aniston has found a lifetime friend in daytime's favorite talk show host Ellen DeGeneres. On a 2018 episode of her show, DeGeneres treated fans to a montage featuring the two entertainers sharing more than a few warm hugs over the years. The actress and comedian first publicly shared their friendship with the world at the premiere of Aniston's 1998 film The Object of My Affection. Since then, both women have professed their love and support for one another... time and time again.

At the Variety Power of Women luncheon in October 2019, DeGeneres said:

"I am one of [Jennifer Aniston's] best friends. [I'm her] nearest, dearest, most favorite friend."

Aniston later joked,

"Ellen, we gotta keep the best friend stuff kind of on the DL, okay? 'Cause a lot of my best friends are here."

We know this friendship has been decades in the making... but what exactly is it like inside this A-list mutual appreciation society? Let's take a closer look.

The Ellen DeGeneres Show made its debut on September 8th, 2003, launching a talk show that has ruled daytime television for nearly two decades. Ellen's first guest was none other than — you guessed it — a certain actress by the name of Jennifer Aniston.

They joked about Aniston's Forbes ranking and her new Los Angeles home. At one point, Aniston gave DeGeneres a gift that's certainly befitting of a new talk show host: a welcome mat. This would be the first of Aniston's many, many, many appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

But make no mistake: Aniston and DeGeneres' friendship isn't just for the cameras. They're reportedly the kind of friends who text one another when in need of a belt. Allegedly, they'll even pop up to surprise one another at hair appointments. What's more, DeGeneres helps Aniston celebrate her birthday… big time.

And if reports can be believed, DeGeneres has reportedly called Aniston a few times to share advice on getting through quarantine.

The two stars reportedly even shared a kiss on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Speaking fondly of DeGeneres, Aniston later remarked,

"There's Hollywood friends, and Hollywood friends they kind of like do that air kiss thing, and then when you're real friends you, you know, you do that. That's what real friends do."

Aniston even publicly "settled" the debate as to whether Witherspoon or DeGeneres was the closer friend. She jokingly declared that the talk show host comes out on top.

All joking aside, these celebs are quite close! After all, DeGeneres was reportedly the first friend to check up on Aniston after her plane to Mexico made an emergency landing in 2019.

In any great friendship, secrets are kept and trust is tantamount. Well… Jennifer Aniston was willing to reveal a few of Ellen DeGeneres' so-called "deep dark secrets" when she took over hosting duties for The Ellen DeGeneres Show in January 2020. Of course, the whole thing was just a schtick, so don't look for too much juicy gossip here. At one point, the actress joked:

"Since we are real friends, I thought that, you know, since she's not here, I'm going to share some dirt on Ellen. [...] People think that she buys and sells houses because she loves real estate. No, it's not true. It's because she's on the run. From the law. Her real name, it's not Ellen. It's Sherri. Sherri Linguine."

Priceless stuff, right? Aniston went on to joke that DeGeneres throws away pennies and burns Gwyneth Paltrow candles in her dressing room. What's more, Aniston also quipped that

"[DeGeneres] once voiced an animated adult film called Grinding Nemo. [...] Don't tell her I told you any of that because I really would do anything for her."

Again, that's some bona fide, body-quaking hilarity, right?

Well, as it turns out, Jennifer Aniston has admired Ellen DeGeneres for a long time… even before they really got to know one another. Opening up about the first time she met DeGeneres at some birthday party or another, Aniston once said,

"I remember being absolutely in awe of you. [... You] hit my funny button like nobody else. It's true… and my heart!"

The stars really hit it off at Aniston's 27th birthday when DeGeneres "crashed" the party at The Buffalo Club. Meanwhile, Aniston once quipped on The Ellen Show,

"Chances are, your favorite grocery has a section of gift cards called The Gift Card Mall. They have everything from Visa to Best Buy to Nordstrom's, and it's where I get Ellen's birthday gift every year because she only likes two things: Expensive art and The Olive Garden."

If you ask us, this is one friendship that will definitely withstand the test of time.

Watch the video for a look Inside Ellen DeGeneres' Relationship With Jennifer Aniston!

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