People Magazine’s current issue is a multi-cover affair featuring their “people of the year.” None of their people of the year are men, which is funny to me. People’s people of the year: Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lopez, Michelle Obama & Taylor Swift. It’s like Angelina Jolie never made Maleficent: Horns of Doom!!! In J.Lo, MO and Swifty’s cases, I feel like they legitimately had big years with new albums, new memoirs, and an incredible role in Hustlers. But Aniston? We’re giving her Person of the Year because she’s on an Apple+ show? So, let’s hear from Aniston about her new People of the Year status.
What 2019 taught her: “How much I’m capable of. The words, ‘I dare you’ or ‘No’ always make me kind of go, ‘Oh, okay. Well, let’s just see.’”
Doing The Morning Show: “Doing it, I mean we were really flying by the seat of our pants. Apple itself was building a streaming service so everyone was like, we’re all in this together and this is exhilarating and terrifying. But at the same time, it was unbelievably rewarding. Just to be that involved. To really take on a subject that could be touchy and obviously taboo—and also necessary during this time that we’re in. I feel like I’ve got wind burn, let’s just say that.”
Working as a producer: “Being a leader, being someone that people look up to for guidance, you have a lot of people to answer and take care of on many levels. Multi-tasking creatively and as a producer. And personal as well. It’s all very fulfilling to me.”
She first started believing in herself in her 20s: “By getting honest with myself in terms of my relationship with my family. Speaking my truth to them without fear and therefore my work reflected that. And then Friends came. If there were any naysayers in my family, ‘This will never… you’ll never make a dime.’ [laughs] Just watch me. Don’t threaten me that way. God knows now I’m going to make a couple of dimes.”
Her friendships: “My friendships keep me true and they keep me real… And vice versa. It’s a beautiful exchange.”
She’s looking forward to 2020: “I’m ready to get back to work on the show. I’m ready to see what 2020 brings me. I’m just so excited for the unknown.”
I’m partly okay with this and I’m partly bored? I mean, for one of the “people of the year,” she sure didn’t give them an exclusive on anything, or come up with any new quotes about her show or anything. That being said, there has been a feeling throughout this year that Jennifer is just fine these days. She’s not with Justin Theroux anymore (but we’re not supposed to mention that they lied about getting married) and she’s not pushing some “looking for love” narrative. It turns out, she turned 50 years old and she really just got comfortable with where she is in life. She’s career-focused and she loves her dogs and her friends and that’s that. Good for her? I guess.
Cover courtesy of People, additional photos courtesy of Avalon Red and Backgrid.
The one person of the year I have the most problem with is Taylor. I understand she is massive and she is a musician in the male dominated industry, but she uses the last argument for her own sometimes petty causes and she maintains he success by pitting her fans against the rest of the world making herself into a perpetual victim. Is this the woman worth celebrating? Her fans are crazy, sending death threats to the wife and children of the record company boss she was a disagreement she used as a promo opportunity. And that is not ok. She is encouraging young girls to approach the world as a world full of enemies, look where this kind of friends versus enemies thinking got America politically.
Aniston for the most part stays in her own lane, she is part of the show about relevant and important issue of abuse and this year she went as far out of her comfort zone as possible: she is feeling her self as a single woman, she joined social media and she came back to TV doing drama this time.
After one of the last couple award shows on tv where Taylor was dancing like a rubber chicken, I went on Facebook and declared that TS had as much appeal as a soggy piece of asparagus. Someone I know–who apparently is a rabid TS fan–proceeded to lecture me about how I needed to watch her documentary and educate myself on TS because then I would see that she is an amazing person. Yeah, no.
It’s hard to sift through the bs to see what actually happened with the sale of Swift’s former record company. Her using her fans to threaten Scooter’s family & the company’s employees was incredibly reckless. As far as Aniston goes…I’m not sure why she was named…I know she has a show…but I guess it’s because it’s Aniston.
“And all the Botox and fillers keep my face from moving.”
Yeah. I’m her age,I have money I earned myself, and I get Botox too.
Look if you were in the public eye at 50 and being criticized by random people on the internet it might mess with your confidence and you might look towards botox and fillers. I dont criticize women for that, I criticize the people who go after womens looks.
Yes!
She’s probably the best looking celeb in Hollywood her age that has messed with her face but not too much. She looks older, maybe 8 years younger than her real age, and she looks damn good.
I agree that I think this is the year Jen just seems….comfortable. Like she’s just herself, doing her thing, and she’s having fun with it. I think she also is really enjoying taking more control behind the scenes, and I think that’s playing a part in her confidence. I don’t think this interview has anything earth shattering or even especially interesting because I don’t think Jen feels the need to share anything interesting in interviews anymore.
I hope this is the year she and her publicist drop all that annoying stuff to appeal to middle-america women. Coming out as who she really is, a woman who doesn’t need to have a man in her life, enjoys her vacations with friends, drinks, exercise, and doesn’t want/need children. That’s really what I see in her actions, but all of her publicist drivel tries to sell her as something totally opposite. She’s 50. I think we can stop trying to give her the storyline of a 35 year old. Let her own all the gloriousness and freeing aspects of being a wealthy attractive fit 50 year old woman with no dependents.
Kaiser, have you watched The Morning Show? Aniston is fabulous. The Morning Show is up there with my newest addiction Succession. Aniston as Alex Levy has replaced Shiv Roy as my favorite rich white person…The latest episode has Aniston’s character Alex Levy have a monumental melt down directed towards her teenage daughter. A melt down that every mother has fantasies about, it was simply delicious. When Aniston snatched her pizza and stormed off I was bouncing on the sofa screaming, yes. It was a scene For every mother who has faced down an ungrateful child..the writing is fabulous.
Aniston and Billy Crudup as Cory Ellison…are terrific. Their singing duet during a fundraiser was as one of the characters says “It’s weird and fascinating and I’m super into it.” Have I said the writing is fabulous? The Morning Show and For All Mankind are my Friday nights..
Oh good to know. I haven’t watched The Morning Show yet, I am not sure what my hangup has been about it, I just didn’t expect it to be good, I guess? Maybe I’ll give it a try this weekend.
Woah hold the phone these are serious Allegations! You’re telling me M.S. is on par with succession ? My favorite show in the past 8 years. Really?? The reviews aren’t indicating that so I’ve ignored Apple plus. Is it super smart like Succession?
The character of Cory Ellison could fit in with Succession, when he says “chaos is the new cocaine” he stole my heart. Billy Crudup is an evil elf, he steals every screen. I would love to see him up against Logan and Roman.
Succession is SO good!!! I watched the first season and no one was talking about it. I’m glad more people found it for Season 2.
I’m not getting Apple+. I will never see this show I guess.
Thank you! I am in love with this show. Aniston is everything in it. i love the scene you describe here, but my absolute favorite is when she slams her hand down on the conference table and says to all those horrible men “are you finished?” and then “you are so stupid” and then goes into her spiel about who has the power. I just am in love with this show. I don’t know what the reviews say, and I don’t care. If you’re not watching, you’re missing out.
Succession is so good! I couldn’t decide between Shiv and Tom as my favorite character.
I heart succession I wish it was on every night!
Cousin Greg the Egg definitely has them fooled. Someone online wrote no one anticipated Bran the Broken taking the Seven Kingdoms (excluding the north of course) no one will expect Greg to take Waystar from the Roys. As Kendall said, at Shiv and Tom’s wedding “Greg you Machiavellian f**k.”
Rosalee I’m with you. No way he’s there just to be the village idiot. I’ve got my eye on you Greg the Egg.
The Morning Show is so good and relevant right now and Aniston is AMAZING in it. If Jlo is included for being in Hustlers why wouldn’t Aniston be included for starring in and producing the Morning Show?
Yeah I feel Jen, Jennifer, and Taylor all had equally big years in their fields.
I don’t feel anyone of them deserve of “People of the Year” label for it, but they all did well professionally this year.
Yes!! She is fantastic as Alex Levy! I am completely addicted to The Morning Show, I can’t believe there are just 3 more episodes left in this season.
Aniston is sublime on The Morning Show. As I said below, I feel like she’s giving the performance of her career, full-stop.
I think so too, especially in the last episode with the daughter.
I’ve like Jen well enough since Friends, but never thought of her as a great actress, just someone who was fine in comedies and seemed nice enough. But she has impressed me with this show. It was an excellent career move for her.
Seems she’s found her confidence, because the past 20 yrs she was very insecure in interviews and telling a very different story than she is now. Personally i’ve never understood the hype surrounding her or the series Friends. I was more a Seinfeld fan, but she’s still around so it shows she’s got some hustle, especially in the fickle Entertainment industry.
At least she didn’t mention her products she shills. I guess it’s all about morning show now.
Yawn! She’s dull as dishwater! Personally, I don’t find anything interesting or exciting about her, and I find her show to be just okay.
Thank you, me neither. She’s average in every way.
Oh now I want to see Morning Show! I really like Aniston. I don’t understand the criticism of her sounding “insecure” in past interviews. I thought her candor was refreshing and relatable. Who doesn’t feel insecure at times? She’s not everyone’s cup of tea, I get it, but why the vitriol? On a side note, I recently saw the 1960s movie My Fair Lady and thought barbra Streisand and Jennifer Aniston really do look alike. At least during their young days.
Do you mean Hello Dolly? Streisand wasn’t in My Fair Lady.
Oops! I meant Funny Lady. Ha!
Juat don’t like JA. Just don’t.
Same.
I find her too dull to dislike. She’s just there. Period.
She’s on the list because of CAA.
Is she CAA’s only client?
Of course she isn’t their only client. It’s still my opinion that place on the list was bought for her.
She’s on the list because people like her and she sells magazines. I know some people here don’t want to acknowledge her popularity, but the reaction to her joining Instagram makes it kind of undeniable. She may be boring, but people still love her.
It’s funny because it feels to me that she is a follower, someone who wants to belong. And now we’re at a time where women actresses are producing and trying out new ventures because feminism and #metoo. So she goes along and… do I get the feeling that she understood something? I mean she is no ground-breaking powered up woman but if she is on the receiving end and learns that she can be more than a Smartwater girl, great. The works works.
It just bugs me when people who are shunned y their family brag about getting back at them because they have money though. As if loving what you do and living from it wasn’t enough. THAT is the lesson, not that you can get money, but that you can love different types of jobs and not everyone needs to be a doctor or a lawyer.
No offense but I don’t understand America’s fascination with her, apart from her role in Friends and marriage to Brad Pitt, she hasn’t done anything note worthy. She’s very ordinary looking and has nothing interesting to say. Do people just still feel sorry for her or see her as Rachel?
I can only speak for myself. I am loving her performance in her new show, and I love the show itself. She is absolutely fantastic in it. top of her game. The show speaks to me, and her character speaks to me. I am not the socalled mini-van majority. I am the opposite. This show is for me. JA in this role, speaks to me.
@A
I am a black west African woman and I am fascinated by her.
I never got the fascination with her either. But I guess to each his own
If watching The Morning Show has taught me anything, it’s that Jennifer Aniston is incredibly underrated as an actress.
I feel like maybe she found a role that has finally made her really stretch and push herself? And I’d say she’s succeeded, as she’s standing out in a pretty great cast.
You’re basically saying “all she did was star in an enormously popular sitcom that is still gaining fans on Netflix even though it ended 15 years ago and marry the most famous movie star in the world.” You don’t get why those things make her fascinating to people? I think she’s boring as a person, but she’s a talented comedic and dramatic actress. She’s incredible in The Morning Show.
@ Kebbie There are so many good shows/actors available on streaming services so yeah I don’t see why people would care so much about her role in a sitcom that ended 15 years ago. And let’s to be real now everyone and their mom has watched that show. She isn’t gaining any new fans from it now LOL. Also Brangelina was way more relevant than Brad/Jennifer marriage so yeah this current fascination with this generic actress is very puzzling imo.
I’m glad Jennifer Aniston is one of the People of the Year, and I love that they’re all women (although I’m side-eye-ing the Taylor Swift selection). Jennifer is legitimately giving the performance of her career on The Morning Show (not unlike J.Lo did in Hustlers). I’ve always liked Aniston but never thought much of her acting chops… Not to say that I thought she was bad, I just felt like she kind of phoned in her roles, I guess? Her performance on TMS is so nuanced, shameless, and multi-layered that I’m kind of blown away, to be honest. She absolutely commands the screen in every scene that she’s in, to the point where I feel bad for Reese Witherspoon. Billy Crudup is also deliciously fantastic. There are so many great supporting performances too. I hope TMS sweeps the Emmys, particularly Aniston and Crudup because they’re giving some of the best performances I’ve seen all year.
I can’t recommend TMS enough; at first I thought it was a little too on the nose but as the season has gone on it’s transformed into a very slick, smart, and subversive show that reminds me of Aaron Sorkin in his prime.
Jennifer is KILLING it on TMS. She absolutely commands the screen every second she’s on it. She & Steve Carell (who is the ONLY reason I got a new TV so I could get Apple TV+) have wonderful chemistry. I wish he were in it more even if his character is so gd awful, but I truly enjoy where the show is going. I’m 60, retired on disability, married a million years, no kids and 2 cats…and Alex Levy speaks TO me and FOR me.
I’ve always liked Jennifer….one of my favorite characters is the one she played in “Friends with Money”…I’ve seen all her movies…and have enjoyed every single one…I’m happy for her!
I’m pretty close in age to Jennifer and I totally get where she’s at. I’m enjoying taking the risks that I might not have had the courage to take earlier or not taking the risks, basically doing what ever the hell I want. My women friends are my sanity and I’m theirs as all of our husbands and adult children are driving us nuts. Lastly, I”m on the tail end of “the change” and while not knowing where Jennifer is at with it, I can honestly say that until you experience it you aren’t prepared for how much it will kick your ass and how grateful you’ll be to finally feel like yourself again. I went through 10+ years of emotional, physical and mental upheavals and now that things are starting to calm down I’m so grateful that I survived it and came away stronger than ever. So yeah, Jen’s my girl!
Anybody that says they are real are pretty much fake. Lol.