Jennifer Joanna Aniston (born February 11, 1969) is an American actress. She rose to international fame for her role as
Rachel Green
Rachel Karen Green is a fictional character, one of the six main characters who appeared in the American sitcom ''Friends''. Portrayed by Jennifer Aniston, the character was created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, and appeared in all of ...
on the television
sitcom
A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...
''
Friends
''Friends'' is an American television sitcom created by David Crane (producer), David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting List of Friends episodes, ten seasons. With an ensemble cast ...
'' from 1994 to 2004, which earned her
Primetime Emmy,
Golden Globe
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Januar ...
, and
Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) was an American labor union which represented over 100,000 film and television principal and background performers worldwide. On March 30, 2012, the union leadership announced that the SAG membership voted to m ...
awards. Aniston has consistently ranked among the world's highest-paid actresses, as of 2023.
The daughter of actors
John Aniston and
Nancy Dow
Nancy Maryanne Dow (July 22, 1936 – May 27, 2016) was an American television and film actress. She was married to actor John Aniston and was the mother of actress Jennifer Aniston.
Early life
Dow was born in West Hartford, Connecticut, one o ...
, she began working as an actress at an early age with an uncredited role in the 1988 film ''
Mac and Me''. Her first major film role came in the 1993 horror comedy ''
Leprechaun''. She has since starred in a string of successful comedy films such as ''
Office Space
''Office Space'' is a 1999 American satirical black comedy film written and directed by Mike Judge. It satirizes the office work life of a typical 1990s software company, focusing on a handful of individuals weary of their jobs. It stars Ron ...
'' (1999), ''
Bruce Almighty'' (2003), ''
The Break-Up'' (2006), ''
Marley & Me'' (2008), ''
Just Go with It'' (2011), ''
Horrible Bosses
''Horrible Bosses'' is a 2011 American black comedy crime film directed by Seth Gordon, written by Michael Markowitz, John Francis Daley, and Jonathan Goldstein, from a story by Markowitz. It stars Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, ...
'' (2011), ''
We're the Millers'' (2013), ''
Dumplin''' (2018), and ''
Murder Mystery'' (2019). Aniston also starred in the acclaimed independent films ''
The Good Girl'' (2002), ''
Friends with Money
''Friends with Money'' is a 2006 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Nicole Holofcener. It stars Jennifer Aniston, Joan Cusack, Catherine Keener, Frances McDormand, Jason Isaacs, Scott Caan, Simon McBurney, and Greg Germann, an ...
'' (2006), and ''
Cake
Cake is a flour confection usually made from flour, sugar, and other ingredients and is usually baked. In their oldest forms, cakes were modifications of bread, but cakes now cover a wide range of preparations that can be simple or elabor ...
'' (2014). She returned to television in 2019, producing and starring in the
Apple TV+
Apple TV+ is an American subscription over-the-top streaming service owned by Apple. The service launched on November 1, 2019, and it offers a selection of original production film and television series called Apple Originals. The service w ...
drama series ''
The Morning Show'', for which she received a
Screen Actors Guild Award
Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1995 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...
.
Aniston has been included in numerous magazines' lists of the world's most beautiful women. Her net worth is estimated as US$300 million, and her box office gross is over $1.6 billion worldwide. She is the recipient of a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
and is the co-founder of the production company
Echo Films, established in 2008.
Early life
Aniston was born on February 11, 1969, in the
Sherman Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles
to Greek-born actor
John Aniston and actress
Nancy Dow
Nancy Maryanne Dow (July 22, 1936 – May 27, 2016) was an American television and film actress. She was married to actor John Aniston and was the mother of actress Jennifer Aniston.
Early life
Dow was born in West Hartford, Connecticut, one o ...
.
One of her maternal great-grandfathers, Louis Grieco, was from Italy. Her mother's other ancestry includes English, Irish, Scottish, and a small amount of Greek. Her father's ancestry is from the Greek island of Crete. Aniston has two half-brothers: John Melick, her older, maternal, half-brother; and Alex Aniston, her younger, paternal, half-brother.
Her godfather was actor
Telly Savalas, one of her father's best friends.
Her family moved to New York City when she was a child.
Despite her father's television career, she was discouraged from watching television, though she found ways around the prohibition. When she was six, she began attending a
Waldorf school. Her parents divorced when she was nine.
Having discovered acting at age 11 at the Waldorf school,
Aniston enrolled in Manhattan's
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, where she joined the school's drama society, and where Anthony Abeson was her drama teacher. She performed in ''
The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window'' by
Lorraine Hansberry
Lorraine Vivian Hansberry (May 19, 1930 – January 12, 1965) was an American playwright and writer. She was the first African-American female author to have a play performed on Broadway theatre, Broadway. Her best-known work, the play ''A Raisin ...
and ''
Three Sisters'' by
Anton Chekhov
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; ; 29 January 1860 – 15 July 1904) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer, widely considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career as a playwright produced four classics, and his b ...
.
Career
1988–1993: Beginnings
Aniston first worked in
off-Broadway
An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
productions such as ''For Dear Life'' and ''Dancing on Checker's Grave'',
and supported herself with part-time jobs including work as a
telemarketer
Telemarketing (sometimes known as inside sales, or telesales in the UK and Ireland) is a method of direct marketing in which a salesperson solicits prospective customers to buy products, subscriptions or services, either over the phone or throu ...
, waitress and bike messenger.
In 1988, she had an uncredited minor role in the critically panned sci-fi adventure film ''
Mac and Me''. The next year, she appeared on ''
The Howard Stern Show
''The Howard Stern Show'' is an American radio show hosted by Howard Stern that gained wide recognition when it was radio syndication, nationally syndicated on terrestrial radio from WINS-FM, WXRK in New York City, between 1986 and 2005. The sho ...
'' as a
spokesmodel
A promotional model is a Model (person), model hired to drive demand, consumer demand for a product, service, brand, or concept by directly interacting with potential customers. Most promotional models are conventionally attractive in physical app ...
for
Nutrisystem, and moved back to Los Angeles.
Her first regular television role was in the TV series ''
Molloy'' in 1990, and she appeared in the
television adaptation of the 1986 film ''
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'' is a 1986 American Teen film, teen comedy film written, co-produced, and directed by John Hughes (filmmaker), John Hughes. The film stars Matthew Broderick, Mia Sara, and Alan Ruck, with supporting roles from Jenn ...
''; both series were quickly canceled. She starred as a teenage summer camp counselor in the made-for-television film ''
Camp Cucamonga'' (1990), and as a spoiled teenager followed by a vengeful
leprechaun in the horror film ''
Leprechaun'' (1993). A 2014 retrospective from ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' identified ''Leprechaun'' as her worst role, and Aniston herself has expressed embarrassment over it.
Aniston also appeared in the two failed television comedy series ''
The Edge
David Howell Evans (born 8 August 1961), better known as the Edge or simply Edge,McCormick (2006), pp. 21, 23–24 is a British-Irish musician, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the lead guitarist, keyboardist, and backing vocalist o ...
'' and ''
Muddling Through
''Muddling Through'' is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS from July 9, 1994, to September 7, 1994. The series starred Stephanie Hodge as an ex-convict trying to turn her life around.
History
Jennifer Aniston (playing the daughte ...
'',
and guest-starred in ''
Quantum Leap
Quantum leap or ''variation'', may refer to:
In general
* Quantum leap (physics), also known as quantum jump, a transition between quantum states
** Atomic electron transition, a key example of the physics phenomenon
* Paradigm shift, a sudden ch ...
'', ''
Herman's Head'' and ''
Burke's Law''.
1994–2004: ''Friends'' and worldwide recognition
Depressed over her four unsuccessful television shows, Aniston approached TV executive
Warren Littlefield at a Los Angeles gas station asking for reassurance. As the head of NBC entertainment, he encouraged her to continue acting, and a few months later helped cast her in ''
Friends
''Friends'' is an American television sitcom created by David Crane (producer), David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting List of Friends episodes, ten seasons. With an ensemble cast ...
'',
a sitcom set to debut on NBC's 1994–1995 fall lineup. The producer wanted Aniston to audition for the role of
Monica Geller,
but
Courteney Cox was deemed more suitable, and Aniston was cast as
Rachel Green
Rachel Karen Green is a fictional character, one of the six main characters who appeared in the American sitcom ''Friends''. Portrayed by Jennifer Aniston, the character was created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, and appeared in all of ...
. She was also offered a spot as a featured player on ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'', but turned it down in favor of ''Friends''. She played Rachel until the show ended in 2004, when Aniston took a 15-year hiatus from television save for occasional guest roles.

The program was a massive hit and Aniston, along with her co-stars, gained worldwide recognition. Her character was especially popular. She received five
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
nominations (two for
Supporting Actress, three for
Lead Actress), and won for Lead Actress. She was also nominated for two
Golden Globe Awards
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual Awards ceremony, award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally ...
and won in 2003 as
Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy. According to the ''
Guinness Book of World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, listi ...
'', Aniston (along with her female co-stars) became the highest-paid television actress of all time with her $1 million-per-episode paycheck during the final season of ''Friends''. Her character's relationship with
Ross Geller
Ross Eustace Geller (born 1968) portrayed by David Schwimmer, is one of the List of Friends and Joey characters, six main characters of the NBC sitcom ''Friends''. Ross is considered by many to be the most intelligent member of the group and is ...
, portrayed by
David Schwimmer
David Lawrence Schwimmer (born November 2, 1966) is an American actor, director, and producer. He gained worldwide recognition for portraying Ross Geller in the sitcom '' Friends'', for which he received a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Pri ...
, was widely popular among audiences; they were frequently voted television's favorite couple in polls and magazines.
After a four-year hiatus, Aniston returned to film work in 1996, when she performed in the ensemble cast of romantic comedy ''
She's the One''. Her first starring film vehicle was ''
Picture Perfect'' (1997), where she played a struggling young advertising executive opposite
Kevin Bacon
Kevin Norwood Bacon (born July 8, 1958) is an American actor. Known for various roles, including leading man characters, Bacon has received numerous accolades such as a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
Bacon made his featu ...
and
Jay Mohr. It received mixed reviews and was only a moderate commercial success; but Aniston's performance was more warmly received, with many critics suggesting that she had screen presence. In 1998, she appeared as a woman who falls for a gay man (played by
Paul Rudd) in the romantic comedy ''
The Object of My Affection
''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...
'', and the next year she starred as a restaurant waitress in the
cult film
A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following. Cult films are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase, which forms an elaborate subculture, members of which engage in repeated ...
''
Office Space
''Office Space'' is a 1999 American satirical black comedy film written and directed by Mike Judge. It satirizes the office work life of a typical 1990s software company, focusing on a handful of individuals weary of their jobs. It stars Ron ...
''.
Aniston appeared in the
dramedy
Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy) is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and Drama (film and television), drama. In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, il ...
''
Rock Star'' (2001) opposite
Mark Wahlberg
Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg (born June 5, 1971), formerly known by his stage name Marky Mark, is an American actor, producer, and former rapper. Mark Wahlberg filmography, His work as a leading actor, leading man spans the Comedy film, come ...
and
Dominic West. She starred in the independent dramedy ''
The Good Girl'' (2002) as an unglamorous cashier who cheats on her husband. The film was a commercial success in limited release, taking in over $14 million in North America. Film critic
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert ( ; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American Film criticism, film critic, film historian, journalist, essayist, screenwriter and author. He wrote for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. Eber ...
declared it her breakthrough:
Aniston's biggest commercial success in film has been the comedy ''
Bruce Almighty'' (2003), where she played the girlfriend of a television field reporter (
Jim Carrey
James Eugene Carrey (; born January 17, 1962) is a Canadian and American actor and comedian. Known primarily for his energetic slapstick performances, he has received two Golden Globe Awards, in addition to nominations for BAFTA Awards and ...
) offered the chance to be God for one week. With a worldwide box office gross of $484 million, it was the fifth-highest-grossing feature film of the year. Aniston next starred as the old classmate of a tightly wound newlywed in the romantic comedy ''
Along Came Polly
''Along Came Polly'' is a 2004 American romantic comedy film written and directed by John Hamburg and starring Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston, alongside Philip Seymour Hoffman, Debra Messing, Hank Azaria, Bryan Brown and Alec Baldwin. The sto ...
'' (2004) opposite
Ben Stiller
Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller (born November 30, 1965) is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. Known for his blend of slapstick humor and sharp wit, Stiller rose to fame through comedies such as ''There's Something About Mary'' (1998), ' ...
, which placed number one at the North American box office, earning $27.7 million in its opening weekend; it eventually made $172 million worldwide.
2005–2013: Continued film success
In 2005, Aniston appeared as an alluring woman having an affair with an advertising executive in the thriller ''
Derailed'', and as an obituary and wedding announcement writer in the romantic comedy ''
Rumor Has It
Rumor Has It or Rumour Has It may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Rumor Has It'' (film), a 2005 romantic comedy film
* ''Rumor Has It'' (game show), a 1993 game show on VH1
* ''Rumour Has It '', a 2016 series by Ndani TV
* "Rumor Has It", a ...
''. Both films were moderate box office hits. Aniston took on the role of a single, cash-strapped woman working as a maid in the independent drama ''
Friends with Money
''Friends with Money'' is a 2006 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Nicole Holofcener. It stars Jennifer Aniston, Joan Cusack, Catherine Keener, Frances McDormand, Jason Isaacs, Scott Caan, Simon McBurney, and Greg Germann, an ...
'' (2006), which received a limited release.
Her next film was the romantic comedy ''
The Break-Up'' (2006), alongside
Vince Vaughn
Vincent Anthony Vaughn (born March 28, 1970) is an American actor. He is known for starring as a leading man in numerous comedy films during the late 1990s and 2000s. He was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Awards, Screen Actors Guild Award ...
, in which she starred as one half of a couple having a complicated split when both refuse to move out of the pair's recently purchased home. It received mixed reviews but grossed approximately $39.17 million during its opening weekend and $204 million worldwide.
''
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was created in ...
''s Keith Phipps gave the film a negative review, stating, "It's like watching the 'we were on a break' episode of ''Friends'' stretched to feature length, and without the blessed relief of commercial breaks or the promise of ''
Seinfeld
''Seinfeld'' ( ) is an American television sitcom created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, with a total of nine seasons consisting of List of Seinfeld episodes, 180 episodes. It ...
'' around the corner." ''CinemaBlend'' gave the film a positive review stating, "In an era of formulaic romantic movies that bear no resemblance to reality, ''The Break-Up'' offers a refreshing flipside."
In 2006, Aniston directed the
short film
A short film is a film with a low running time. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of not more than 40 minutes including all credits". Other film o ...
''
Room 10'', set in a hospital emergency room and starring
Robin Wright
Robin Gayle Wright (born April 8, 1966) is an American actress, producer and director. She has received accolades including a Golden Globe Award, and nominations for eight Primetime Emmy Awards.
Wright first gained attention for her role ...
and
Kris Kristofferson
Kristoffer Kristofferson (June 22, 1936 – September 28, 2024) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was a pioneering figure in the outlaw country movement of the 1970s, moving away from the polished Nashville sound and toward a m ...
, as part of ''
Glamour''s
Reel Moments film series. She noted that she was inspired to direct by actress
Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Kate Paltrow ( ; born September 27, 1972) is an American actress and businesswoman. The daughter of filmmaker Bruce Paltrow and actress Blythe Danner, she established herself as a leading lady appearing in mainly mid-budget and perio ...
, who also directed a short film that year.
In 2007, Aniston guest-starred in an episode of ''
Dirt
Dirt is any matter considered unclean, especially when in contact with a person's clothes, skin, or possessions. In such cases, they are said to become dirty.
Common types of dirt include:
* Debris: scattered pieces of waste or remains
* Du ...
''—playing the rival of
Courteney Cox's character—and in an episode of ''
30 Rock
''30 Rock'' is an American satire, satirical sitcom television series created by Tina Fey that originally aired on NBC from October 11, 2006, to January 31, 2013. The series, based on Fey's experiences as head writer for ''Saturday Night Live' ...
'', playing a woman who
stalks Jack Donaghy
John Francis "Jack" Donaghy ( ) is a fictional character on the NBC sitcom '' 30 Rock'', airing from 2006 to 2013. The character was created by series creator Tina Fey, and is portrayed by Alec Baldwin. He was introduced as the Vice President of ...
. For the latter she received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination as
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.

The 2008 comedy drama ''
Marley & Me'', starring Aniston and
Owen Wilson
Owen Cunningham Wilson (born November 18, 1968) is an American actor. He has frequently worked with filmmaker Wes Anderson, with whom he has shared writing and acting credits on the films '' Bottle Rocket'' (1996), '' Rushmore'' (1998), and ''T ...
as the owners of the titular dog, set a record for the largest Christmas Day box office sales ever with $14.75 million. It earned a total of $51.7 million over the four-day weekend and placed number one at the box office, a position it maintained for two weeks.
The total worldwide gross was $242.7 million. Her next film in wide release, the romantic comedy ''
He's Just Not That Into You'' (2009), in which she starred opposite
Ben Affleck
Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and three Golden Globes. Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS educatio ...
, grossed $178.8 million globally and ranked number one at the United States box office for its opening weekend. While it received mixed reviews, Aniston, along with Affleck,
Ginnifer Goodwin
Ginnifer Goodwin (born Jennifer Michelle Goodwin on May 22, 1978) is an American actress. She starred as Margene Heffman in the HBO drama series ''Big Love'' (2006–2011), Mary Margaret Blanchard, Snow White / Mary Margaret Blanchard in the Am ...
, and
Jennifer Connelly
Jennifer Lynn Connelly (born December 12, 1970) is an American actress. She began her career as a child model before making her acting debut in the 1984 crime film ''Once Upon a Time in America''. After a few more years of modeling, she began t ...
, were praised by critics as standouts in the film.
Aniston appeared as the former wife of a
bounty hunter
A bounty hunter is a private agent working for a bail bondsman who captures fugitives or criminals for a commission or bounty. The occupation, officially known as a bail enforcement agent or fugitive recovery agent, has traditionally operated ...
(
Gerard Butler
Gerard James Butler (born 13 November 1969) is a Scottish actor and film producer. After studying law, he turned to acting in the mid-1990s with small roles in productions such as '' Mrs Brown'' (1997), the James Bond film ''Tomorrow Never ...
) in the romantic comedy action film ''
The Bounty Hunter'' (2010). The film was panned by critics, with ''
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' writing that "the mishmash ends up as a thoroughly unfunny adult cartoon." Nevertheless, it was a box office success, garnering over $130 million worldwide. A lukewarm box office reception greeted her next film, the romantic comedy ''
The Switch'' (2010), in which she starred with
Jason Bateman
Jason Kent Bateman (born January 14, 1969) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Michael Bluth in the Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox / Netflix sitcom ''Arrested Development'' (2003–2019) and Marty Byrde in the Netflix crime drama s ...
as a 30-something single woman who decides to have a child using a sperm bank. The film's opening weekend drew what ''The Hollywood Reporter'' dubbed "a dispiriting $8.4 million". The film received generally mixed reviews, with review site
Metacritic
Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
showing 13 out of 30 critics delivering a positive verdict.
In 2010, Aniston was also a guest star on the season two premiere of
ABC's sitcom ''
Cougar Town
''Cougar Town'' is an American television sitcom that ran for 102 episodes over six seasons, from September 23, 2009, until March 31, 2015. The first three seasons aired on ABC, with the series moving to TBS for the remaining three seasons. AB ...
'', playing a psychiatrist. Her announcement that she would appear on ''Cougar Town'' garnered excitement and was dubbed her return to television. ''The A.V. Club'' wrote, "
er roleis a funny bit, and it highlights just how much Jennifer Aniston is built to be a TV star." In 2011, she starred opposite
Adam Sandler
Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American actor, comedian, producer and screenwriter. Primarily a comedic leading actor in films, List of awards and nominations received by Adam Sandler, his accolades include an Independent Sp ...
as an office manager posing as the wife of a plastic surgeon in the romantic comedy ''
Just Go with It'', and played a sexually aggressive dentist in ''
Horrible Bosses
''Horrible Bosses'' is a 2011 American black comedy crime film directed by Seth Gordon, written by Michael Markowitz, John Francis Daley, and Jonathan Goldstein, from a story by Markowitz. It stars Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, ...
''. ''Just Go with It'' and ''Horrible Bosses'' both made over $100 million in North America and $200 million worldwide.
Aniston appeared in the comedy ''
Wanderlust
Wanderlust is a strong desire to wander or travel and explore the world. The term has its roots in German Romanticism.
Etymology
The first documented use of the term in English occurred in 1902 as a reflection of what was then seen as a chara ...
'' (2012) with
Paul Rudd, with whom she acted in ''The Object of My Affection'' and also ''Friends'', as a married couple who join a commune after losing their money and deciding modern life is not for them. The script for ''Wanderlust'', bought by
Universal Pictures
Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...
, was produced by
Judd Apatow
Judd Apatow (; born December 6, 1967) is an American director, producer, screenwriter, and comedian known for his work in comedy films. Apatow is the founder of Apatow Productions, through which he wrote, produced, and directed his films ''The 4 ...
. ''Wanderlust'' received positive reviews but was a box office failure, grossing only $21 million worldwide, against a production budget of $35 million.
Aniston starred as a struggling stripper who agrees to pose as a wife for a drug deal, with
Jason Sudeikis
Daniel Jason Sudeikis ( ; born September 18, 1975) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. In the 1990s, he began his career in improv comedy and performed with ComedySportz, iO Chicago (Improv Olympic), and The Second City. I ...
, in ''
We're the Millers'' (2013). The film received mixed reviews from critics, but was a financial success, grossing $269 million against a budget of $37 million.
2014–present: Film roles and return to television
Aniston played the role of a stoic socialite who becomes the target of an ill-planned kidnapping plot in ''
Life of Crime'' (2014), a film adaptation of
Elmore Leonard
Elmore John Leonard Jr. (October 11, 1925August 20, 2013) was an American novelist, short story author and screenwriter. He was, according to British journalist Anthony Lane, "hailed as one of the best crime writers in the land". His earliest no ...
's 1978 novel ''The Switch''. The film was released in limited theaters, to positive reviews. Catherine Shoard of ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' described her performance as "endearingly comic" and Eric Kohn of ''
IndieWire'' wrote that "Aniston tops any of her recent performances with a spirited turn that harkens back to her neurotic days on ''Friends''." She also reprised her role for ''
Horrible Bosses 2
''Horrible Bosses 2'' is a 2014 American crime comedy film directed by Sean Anders and written by Anders and John Morris (filmmaker), John Morris. A sequel to 2011's ''Horrible Bosses'', the film features Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeiki ...
'' (2014).
In ''
Cake
Cake is a flour confection usually made from flour, sugar, and other ingredients and is usually baked. In their oldest forms, cakes were modifications of bread, but cakes now cover a wide range of preparations that can be simple or elabor ...
'' (2014), Aniston starred as an astringent woman named Claire Simmons who struggles with chronic pain. The film received mixed reviews; nonetheless, Aniston's performance was acclaimed, dubbed by some critics as "
Oscar
Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to:
People and fictional and mythical characters
* Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar
* Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer ...
-worthy". The
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the most prestigious and largest publicly attended film festivals in the world. Founded in 1976, the festival takes place every year in early September. The organi ...
called her performance "heartbreakingly good", Gregory Ellwood of
HitFix
HitFix, or HitFix.com, was an entertainment news website that launched in December 2008 specializing in breaking entertainment news, insider information, and reviews and critiques of film, music, and television. In mid-2010 HitFix crossed the 1,00 ...
stated, "It's really on most people's radar for being a rare dramatic turn for Jennifer Aniston, and she doesn't disappoint." He further stated, "Aniston makes you believe in Claire's pain. She makes you believe this character is at her lowest point and only she can pull herself out of it. ... It's a complete performance from beginning to end and she deserves the appropriate accolades for it." For her performance, Aniston was nominated for the
,
SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, and
Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actress
The Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actress is an award given out at the annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards. The awards are presented by the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), and was first presented in 1995. There were no official ...
. She was also nominated multiple nominations for its latter seasons.

In 2015, Aniston starred as a reluctant therapist in the screwball comedy ''
She's Funny That Way
"She's Funny That Way" or "He's Funny That Way" is a popular song, composed by Neil Moret, with lyrics by Richard Whiting. It was composed for the short film ''Gems of MGM'' in 1929 for Marion Harris, but the film was not released until 1931. Ha ...
'', which received mixed reviews and found a limited release in theaters, but her performance was once again noticed.
Wesley Morris of ''
Grantland
''Grantland'' was a sports and pop-culture blog owned and operated by ESPN. The blog was started in 2011 by veteran writer and sports journalist Bill Simmons, who remained as editor-in-chief until May 2015. ''Grantland'' was named after famed ...
'' called her "one of the great screen comedians. ... Most of her scenes here are extraneous, but her vulgarity and tartness are so sharp that the movie needs them. ... This isn't just Aniston having the best stuff. It's her having the most fun with her talent. She's funny in every way."
Aniston starred as the recently divorced mother of two children in the romantic comedy ''
Mother's Day
Mother's Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family or individual, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on different days in many parts of the world, most commonly in Mar ...
'' (2016), directed by
Garry Marshall
Garry Kent Marshall (November 13, 1934 – July 19, 2016) was an American screenwriter, director, producer and actor. Marshall began his career in the 1960s as a writer for ''The Lucy Show'' and ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' until he developed the T ...
, and opposite
Julia Roberts
Julia Fiona Roberts (born October 28, 1967) is an American actress. Known for her leading roles across various genres, she has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and three Golden Globe Award ...
and
Kate Hudson
Kate Garry Hudson (born April 19, 1979) is an American actress and singer. Born to singer Bill Hudson (singer), Bill Hudson and actress Goldie Hawn, Hudson made her film debut in the 1998 drama ''Desert Blue'', which was followed by supporting ...
. The film was panned by critics and a moderate commercial success. In 2016, she voiced a workaholic and overprotective mother in the animated film ''
Storks
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout Beak, bills. They belong to the family (biology), family Ciconiidae, and make up the order Ciconiiformes . Ciconiiformes previously included a number of other families, suc ...
'', alongside
Andy Samberg and
Kelsey Grammer
Allen Kelsey Grammer (born February 21, 1955) is an American actor and producer. He gained fame for his role as the psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane on the NBC sitcom ''Cheers'' (1984–1993) and its spin-off ''Frasier'' (1993–2004, and again F ...
, which was released to mostly positive reviews; it grossed over $183.4 million against a $70 million budget. Her last 2016 film role was that of a frigidly cold head honcho of a company in the comedy ''
Office Christmas Party
''Office Christmas Party'' is a 2016 American Christmas comedy film directed by Will Speck and Josh Gordon and written by Justin Malen and Laura Solon, based on a story by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. The film stars an ensemble cast consisting o ...
'', directed by
Will Speck and Josh Gordon
Will Speck (born December 31, 1969) and Josh Gordon are an American filmmaker duo who generally work in the comedy genre. They have directed six feature films together. Their accolades include an Academy Award nomination.
Speck and Gordon me ...
and opposite
Jason Bateman
Jason Kent Bateman (born January 14, 1969) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Michael Bluth in the Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox / Netflix sitcom ''Arrested Development'' (2003–2019) and Marty Byrde in the Netflix crime drama s ...
and
Kate McKinnon. It grossed $114.5 million worldwide.
In ''
The Yellow Birds'', a war drama directed by
Alexandre Moors, Aniston portrays the mother of a deceased soldier, alongside
Alden Ehrenreich
Alden Caleb Ehrenreich (; born November 22, 1989) is an American actor. He began his career by appearing in the television series ''Supernatural'' (2005), and in Francis Ford Coppola's films '' Tetro'' (2009) and '' Twixt'' (2011). Following supp ...
,
Tye Sheridan
Tye Kayle Sheridan (born November 11, 1996) is an American actor. He made his feature film debut in Terrence Malick's experimental drama film ''The Tree of Life (film), The Tree of Life'' (2011) and had his first leading role in Jeff Nichols's ...
,
Jack Huston, and
Toni Collette
Toni Collette (born Collett; 1 November 1972) is an Australian actress, singer, and songwriter. Known for her work in television, blockbusters and independent films, her accolades include a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award, wit ...
. While she said she does not "normally gravitate toward being in war films", she made an exception because the film was "written so beautifully and in such a way
hehad never experienced". The film, first presented at the
2017 Sundance Film Festival
The 2017 Sundance Film Festival took place from January 19 to January 29, 2017. The first lineup of competition films was announced November 30, 2016.
Awards
The following awards were presented:
* Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic – '' I Don't Feel ...
, received a
video on demand
Video on demand (VOD) is a media distribution system that allows users to access videos, television shows and films Digital distribution, digitally on request. These multimedia are accessed without a traditional video playback device and a typica ...
release in June 2018. The ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' wrote in its review: "Toni Collette and Jennifer Aniston as the soldiers' quite different but equally concerned mothers, deliver uniformly naturalistic performances".
In December 2018,
Netflix
Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
released the musical comedy ''
Dumplin''', with Aniston as executive producer and star—marking her first project for a streaming service. That year, she began work on another Netflix project, ''
Murder Mystery'', a comedy that reunited her with Adam Sandler, which premiered on June 14, 2019. The two of them reunited for the sequel ''
Murder Mystery 2'', which premiered on March 31, 2023.
Aniston made her return to television on November 1, 2019, producing and starring alongside
Reese Witherspoon
Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon (born March 22, 1976) is an American actress and producer. She is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Reese Witherspoon, various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Aw ...
in the
Apple TV+
Apple TV+ is an American subscription over-the-top streaming service owned by Apple. The service launched on November 1, 2019, and it offers a selection of original production film and television series called Apple Originals. The service w ...
drama ''
The Morning Show''. It was her first main television role since the conclusion of ''Friends'' in 2004. For its first season, Aniston won the
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series, and received a
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
nomination for
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and two
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...
nominations for
Best Actress – Television Series Drama and
Best Television Series – Drama as a producer. The series' latter seasons earned her multiple additional nominations at
Critics' Choice, Golden Globe, Primetime Emmy and
SAG awards.
She reunited with her ''Friends'' cast mates for an
HBO Max
Max (known in other countries as, and soon to be reverted globally to HBO Max) is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. It is a proprietary unit of Warner Bros. Discovery Streaming on behalf of Home Box Of ...
unscripted television special titled ''
Friends: The Reunion'' in May 2021. The special earned her a nomination for the
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) for her producing credit.
Other ventures
Business and endorsements
Aniston has appeared in commercials and music videos throughout her career. After starting on ''Friends'', Aniston and her co-star
Matthew Perry
Matthew Langford Perry (August 19, 1969 – October 28, 2023) was an American and Canadian actor, comedian, director and screenwriter. He gained international fame for starring as Chandler Bing on the NBC television sitcom ''Friends'' (1994– ...
shot a 60-minute instructional video for the release of
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company, technology conglomerate headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Founded in 1975, the company became influential in the History of personal computers#The ear ...
's
Windows 95
Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented operating system developed by Microsoft and the first of its Windows 9x family of operating systems, released to manufacturing on July 14, 1995, and generally to retail on August 24, 1995. Windows 95 merged ...
operating system. The next year she appeared in commercials for
L'Oréal
L'Oréal S.A. () is a French multinational personal care corporation registered in Paris hair products.
Under a contract with
Elizabeth Arden, Inc.,
Aniston worked for over a year on her first perfume, which was released in July 2010. Original plans called for the perfume to be named "Lolavie by Jennifer Aniston", but to avoid confusion with a similarly named perfume, the name was changed to simply "Jennifer Aniston". In 2014, she launched her second perfume, named J, followed by Near Dusk (2015),
Beachscape (2016), Luxe and Chapter One (both in 2017), Chapter Two (2018), Silver and Solstice Bloom (both in 2020). In 2021, Aniston launched the LolaVie haircare company.
Since 2007, she has worked in a publicity campaign for the drink
SmartWater
SmartWater is a traceable liquid and forensic asset marking system ( taggant), applied to items of value to identify thieves, and deter theft. The liquid leaves a unique identifier, whose presence "cannot be easily seen by the naked eye" excep ...
; on March 7, 2011, she released a
YouTube
YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
video for SmartWater, ''
Jennifer Aniston Goes Viral'', which tripled online interest in the product within 24 hours of its release. In 2012, Aniston co-founded hair care brand Living Proof and also became its spokeswoman. She left when the company was sold to
Unilever
Unilever PLC () is a British multinational consumer packaged goods company headquartered in London, England. It was founded on 2 September 1929 following the merger of Dutch margarine producer Margarine Unie with British soap maker Lever B ...
in 2016. In January 2013, she became the new spokeswoman of
Aveeno Skincare. Aniston is paid "eight figures" for her endorsement. She became the new face of
Emirates airline
Emirates is one of the two flag carriers of the United Arab Emirates (the other being Etihad Airways). Based in Garhoud, Dubai, the airline is a subsidiary of The Emirates Group, which is owned by the government of Dubai's Investment Corpor ...
in 2015, which was reportedly a success. For pharmaceutical company
Shire
Shire () is a traditional term for an administrative division of land in Great Britain and some other English-speaking countries. It is generally synonymous with county (such as Cheshire and Worcestershire). British counties are among the oldes ...
, she appeared in a 2016 campaign raising awareness about
chronic dry eye.
She appeared in the 1996
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were an American rock band formed in Gainesville, Florida, in 1976. The band originally comprised lead singer and rhythm guitarist Tom Petty, lead guitarist Mike Campbell, keyboardist Benmont Tench, drummer ...
music video for "Walls", and in
Melissa Etheridge
Melissa Lou Etheridge (born May 29, 1961) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and guitarist. Her Melissa Etheridge (album), eponymous debut album was released in 1988 and became an underground success. It peaked at No. 22 on the Billbo ...
's 2001 music video for "I Want to Be in Love". She also appeared in a 2005
Heineken
Heineken Lager Beer (), or simply Heineken (), is a Dutch pale lager beer with 5% alcohol by volume produced by the Dutch brewing company Heineken N.V. Heineken beer is sold in a green bottle with a red star.
History
On 15 February 1864, ...
commercial.
Along with Brad Pitt and
Brad Grey
Brad Alan Grey (December 29, 1957 – May 14, 2017) was an American television and film producer. He co-founded Brillstein-Grey Entertainment (now Brillstein Entertainment Partners), and afterwards became the chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictur ...
, CEO of
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...
, Aniston founded the film production company
Plan B Entertainment
Plan B Entertainment, Inc., more commonly known as Plan B, is an American production company founded in November 2001 by Brad Pitt, Brad Grey, Kristin Hahn and Jennifer Aniston. The company first signed with Warner Bros. as a replacement for ...
in 2002, although she and Grey withdrew in 2005.
In 2008, she and producer Kristin Hahn formed
Echo Films.
Philanthropy
Aniston has been a celebrity advocate for numerous charities and received attention for her own donations. She has appeared in television commercials for
St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, and hosted September 2008's
Stand Up to Cancer
Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) is a charitable organization that was established as a division of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF). In 2022, SU2C was separately incorporated and was recognized by the IRS as a Section 501(c)(3) public charit ...
show. In the "It Can't Wait" campaign to free
Burma
Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and ha ...
, Aniston directed and starred in a video. She is a supporter of Friends of El Faro, a nonprofit organization that helps raise money for Casa Hogar Sion, an orphanage in
Tijuana
Tijuana is the most populous city of the Mexican state of Baja California, located on the northwestern Pacific Coast of Mexico. Tijuana is the municipal seat of the Tijuana Municipality, the hub of the Tijuana metropolitan area and the most popu ...
, Mexico.
On April 14, 2007, Aniston received
GLAAD
GLAAD () is an American non-governmental media monitoring organization. Originally founded as a protest against defamatory coverage of gay and lesbian demographics and their portrayals in the media and entertainment industries, it has since ...
's Vanguard Award for her contributions to increased visibility and understanding of the
LGBT
LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The gro ...
community. In 2013, she was named the
Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) ambassador for the
Saks Fifth Avenue
Saks Fifth Avenue (Colloquialism, colloquially Saks) is an American Luxury goods, luxury department store chain founded in 1867 by Andrew Saks. The first store opened in the F Street and 7th Street shopping districts, F Street shopping distric ...
Key to the Cure campaign, which raises funds for the EIF Women's Cancer Research Fund. In 2015, she supported the
Comic Relief, Inc. charity. Other charities that Aniston has publicly supported include Clothes Off Our Back, Feeding America, EB Medical Research Foundation, Project A.L.S.,
OmniPeace, and the
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network.
Aniston donated $500,000 to
Doctors Without Borders
Doctor, Doctors, The Doctor or The Doctors may refer to:
Titles and occupations
* Physician, a medical practitioner
* Doctor (title), an academic title for the holder of a doctoral-level degree
** Doctorate
** List of doctoral degrees awarded ...
, Haitian health care provider
Partners in Health and
AmeriCares, and also participated in the
Hope for Haiti Now telethon
A telethon (a portmanteau of "television" and "marathon") is a televised fundraising event that lasts many hours or days, the purpose of which is to raise money for a charitable, political or other cause.
Most telethons feature heavy solicitatio ...
. She donated $500,000 to the
Red Cross
The organized International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 16million volunteering, volunteers, members, and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ...
and another $500,000 to the Ricky Martin Foundation in 2017 to help victims of hurricanes
Harvey,
Irma and
Maria.
After being honored by SmartWater in 2016 for her ongoing philanthropic work for
St. Jude's, Aniston spoke of the importance of philanthropy in her life to ''
InStyle
''InStyle'' is an American monthly women's fashion magazine founded in 1994. It was published in the United States by Dotdash Meredith, and started originally as a brand extension of ''People (magazine), People'' before carving out its own ide ...
'' magazine: "We live an extremely beautiful, fortunate life being able to do what we get to do for a living. And so it's a way of being able to be in a position to do something for people who are less able. It's something that makes my heart smile."
Media image

The media nicknamed Aniston "America's sweetheart" while she was starring in ''Friends''. In 2019, Rachel Simon of
NBCNews.com said Aniston "has filled the role of our most beloved celebrity for nearly two and a half decades now, and there are no signs of her being replaced anytime soon", arguing that few celebrities have maintained the "America's sweetheart" title for as long as she has. Aniston has been included in various magazine lists of the world's most beautiful women. In 2005, she became the first ''
GQ'' (Gentlemen's Quarterly) Woman of the Year. She has frequently appeared on ''
People
The term "the people" refers to the public or Common people, common mass of people of a polity. As such it is a concept of human rights law, international law as well as constitutional law, particularly used for claims of popular sovereignty. I ...
'' magazine's annual list of
Most Beautiful Women, topping the ranking in 2004 and 2016. She also topped the magazine's Best Dressed List in 2006. She has been a regular on the ''
FHM'' (For Him Magazine)
100 Sexiest Women in the World list since 1996, most recently ranking at number 79 in 2012. A survey of their patients by two Hollywood plastic surgeons, reported in 2011 by ''
The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...
'', identified her (alongside
Gisele Bündchen and
Penélope Cruz
Penélope Cruz Sánchez (born 28 April 1974) is a Spanish actress. Prolific in Spanish and English-language films, she has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, a David di Donatello and three Goya Awards.
Cru ...
) as having one of the most sought-after body shapes. In the same year, readers of ''
Men's Health
''Men's Health'' (''MH''), published by Hearst Communications, Hearst, is the world's largest men's magazine brand, with 35 editions in 59 countries; it is the bestselling men's magazine on American newsstands.
Started as a men's health magazin ...
'' voted her as the Sexiest Woman of All Time. ''Men's Health'' also included her on its 100 Hottest Sex Symbols of All Time list, explaining that "Her down-to-earth persona makes her seem attainable, ... she makes even pieces of flair look good. She rarely plays the airhead, and she seldom overplays a role: she's funny in a quiet, refreshingly human way. And her all-too-human love life off screen inspires sympathy ... throughout her career Aniston has remained sexy, funny, and unmistakably real." Although Aniston disliked the hairstyle she wore during her first two years on ''Friends'', "
The Rachel" became very popular.
Aniston was one of the world's highest-paid actresses in 2018.
She has been on the ''
Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...
'' Top Earning Actresses list for 15 years, every year since 2001—and since then also on its
Celebrity 100 list (based on "earnings and fame"), topping it in 2003. According to ''Forbes'', in October 2007, Aniston was the best-selling celebrity face of the entertainment industry. The magazine estimated her net worth at $110 million in 2007,
and $200 million in 2017. It listed her earnings as $19.5 million in 2018.
She received a
motion picture star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
on February 22, 2012, located at 6270
Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It runs through the Hollywood, East Hollywood, Little Armenia, Thai Town, and Los Feliz districts. Its western terminus is at Sunset Plaza Drive in the Hollyw ...
. She was ranked third on ''Forbes'' list of the 100 Most Powerful Actresses in Hollywood in 2013.
In July 2016, amidst media speculation over whether she was pregnant, Aniston penned an essay for ''
The Huffington Post
''HuffPost'' (''The Huffington Post'' until 2017, itself often abbreviated as ''HPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and covers p ...
'' condemning the "objectification and scrutiny we put women through". She asserted: "We are complete with or without a mate, with or without a child. We get to decide for ourselves what is beautiful when it comes to our bodies.
..We don't need to be married or mothers to be complete. We get to determine our own 'happily ever after' for ourselves." The piece was supported by many celebrities and widely covered in the media.
After years of aversion to social media, Aniston joined
Instagram
Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...
on October 15, 2019, causing the app to "break" (for hours the "follow" button became inoperable due to an overload of web traffic to her account) with the first picture of the planned
''Friends'' cast reunion for
HBO Max
Max (known in other countries as, and soon to be reverted globally to HBO Max) is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. It is a proprietary unit of Warner Bros. Discovery Streaming on behalf of Home Box Of ...
(whose release was delayed until 2021 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
). She broke the
Guinness World Record
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, listi ...
for fastest time to reach one million followers on Instagram, by doing so within five hours and sixteen minutes.
Personal life
Aniston practices
Hatha yoga
Hatha yoga (; Sanskrit हठयोग, International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''haṭhayoga'') is a branch of yoga that uses physical techniques to try to preserve and channel vital force or energy. The Sanskrit word ह� ...
and
Budokan karate. In 2014, she spoke of her
Transcendental Meditation practice. The following year, she said
dyslexia
Dyslexia (), previously known as word blindness, is a learning disability that affects either reading or writing. Different people are affected to different degrees. Problems may include difficulties in spelling words, reading quickly, wri ...
had affected her education and self-esteem and that, after being diagnosed in her twenties, her outlook toward life changed. "I thought I wasn't smart. I just couldn't retain anything. Now I had this great discovery. I felt like all of my childhood trauma-dies, tragedies, dramas were explained."
Aniston donated to
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
's
2008 presidential campaign and took part in a fundraiser for
Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...
during her
2016 presidential campaign.
She endorsed
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
in the
2020 presidential election.
Aniston does not have any children. In November 2022, she appeared on the cover of ''
Allure'' for their final print issue.
In the accompanying interview, Aniston said she had undergone
in vitro fertilization
In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a process of fertilisation in which an egg is combined with sperm in vitro ("in glass"). The process involves monitoring and stimulating the ovulatory process, then removing an ovum or ova (egg or eggs) from ...
(IVF) to try to have children when she was in her thirties and forties, but the attempts did not result in any pregnancies.
She said, "All the years and years and years of speculation... It was really hard. I was going through IVF, drinking Chinese teas, you name it. I was throwing everything at it."
In July 2024, after comments about "childless cat ladies" that Republican vice presidential nominee
JD Vance
James David Vance (born James Donald Bowman, August2, 1984) is an American politician, author, attorney, and Marine Corps veteran who is the 50th vice president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republic ...
made in 2021 went viral, Aniston stated on social media that:
In 2023, she said
Adam Sandler
Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American actor, comedian, producer and screenwriter. Primarily a comedic leading actor in films, List of awards and nominations received by Adam Sandler, his accolades include an Independent Sp ...
's family sent her flowers every year on Mother's Day.
Relationships
Aniston met
Brad Pitt
William Bradley Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and film producer. In a Brad Pitt filmography, film career spanning more than thirty years, Pitt has received list of awards and nominations received by Brad Pitt, numerous a ...
in 1998, and their relationship was highly publicized.
After two years of dating, they married on July 29, 2000, in a lavish
Malibu, California, wedding. For a few years, their marriage was considered a rare
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood ...
success.
On January 7, 2005, they announced their separation, and finalized their divorce on October 2. During their divorce proceedings, news media speculated that Pitt had been unfaithful to Aniston with his ''
Mr. & Mrs. Smith'' co-star
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie ( ; born Angelina Jolie Voight, , June 4, 1975) is an American actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian. The recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Angelina Jolie, numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards ...
, with whom he began a relationship soon after the split.
In the months following, the public's reaction towards the divorce played out as "Team Aniston" and "Team Jolie" T-shirts appeared throughout the country.
In 2015, Aniston said, "Nobody did anything wrong... It was just like, sometimes things
appen"
In 2005, amid reports that their divorce was due to Aniston's refusal to have children with Pitt, Aniston said, "I've never in my life said I didn't want to have children. I did and I do and I will! ... I would never give up that experience for a career."
Aniston said the divorce prompted her to reach out to her mother, Nancy, from whom she had been estranged for nearly a decade. Nancy had talked about her daughter on a television show and written ''From Mother and Daughter to Friends: A Memoir'' (1999).
In 2006, Aniston said she had been devastated by the death of her longtime therapist, whom she credited for helping make her separation from Pitt easier.
She said she did not regret her relationship with Pitt, describing it as "very intense" and "a beautiful, complicated relationship".
Aniston began a relationship with actor, director, and screenwriter
Justin Theroux in May 2011. The following January, they purchased a home in the
Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles for roughly $22 million. They became engaged on August 10, 2012 and had a non-legally binding wedding ceremony on August 5, 2015, at their estate.
They separated at the end of 2017.
Acting credits and awards
Aniston received five Primetime Emmy Award nominations, two Golden Globe Award nominations, and nine SAG Award nominations for her role in ''Friends''. From these, she won one of each. She also garnered a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for her guest appearance in ''30 Rock'', while her performance in ''Cake'' earned her nominations at the Golden Globe and SAG awards. Aniston additionally won a SAG Award and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for the first season of ''The Morning Show'', and earned multiple nominations at Critics' Choice, Golden Globe, Primetime Emmy and SAG awards for its latter seasons. As a producer, she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and three Golden Globe Awards.
According to review aggregator site
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...
and the box-office site
Box Office Mojo
Box Office Mojo is an American website that tracks box-office revenue in a systematic, algorithmic way. The site was founded in 1998 by Brandon Gray, and was bought in 2008 by IMDb, which itself is owned by Amazon.
History
Brandon Gray ...
, Aniston's most critically acclaimed and commercially successful films are ''Office Space'' (1999), ''The Good Girl'' (2002), ''Bruce Almighty'' (2003), ''Friends with Money'' (2006), ''The Break-Up'' (2006), ''Marley & Me'' (2008), ''Just Go with It'' (2011), ''Horrible Bosses'' (2011), ''We're the Millers'' (2013), and ''Dumplin'' (2018).
See also
*
List of stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
The following list includes the names, locations, and categories of all the stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The categories are motion pictures, television, recording, radio, live performance, and sports entertainment. The list does not includ ...
References
Further reading
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External links
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Jennifer Anistonat Box Office Mojo
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Aniston, Jennifer
1969 births
Living people
20th-century American actresses
21st-century American actresses
21st-century American businesswomen
21st-century American businesspeople
21st-century American philanthropists
Actors with dyslexia
American actors with disabilities
Actresses from Hollywood, Los Angeles
Actresses from New York City
American film actresses
American film production company founders
American people of Greek descent
American people of Italian descent
American people of Arbëreshë descent
American people of Scottish descent
American television actresses
American voice actresses
American women film producers
American women television producers
Best Musical or Comedy Actress Golden Globe (television) winners
Businesspeople from Los Angeles
Businesspeople from New York City
Film producers from Los Angeles
Film producers from New York City
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School alumni
Logie Award winners
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series Screen Actors Guild Award winners
Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Primetime Emmy Award winners
People from Bel Air, Los Angeles
People from Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles
Television producers from California
Television producers from New York City
Theroux family
Waldorf school alumni