KEY POINTS

  • Jennifer Aniston shared a photo of Sandra Bullock's birthday celebration on social media
  • Aniston and Bullock were introduced to each other by Tate Donovan 
  • Donovan confessed it was difficult working with Aniston on "Friends" after their split

Sandra Bullock celebrated her recent birthday with some of her closest friends.

On July 26, the "Miss Congeniality" star turned 56 years old. She celebrated the special day with her popular friends Jennifer Aniston, Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor.

The "Friends" alum shared a snap of them from the event. In the photo, they are seen practicing social distancing while also wearing facial masks.

"Celebrating our girl properly distanced with so much love," Aniston wrote in an Instagram Story. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY SANDY! WE LOVE YOU!!!"

In an interview for Interview Magazine in February, Aniston and Bullock shared how they met. According to Bullock, they were introduced by Tate Donovan.

"Yes, and we were introduced by our former boyfriend. I say 'our' because you and I both partook of this one human being," Bullock said.

Aniston agreed and said that it was a "beautiful way of saying it." And both said, "We both partook of Tate."

"Who was a very patient human being, given that he dated us both," Bullock added.

"He seems to have a type," Aniston quipped.

"Talented. Funny. Kind. Introspective. Generous," Bullock said referring to the two of them.

Bullock and Donovan were engaged in the early 1990s. However, they broke up before they could even tie the knot. A few years later, he guest starred on "Friends" where he played as Rachel Green's (Aniston) love interest. They took their romance off-screen, but their relationship didn't last long.

According to Donovan, it was difficult for him to still work with Aniston on "Friends" after their split. However, he was very happy to be part of the team and he had nothing but praises for the six "Friends" main stars.

"Those six people were amazing to me. They were fantastic. It wasn’t cliquey for me at all. I was lucky," he told Us Weekly in 2018.

"In other words, they were just compassionate, very compassionate about the whole breakup. It was sort of like I proved that, hey, I guess I’m a pro. If you can go through a tough breakup, and still do your job, then you’re a pro. It was good. It was really ultimately a great experience of how people can treat you really well, and you still do your job even though you’re sort of dying inside."

Sandra Bullock
Sandra Bullock has been giving millions for charity. Pictured: Bullock attends the premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures' "Our Brand Is Crisis" at TCL Chinese Theatre on Oct. 26, 2015 in Hollywood, California. Getty Images/Tibrina Hobson