Jennifer Aniston Interview & Bio

For many Jennifer Aniston will always be Rachel Green, the lovelorn waitress from Friends. Now happily married to Brad Pitt, she has already tasted success and surprised many with her performance in indie drama The Good Girl. Now she's back, playing the title role in the new rom-com Along Came Polly. Virgin.net caught up with her during a whirlwind visit to London...

VN: How would you describe Polly Prince, the character you play in Along Came Polly?

Jennifer Aniston: "Polly is definitely a free spirit, with a fear of commitment; she is sort of avoiding love with all that she has. When she meets Reuben, Ben Stiller's character, all of that gets thrown to the wind as she falls for him. I based her on a girlfriend of mine actually."

VN: Polly is a waitress, and you play a former waitress in Friends. Have you ever been one yourself?

Jennifer Aniston: "I did waitress and I was not great, but I loved it. I loved it because I love interacting with people and I love food. Breakfast, lunch and dinner - all those things combined. I liked my job, but I was a bit klutzy and forgetful. Sort of like Polly, actually."

VN: You and Ben have a series of disastrous dates in the film. What was your worst first date?

Jennifer Aniston: "My most disastrous date was not so much a disaster as uncomfortable for both parties involved. The guy was trying really hard, and he thought it would be charming to take us to a Japanese massage parlour, and start the date off that way. We had side-by-side massages with two women walking up and down our backs, holding on to ropes. I was too nervous to say no; I was a little scared of him, I guess. I didn't go to the dinner part, so that was pretty much a disaster. I never saw that person again!"

VN: Do you approach making a film differently to making Friends?

Jennifer Aniston: "I would hope that I do. It's hard not to bring yourself to whatever work you do because it's you. I try, though the film parts I've chosen have not been extreme steps away [from Rachel]. This part I've done for ten years will be hard to get out of people's minds whenever they see anything else that I do, because it's been a consistent character that I've played for ten years. That is something I'm probably going to hear a lot; I'll just do my job as good as I can and hopefully it will go away."

VN: Matt LeBlanc, aka Joey, has a spin-off series planned. Were you tempted to do one yourself?

Jennifer Aniston: "I don't think I'd do a series like that of my own. But if I was asked by Matt to do a guest spot on it, of course I would - I would do anything for him."

VN: So apart from that, you have no plans to return to the small screen any time soon?

Jennifer Aniston: "I loved Friends so much, I don't know how you can follow that act. Any opportunity that I have today has come from Friends. I will always love it, and no other job will compare to it. No one can say they'll never go back to doing that ever, that would be silly. But right now I feel like I've done it; I've spent 15 years doing it and I'm excited to venture into this new arena."

VN: Do you have any plans to act with your husband?

Jennifer Aniston: "I don't think so in the near future; that would be just asking for trouble in a way. You wouldn't even see the movie, it would be too much of a show in another way. Maybe we'll do it years down the line, if the right thing comes along. Ocean's 20 maybe!"

VN: Many critics were surprised by The Good Girl. Can we expect more films like that in future?

Jennifer Aniston: "I would love to do more movies like The Good Girl, but I don't plan it out that way. It's whatever comes and whatever is right at the time. I feel really lucky the film gave me more opportunities to take me out of the box. It's so easy to be boxed in to one part and one part only. I want to do more of everything...".

Born: 11 February 1969, Sherman Oaks, California, USA (age 36)

Height: 5' 6" (1.68 m)

Spouse: Brad Pitt (29 July 2000 - 2 October 2005) (divorced)

Nickname: Jen

Awards: Won Golden Globe. Another 17 wins & 33 nominations more »

Credited Years: 1989 - 2007

Biography

Born in Sherman Oaks, California, Jennifer Aniston spent a year of her childhood living in Greece with her family. Her family then relocated to New York City where her parents, John Aniston and Nancy Dow, divorced when she was 9. Jennifer was raised by her mother and her father landed a role.

Salary

• Along Came Polly (2004): $5,000,000

• Rock Star (2001): $3,000,000

• Picture Perfect (1997): $2,000,000

• Friends (1994): $1,000,000 per episode (2001)

Real Life Quotes

• "When somebody follows you 20 blocks to the pharmacy, where they watch you buy toilet paper, you know your life has changed."

• "It's impossible to satisfy everyone, and I suggest we all stop trying."

• On her marriage to Brad Pitt, after 2 years: "Everybody always asks if we're happy. Give me a break. We're married two years. In Hollywood years, that's forever."

Trivia

• Married boyfriend of 2 1/2 years, Brad Pitt, Saturday, July 29th in Malibu. [2000]

• While hosting Saturday Night Live '80, she did a skit satirizing boyfriend Brad Pitt's stalker, aspiring actress Athena Marie Rolando. Brad Pitt was promoting Fight Club at the time. [1999]

• Daughter of John Aniston and Nancy Dow.

• Original family name Anastassakis; changed when her family moved to the US from Greece.

• Raised in Greece and New York City.

Other Works

• Print ad (with Matthew Perry) for Microsoft (1997)

• TV Commercial for Lynx deoderant (1997)

• TV commercial for L'Oreal Elvive shampoo (1997)

• NBC-TV Stay-in-School promo: The More You Know, where her reason is "Smarter is sexier than stupid anyday."

• Print advertising for Milk (with Lisa Kudrow) (1995)

Where Are They Now?

November 2004

• She and husband Brad Pitt, purchased the film rights to Audrey Niffenegger's first novel, The Time Traveler's Wife.

Trivia

Married boyfriend of 2 1/2 years, Brad Pitt, Saturday, July 29th in Malibu. [2000]

While hosting Saturday Night Live '80, she did a skit satirizing boyfriend Brad Pitt's stalker, aspiring actress Athena Marie Rolando. Brad Pitt was promoting Fight Club at the time. [1999]

Daughter of John Aniston and Nancy Dow.

Original family name Anastassakis; changed when her family moved to the US from Greece.

Raised in Greece and New York City.

The late Telly Savalas is her godfather.

She and her husband Brad Pitt purchased a 14,000 square foot house in Beverly Hills, California.

Listed in "People Weekly"s "Most Intriguing People" list. (December 25, 1995 issue)

Chosen as one of People Magazine's Most Beautiful People in the World. [1999]

Became estranged from her mother, who made unflattering statements about Jennifer in a tabloid. As a result, Jennifer refused to invite her to her wedding.

Sued "Celebrity Skin" magazine for publishing photos taken of her while sunbathing topless in her own backyard. [7 August 2000]

When she was 11, a painting she had done was displayed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Officially changed her name to Jennifer Pitt. She will still be using her maiden name (Aniston) for TV/Movie credits. [25 October 2000]

Attended Fiorello La Guardia School of Music, Art & Performing Arts, New York City. Also known as the "Fame" School.

Aniston and Pitt stated that Pitt was misquoted in a German magazine which published that he and Jennifer were expecting their first child later in 2001. The magazine will be printing a retraction. [July 2001]

Named one of E!'s "Top 20 Entertainers of 2001."

Suffered minor injuries in an L.A. car wreck. [15 January 2002]

Offers to be Matthew Perry's personal trainer in a bid to help him lose weight. [2002]

Was named one of the "50 Most Beautiful People" by People Magazine in 2002.

Aniston and husband Brad Pitt reached a settlement with Damiani International Jewelers. The pair claimed the company agreed to never reproduce their wedding rings, but it manufactured and sold "Brad and Jennifer" rings in 18 karat white or yellow gold for about $1,000 apiece. Under the settlement, Pitt will design jewelry for Damiani that Aniston will model in ads, and Damiani will stop selling the "Brad and Jennifer" copies. [11 January 2002]

U.S. District Judge Ronald Lew ruled Aniston's lawsuit against two magazine publishers for printing topless photos of her will proceed without a jury because her lawyers failed to demand a jury when the lawsuit was filed in 2000 and that he would render a verdict himself. Aniston sued Man's World Publications Inc. and Crescent Publishing Group, claiming that paparazzi scaled an eight-foot wall to photograph her as she sunbathed in the backyard of her home in February of 1999. The pictures appeared later that year in the magazines Celebrity Skin, High Society, Celebrity Sleuth, the Italian magazine Eva Tremila, the English newspaper Daily Sport and the French publication Voici. [24 June 2002]

Won award: International star of stars - The Scorpio Multimedia Cable TV Awards 2002.

Long-time friend of actress Andrea Bendewald. They both attended Manhattan's High School for the Performing Arts. Bendewald was maid of honor at Aniston's wedding to Brad Pitt on July 29, 2000. And Aniston was matron of honor at Bendewald's wedding to actor Mitch Rouse on August 19, 2001.

Measurements: 34C-23-35 1/2 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine).

Her half-brother, John T. Melick, recently worked as 2nd Assistant Director for the award winning, Thirteen, starring Holly Hunter.

Photographer Francois Navarre agreed to pay her $550,000 in damages for taking au naturel pictures of her as she sunbathed in her yard. [20 November 2003]

Ironically, Jennifer (who is half Greek) hates Greek food! She is also not fond of Chinese, Indian, or spicy foods.

She and Brad Pitt are campaigning in the United States to save EastEnders from being axed over there.

Was a schoolmate of Chastity Bono.

Voted as #11 on the "Top 100 Sexiest Women 2004" in FHM [DK].

Often plays a waitress - her characters in Friends, Office Space, The Iron Giant and Along Came Polly were all waitresses.

At one point in 2003, was filming Friends, Bruce Almighty, and Along Came Polly simultaneously.

Shares a birthday with singer/songwriter Sheryl Crow, actor Burt Reynolds, singer Kelly Rowland, and Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park.

Has a fear of flying.

Announced on January 7, 2005 that she and husband Brad Pitt are separating after 4 1/2 years of marriage. Filed for divorce on March 25, 2005, citing irreconcilable differences. Their divorce was finalized on October 2, 2005.

Stepdaughter of Sherry Rooney.

Had worked as a telemarketer and waitress before making it as an actor.

Her middle name Joanna, was her father John Aniston's mother's name.

Has said that her favorite food is Mexican food, and that (when they were still together), she and Brad would get Mexican food and margaritas three times a week.

Was known as a class clown in high school.

Godmother of Courteney Cox and David Arquette's daughter, Coco Riley Arquette.

She and Friends co-star Lisa Kudrow both auditioned to be regular cast members of Saturday Night Live prior to their success on Friends.

In 2003, she was ranked number 1 on Forbes 2003 "Celebrity 100 List" According to the magazine, she made $35 million dollars in 2003.

Invented "The Rachel", a famous hairstyle in the 90s, which was copied by a lot of women and drew much attention to her.

Has a younger half-brother, Alexander

2005 - appeared in Heineken TV commercial frequently aired before UEFA Champions League (in Europe). The Turtles song "Happy Together" is also used in this commercial.

Was named "Woman of the Year" by GQ magazine