Even 16 years after the final episode aired, Friends still remains one of the most popular TV shows of all time. The life of the six friends living in Manhattan and going through troublesome but fun time together became a synonym for true friendship and attracted millions of fans from all over the world.
The role of Rachel Green, a young woman who left her fiance at the altar and suddenly entered the life of the rest of the characters, was portrayed by incredible Jennifer Aniston.
This role was a breakthrough for the young actress who ended up earning $1 million per episode towards the end of the series. Speaking to Emire Magazine, Aniston later said how Rachel Green was both a blessing and a curse because it took her long to move on to new roles without people see her as just Rachel from Friends.
Today, Aniston is 51 years old and still as beautiful as she has ever been. Since the role that probably marked her life, she moved on to many other films and projects and became the highest-paid actress in Hollywood. Her remarkable talent and outstanding performances along with her genuine character made her America’s sweetheart and one of the most popular people ever.
Being a daughter of a famous actor, John Aniston, who is best known for the role of Victor Kiriakis on the NBC daytime drama series Days of Our Lives, didn’t mean she was given everything on a plate.
Instead, she had to work hard for what she is today. After taking part in many movies she refers to as failures, Aniston, who was born in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, moved to New York where she worked as a waitress and a telemarketer.
“I had moved away from home, I had been on six failed television shows. I waitressed for years in New York before I got anything. And I was a telemarketer selling time-shares in the Poconos. I didn’t make one sale. I was terrible at it and I was like, ‘Why do we have to call people at dinnertime?’,” she told Harpers Bazaar.
However, Friends changed her life completely. ”I’d done about seven hundred failed shows before Friends, and there was no reason to believe that Friends would be any different. Right before it aired, the director, Jimmy Burrows — or Papa, as I call him — flew the six of us to Las Vegas. He took us out to dinner and said, “You don’t know what you’re about to embark on. You better take care of each other,” Jennifer said.
As her fame grew, Aniston started dating one of Hollywood’s heartthrobs, Brad Pitt. The two were considered the perfect couple and their every move was closely watched by the paparazzi as fans were eager to learn more of what was believed to be the ultimate love story.
Aniston and Pitt tied the knot in 2000, but the marriage only lasted for five years. Pitt moved on eventually and married Angelina Jolie, but the two split in 2016. Ever since, fans who couldn’t get over the relationship between Aniston and Pitt wished to see them rekindle their romance.
Aniston, however, moved on and is happy with her life. She’s very lucky as each of her movies is a huge success.
In recent years, she openly spoke against the appearance fixation that exists in the entertainment industry. “The objectification and scrutiny we put women through is absurd and disturbing. The way I am portrayed by the media is simply a reflection of how we see and portray women in general, measured against some warped standard of beauty,” she wrote in an essay for The Huffington Post.
Last year, she posted a photo of herself on Instagram wearing no make up and millions agree that she looked totally stunning.
Ever since, she’s sharing photos wanting to highlight the importance of natural beauty.
Speaking of her latest movie, Cake, she said she enjoyed doing a role without having to use a lot of make-up. “It was so empowering and liberating to just put scars on my face. The only time I had to sit in the makeup chair was just for scars,” she told E!Online.
Aniston is a true inspiration for millions of women from every part of the world. She wants everyone to know that real beauty comes from the inside and that every woman should love herself the way she is and embrace her natural looks. As for her, make up or no make up, she is still one of the most beautiful and most attractive women on the planet.