Jennifer Aniston’s Best Performances From Her Entire Acting Career – So Far
There aren’t many people out there that can say that they’ve won numerous awards for their performance in a sitcom that has remained to be a pop culture phenomenon for decades. For Jennifer Aniston, she’s checked that box. She has had a plethora of roles throughout her acting career but these five stand out amongst the rest.
Best Jennifer Aniston Performances in Film and Television:
‘Friends’
‘Friends’ has remained to be one of the most iconic television shows in TV history. The hit sitcom follows a group of six friends who experience love and life together. Aniston portrayed Rachel Green, a spoiled and self-centered young woman who is often sweet and does evolve throughout the series. The show jump-started her career and made her recognized worldwide. In the early 2000s, she won a Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy for her work on the series.
On May 27, ‘Friends: The Reunion’ was released on HBO Max. Aniston has this to say about the reunion in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, “Oh, it was full of emotions. It was a roller coaster of emotions. It was incredible. By the end of day two, we were all so giddy. I think the best part of it—there wasn’t one thing specifically—was just how instantly we fell right back into our roles of who we are to each other from that.
I mean, we’ve all seen each other on different occasions, but never in the same room together, except for back at my house. They’re such family, and they’re so embedded in my heart ’til the day I die. That was what was so special.”
‘Just Go With It’
In the early 2010s, Aniston frequently appeared in comedy roles. ‘Just Go With It’ was one of the many comedy films she starred in. The film follows a plastic surgeon who convinces his assistant to pose as his soon-to-be divorced wife to cover up a lie that he told to his much-younger girlfriend all while on a trip in Hawaii. Aniston portrays Katherine Murphy, the assistant to Danny (Adam Sandler), a plastic surgeon who has two kids who she is forced to bring along to cover up Danny’s lie. While the film was a box office success, it received negative reviews from critics.
‘Wanderlust’
‘Wanderlust’ is another comedy Aniston starred in. The 2012 film follows a Manhattan couple who are rattled by unemployment and figure out alternative living options. The couple ultimately decides to experiment living in a commune where free love rules. Aniston portrays Linda Gergenblatt, the wife of George Gergenblatt (Paul Rudd). The comedy received mixed reviews from critics and flopped at the box office.
‘Wanderlust’ allows us to see a different side of Aniston. The film was produced by Judd Apatow who is known for offbeat comedies that feature unlikely protagonists. This film is no exception. Looking back, there are some themes and conversations that most likely wouldn’t be accepted in pop culture today.
‘Dumplin’
Once the mid to late teens rolled around, Aniston was featured in dramatic roles rather than comedic roles. In 2018, she starred in ‘Dumplin’. The film follows Willowdean (Danielle MacDonald), the teenage daughter of a beauty pageant queen. She signs up for her mom’s pageant as a protest that escalates into others following her footsteps thus revolutionizing the pageant world in her small Texas town. Aniston portrays Rosie Dickson, the mother of Willowdean who is a beauty pageant queen. Netflix released the film exclusively on their streaming service.
With the shift in roles, seeing Aniston in a dramatic role like this one gives the audience a sense of what she can do as an actress. Versatility is key in the film industry because it makes an actor more appealing. Rosie Dickson is much different than Katherine Murphy from ‘Just Go With It’ and Linda Gergenblatt in ‘Wanderlust’ because she has more depth. She has more layers that are slowly peeled off throughout the film.
In an interview with Elle, Anne Fletcher, the director of the film, said she’d be watching Aniston work and would notice a small, almost imperceptible hand gesture and think, “That’s [her character] Rosie. That’s not Jen. That is completely Rosie.”
