Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston (born 11.2.1969)

Jennifer Aniston is an American TV and film actress. She first found fame in the hit TV sitcom, Friends. She is also well known for her marriage to Brad Pitt, the American movie actor.

Jennifer Aniston: Childhood

Jennifer Aniston was born in Los Angeles and raised in New York City. Her father is the actor, John Aniston and her mother is the actress Nancy Dow. Jennifer has two half brothers, John Melick and Alex Aniston. Her godfather is Telly Savalas, the late actor.

Jennifer attended the Rudolf Steiner School and the Fiorello LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. She performed in a number of off-Broadway theatre productions, including For Dear Life and Dancing on Checker's Grave. In 1989, Aniston moved back to Los Angeles' California.

Jennifer Aniston: Screen Career

Aniston was cast in her first TV role in 1990, in the series Molloy. She also starred in a television spin-off of the 1986 film Ferris Bueller's day Off. The series was quickly cancelled and Aniston's next few ventures fared equally badly. However, around this time, she also made appearances in Quantum Leap, and South Park.

Following the critical panning of her 1992 horror film, Leprechaun, Aniston briefly considered quitting her acting career. Fortunately for Aniston, she successfully auditioned for Friends. Although the producers originally wanted her to audition for the role of Monica, she persuaded them that she would be better suited to Rachel's character. She played the role for 10 years, from 1994-2004.

Friends was a massive success and Jennifer Aniston received a salary of one million dollars per episode for the last two seasons of the comedy. Aniston was listed in the 2005 Guinness World Book of Records as the highest paid TV actress, along with her co-stars, Lisa Kudrow and Courtney Cox-Arquette.

Jennifer Aniston has also featured in a number of successful feature films. In Bruce Almighty, she appeared as Jim Carrey's girlfriend. The film was a box office hit and grossed $243 million in the US.

In 2004, she appeared alongside Ben Stiller in Along Came Polly. The film reached the number one spot in the US.

In 2005, Aniston starred in two films that received little critical acclaim. Despite the lack of media support, Derailed and Rumor Has It both performed well at the box office and drew more than $72 million between them.

The following year, Jennifer Aniston appeared in Friends With Money. The film opened at the Cannes Film Festival. The film was a low-budget affair and grossed over $13 million, even with a limited cinema release. The Break-Up was Aniston's next major studio film release. The film grossed over $203 million worldwide, again defying its lack of critical support.

In a return to TV, Jennifer appeared in an episode of Courtney Cox-Arquette's series Dirt.

Aniston has also tried her hand at directing a short film. Room 10 starred Kris Kristofferson and Aniston has stated that it was Gwyneth Paltrow's own directorial efforts that inspired her to venture into directing.

Jennifer Aniston: Finances

Jennifer Aniston is listed by Forbes magazine as the 10th richest woman in the entertainment industry, behind the likes of JK Rowling and Oprah Winfrey. She is ahead of both Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. She is reported to be worth $110 million.

Jennifer Aniston: Personal Life

Aniston's relationship with Brad Pitt was a frequent feature of tabloid newspapers and magazines around the world. They married in July 2000 in an extravagant wedding in Malibu. Initially, their marriage was seen as a rare Hollywood relationship success. However, when Brad turned up to the Ocean's 12 premiere without Jennifer, rumours began that their marriage was not as watertight as previously thought.

Brad and Jennifer announced their separation in January 2005 and Brad Pitt later began a relationship with Angelina Jolie, his co-star in the film Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

Since splitting with Pitt, Jennifer has been romantically linked with Vince Vaughn, although they later spilt in December 2006.