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If you are a Friends fan, then Jennifer Aniston needs no introduction. She gained widespread recognition for her portrayal of Rachel Green on the iconic television sitcom which aired from 1994 to 2004. The role has earned her several accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award in 2002 and a Golden Globe Award in 2003.
But if looked beyond television, Aniston has made her name for versatility in various films. Notable performances include roles in Bruce Almighty (2003), which grossed over $484 million worldwide, and Along Came Polly (2004), which earned $172 million globally.
Her other major works include The Break-Up (2006), Marley & Me (2008), and Horrible Bosses (2011). Her films have amassed over $1.6 billion at the box office. Aniston's talent has been recognized with numerous awards and nominations because she has received nine Primetime Emmy nominations, five Golden Globe nominations, thirteen Screen Actors Guild nominations, and three SAG Awards.
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In 2019, she returned to television with The Morning Show on Apple TV+, where she earned critical acclaim and a Screen Actors Guild Award for her performance. In addition to her acting career, Aniston co-founded the production company Echo Films in 2008.
5 lesser-known facts about Jennifer Aniston
1) Jennifer Aniston’s childhood trauma led to her fear of water
In a candid moment during a screening of her 2015 film Cake, Jennifer Aniston opened up about a fear many would find surprising given her jet-setting lifestyle: her fear of going underwater.
The phobia stems from a childhood incident when she was riding her tricycle near a swimming pool. She accidentally rode into the pool but could not let go of the tricycle and found herself struggling until her brother helped rescue her.
Speaking about the experience to E! News, she said,
“I basically have a real fear of going underwater. I honestly can't.”
The fear has persisted into adulthood and has made scenes involving water a challenge in her acting career.
2) Her first job involved cleaning toilets
Before Jennifer Aniston became a household name, she wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty—literally. In an interview with Parade magazine in 2009, she revealed that one of her first jobs as a child was cleaning toilets to earn her allowance.
“I made my allowance as a kid cleaning toilets. I’m actually pretty good at it,” she said.
This unglamorous job was just one of many she took on during her pre-Hollywood days, which also included being a waitress and even a bike messenger. Aniston has often spoken about how these experiences shaped her work ethic and humility for someone who went on to earn $1 million per episode on Friends.
3) She was almost a cast member on Saturday Night Live
Jennifer Aniston’s career could have taken a completely different path if she had accepted an offer to join the cast of Saturday Night Live. In an interview with Collider in 2011, she explained how she had turned down the opportunity to star in the iconic sketch comedy show in favor of a little sitcom called Friends.
Adam Sandler, a former SNL cast member, also shared this story on The Oprah Winfrey Show, saying he was surprised when Aniston declined the gig.
“I remember being on the ninth floor where Lorne Michaels' office was and seeing Jen come in. I was like, ‘Oh my God, there’s Aniston. Is she about to be on our show?’”
Aniston reportedly felt that the environment at SNL wouldn’t suit her personality and preferred the idea of a scripted comedy series.
4) She hated her iconic “Rachel” haircut
The “Rachel” haircut, named after her Friends character, became a cultural phenomenon in the mid-1990s, with women everywhere rushing to salons to replicate the layered, choppy style. But Jennifer Aniston has repeatedly expressed her disdain for the look.
In a 2011 interview with Allure, she called it “the ugliest haircut I’ve ever seen.” She explained that while her hairstylist and close friend Chris McMillan created the look, she struggled to maintain it herself.
“I couldn’t do it on my own. So Chris also just has that way of [making me be] completely reliant on him,” she joked.
5) She once cleaned out a restaurant fridge as a waitress
Before landing her breakout role on Friends, Jennifer Aniston worked as a waitress, a job she candidly admitted she wasn’t particularly skilled at. In an interview with Marie Claire, she shared a story about one particularly embarrassing moment when she dropped an Alpine burger, complete with Swiss cheese and mushrooms, onto a customer’s lap.
“You just do not want all of that Swiss cheese and mushrooms in your pants,” she said, laughing about the memory.
During her time as a waitress, she also took on odd jobs, such as cleaning out restaurant refrigerators.
Jennifer Aniston has starred alongside Adam Sandler in Murder Mystery 2 in 2023.
