A loving fiancé, a new film already receiving Oscar buzz and she’s got three dogs to boot. Why wouldn’t Jennifer Aniston be happy? The former “Friends” actress recently opened up to Harper’s Bazaar about the ups and downs of her life and how she’s finally found true joy.
“There was a part of me that used to get very upset,” Aniston said. “I was guilty of getting too up in arms about stuff that wasn’t real, phantom boxing with something that’s not even there. Now I’d rather just focus on people and things that are here, happening, and what’s yet to come. My friends, my family, wonderful people I work with. We know what the real is.”
The “real,” as Aniston puts it, is a combination of things. The 45-year-old is now engaged to her “Wanderlust” co-star Justin Theroux and her upcoming drama “Cake” has some whispering the words, “Academy Award.” But the leading role, which features her without a stitch of makeup on, did a number on Aniston.
“It was the most challenging part I’ve ever done, and also one of the most rewarding and fulfilling. There was struggle involved,” Aniston said. “You know, I don’t know if I would have been able to do it five or 10 years ago. But I was ready to challenge myself.”
The fake scars, greasy hair and unflattering clothes that were also required of her for “Cake” left Aniston feeling especially self-conscious during shooting.
“I remember the first day of shooting when I had to be outside, and it was not my most appealing look, it was kind of horrific,” Aniston said. “But I had this weird freedom. Now I’m like, ‘Well, it doesn’t get worse than that.’ You have to not care, because I was starting to feel very isolated and trapped because I didn’t want someone to get a stupid picture or whatever.”
No stranger to having her photo taken unwillingly, Aniston also admitted she’s not above throwing a punch.
“Ah, there are some people I would punch,” she said. “I’d do that to a paparazzo probably.”