Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston's Childhood

Jennifer was born on February 11, 1969, in California and spent several years there before moving to Greece and finally New York for most of her childhood. She had an early introduction to the world of acting since her father, John Aniston, has played Victor Kiriakis on Days of Our Lives since 1985. Jennifer became involved in acting groups when she was 11 and studied the craft as a high school student at New York’s School of the Performing Arts. She began getting small roles in television and off-Broadway plays in the late 1980s.

Friends

Aniston with Friends co-star Courtney Cox

When Friends hit the small screen in 1994, it launched the careers of its cast members, including Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, and Matthew Perry. Jennifer played Rachel, the spoiled daughter of a doctor who never held a job. She leaves her fiancé dentist at the altar and joins the Friends cast at the Central Perk coffee shop in her wedding gown. The group encourages her to try making it on her own, and she stays on as Monica’s roommate.

Much of the show focused on Rachel’s on-again off-again relationship with Ross, played by David Schwimmer. Ross had kept his feelings from Rachel since they were in high school together but they finally got together during the second season, although the relationship ended while they were “on a break” and Ross slept with someone else. For the following few seasons, they dated other people while alternatively hiding their feelings for one another.

In the second-to-last season, Rachel and Ross slept together once, which resulted in Rachel getting pregnant. She moved in with Ross for help with the pregnancy and later attempted a relationship with Joey, but they decided they were too close as friends. The series finale finally brought Ross and Rachel together.

During the early Friends years, Jennifer’s layered shoulder-length hair became popular with fans of the show and became known as The Rachel. Many women still sport the cut today, even though Jennifer herself has long abandoned it.

Film Career

While starring in Friends, Jennifer was also involved in several film projects, but none of them were box-office hits. In 2004, she starred opposite Ben Stiller in Along Came Polly, and quickly followed-up its success with Derailed, Rumor Has It, and Friends with Money. She most recently starred with Vince Vaughn in The Breakup.

Private Life

Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt

During the Friends years, Jennifer met and fell in love with Brad Pitt. The couple married in 2000 and lived together in California. They worked together on an episode of Friends and started a production company called Plan B.

Unfortunately, their marriage ended in 2005. Rumors began circulating that he was involved with Angelina Jolie during the filming of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, although the couple has simply cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the divorce.

Currently, Jennifer has been seen with actor Vince Vaughn. Although the two have not publicly confirmed their relationship, many people assume they are very close and may be planning to get married.

Jennifer’s private life has kept her in the tabloids lately, but she fought back when topless photos of her were going to be published. The photos were taken with a high-powered lens by a photographer looking through the windows of Jennifer’s house. She threatened legal action, and the case was settled out of court without the photos being published. Although the terms of the settlement were not released, it was considered a victory for celebrities’ privacy rights.