Jennifer Aniston Watch

Jen has often been noted for her rare ability to be both hilarious and moving in a single moment; from her work on Friends to her film work, she has created moments much like those in our own lives where the emotions are complex and not neatly categorized. Indeed, it could be said that Jen’s recognition of this quality in life has contributed to her approach to her craft. In 2004, she told Premiere magazine, “Life is funny. Life isn’t categorized into comedy, drama, action, is it? So I don’t know why they try to categorize everything.” True to this sentiment, much of her best work blurs the genre lines.

CHUD (Cinematic Happenings Under Development) recently interviewed acting coach Anthony Abeson, who taught Jen at LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts. Jen fans may recall that during her time there, Jen got laughs during a scene from Chekhov’s Three Sisters - and it was Anthony who told her that this was a gift. In the midst of his critiques of the current state of show business, he cites Jen’s instinct for genuine emotion as something that sets her apart among her peers. He goes on to say that she possessed that trait early:

But the thing that’s remarkable, and something I can’t take credit for, is what she had when I met her. That story about doing Chekhov and people laughed; with your theater background, I’m sure you remember that Stanislavsky drove Chekhov crazy. Chekhov kept saying, “These are comedies!” Particularly with regard to Three Sisters, which is what Jennifer was working on at the time. Chekhov said, “You’re making my characters crybabies!” For decades and decades, this was one of the classic artistic nuts to crack: how to find the humor in Chekhov - which is very pastel and, admittedly, difficult to discover. And here was this kid who was a teenager at the time who just naturally solved it. It was remarkable! She just went in there and made Chekhov truthful, and she found the humor! That’s really astonishing! I can’t take credit for that. But what I also tried to share with Jennifer, and what I say to everybody, is, “Listen, that’s the kind of talent that deserves to work with the giants.”

Indeed, she has continued to hone that talent and in doing so has created many memorable characters. The one common thread that connects the diverse array of characters that she has played is humanity; these seem like people who might actually exist. The viewer shares the character’s journey and in doing so relates to the sometimes strange way that life happens.

Jennifer Aniston, Anthony Abeson, acting, genre, technique

According to recent reports, Jen has been quite the social butterfly lately! In recent weeks, she has been spotted mingling with lots of people, from friends to fans, and remaining down-to-earth all the while.

While filming Management, Jen took the time to meet a very special fan. According to The National Ledger, Jen met with Isaiah Beeson, an 8-year-old with brittle bone disease. When Jen learned that Isaiah wanted to meet her, she made arrangements for the boy to be brought to the set. She signed a photo for him and according to relatives, Isaiah remarked that Jen was “super nice.” No surprises there, but it’s always nice to hear of her kindness with fans.

Monsters And Critics reports that last week, Jen took a trip to New York City to attend a reunion at the Rudolf Steiner School. As previously mentioned, Jen discovered her passion for acting while attending the Steiner School, and it seems that she also formed many close friendships. A fellow alum reported that “Jennifer was really happy to see everybody. She didn’t play the star and was genuinely interested in finding out how everyone else’s lives had turned out.” Once again, while this is not surprising, it’s always nice to hear.

Finally, Jen was spotted back in Malibu over the weekend; video posted at x17 Online shows Jen leaving a gathering at the Arquette residence. Fellow guests included Scott Caan, Sacha Baron Cohen, Isla Fisher, and baby Olive. However, on a less festive note, other footage shows Jen evacuating her beach house this weekend with Norman and Dolly in tow. Here’s hoping that all Malibu residents are safe from this current round of wildfires.

Jennifer Aniston, Management, Isaiah Beeson, fan stories, Rudolf Steiner School, reunion, Courteney Cox Arquette, David Arquette, Sacha Baron Cohen, Isla Fisher, Scott Caan, Malibu wildfires

People brings us excerpts from Jen’s Bazaar interview, due out on newsstands October 23. She declares herself back after a break from the spotlight, and talks about her future, both personal and professional.

One matter that she discusses with the magazine is her desire to move to New York, saying that she is “just tired of Los Angeles.” She says of a recent trip to New York, “If you can get away from the paparazzi and they don’t know where you are, you can actually walk, walk, walk.” Without a doubt, such a media favorite as Jen would relish an opportunity to get away unscathed; furthermore, the city holds a great deal of nostalgic appeal for Jen given that she spent many of her early years there.

Whichever coast she chooses, however, Jen has learned the hard way how to maintain sanity in the sometimes harsh glare of media focus. Jen tells the magazine, “I used to care a hell of a lot more about what people said or thought. But that had to change when my life was under a microscope being scrutinized and my personal life was being talked about.” Her experiences in recent years have taught her to keep media speculation separate from who she is as a person, and this is a lesson that she is more than happy to share with younger stars, warning them to keep their focus on doing good work rather than buying into hype.

As for Jen’s own future? She tells Bazaar about her upcoming production effort Goree Girls, and even suggests that she may star in the musical. She says, “Yep. I can carry a tune, and I was known to throw out a jazz hand from time to time in high school.” She also fantasizes about switching places with her friend Oprah, and says that if she worked for the government, she would like to be “a very glamorous spy who plays poker and lives in Monaco, and has affairs with Daniel Craig.” Sounds like we have a wonderful interview to look forward to!

Jennifer Aniston, Harper’s Bazaar, interview, Goree Girls

Jen has always had an artistic side. She’s enjoyed painting and sculpting ever since she was a child, and at a young age she even had a piece displayed at the Met, as part of a special exhibition. It is not surprising, then, that much like her character Brooke, she has a healthy appreciation for viewing and purchasing art. On Friday, she was spotted picking up some pieces at the LA Modernism opening, presumably for the new house:

. . .Jennifer was very casual in jeans and a black puff sleeve blouse. She selected some 1940’s pieces, some Hollywood regency decor and some totally eclectic stuff. Among her purchases: matching Italian brass shelving units for $18,000, a pair of large Mediterranean metal lamps for $1400, and an Italian sculpture of an ostrich that included a real ostrich egg for $1500. Our favorite was a delicate French standing ashtray trimmed with Hermes leather for $2500. . . .

While there were no pictures provided, it sounds like the pieces that she chose are very much in keeping with her classy style. Visit the LA Modernism page for examples of the pieces featured.

Jennifer Aniston, decorating, modernism, art, events

Then and now: Jen with her dad in 1975, and in 2006

Jen is famously close with her dad, Days of Our Lives star John Aniston. Born Ioannis Anastassakis in Greece, he arrived in the States as a boy, and he eventually pursued an acting career after studying theater at Pennsylvania State University and serving in the military. He married Nancy Dow, and as we know, they welcomed a baby girl in 1969. The family (John, Nancy, Jennifer, and Nancy’s son Johnny) moved to Greece in the mid-’70’s, as John had grown frustrated with acting and decided to attend medical school. However, he was eventually tapped for a role on the series Love of Live, and the family returned to the U.S.

In 1978, John and Nancy divorced, and Jen didn’t see much of her dad in the years that followed. As Jen told Esquire in 2002:

As the years passed, tension came between my mom and dad, and I’d do funny things to try to bring back the laughter. It’s hard to recall now what those things were. Maybe I’ve blocked them out. I guess I’ve learned to make a living doing what I did to try to heal myself as a kid.

When I was about nine, I came home from a friend’s party and my dad wasn’t there. Divorce happens in a lot of families, and I don’t want to break out the violins. But that was that.

I was enrolled at the Rudolf Steiner School, which recommends that children don’t watch TV. I’d sneak it all the time, of course. You become obsessed with anything your parents tell you not to do. Plus,Dad had left. How could I connect with him? He was on the television!

When Jen found her own passion for acting, John discouraged her at first, knowing that it isn’t always an easy profession to make a living at. However, she persevered, and John became one of her biggest supporters. John eventually remarried; he and his wife Sherry have a son named Alexander (more on remarriage and fatherhood at All About Fatherhood). In adulthood, Jen has become very close to her dad; notably, at the time of his recent heart attack, Jen was a constant presence at his bedside. Thankfully, it seems that John has recovered nicely from the scare. Today, he plays Victor Kiriakis on DOOL, and it is evident that Jen is not the only bright talent in her family.

Jennifer Aniston, John Aniston, Days Of Our Lives, fatherhood

Despite her obvious intelligence, Jen has made much of the fact that as a child, she wasn’t much for studying. In interviews, she has said that her attention was diverted by her pursuits as a class clown, and her teachers were none too pleased by this. Nevertheless, we would all like to know where Jen got her start, as early signs did point to success as an actress. Here, then, is an overview of Jen’s education.

Rudolf Steiner School This school, which Jen attended until 9th grade, is the first ever Waldorf school in North America. The Waldorf method, which is also a popular homeschooling technique, focuses upon the child’s experience of the world. There is much emphasis upon natural rhythms in nature, as well as individual experience and social responsibility. At the age of 11, Jen joined the drama club at Rudolf Steiner and quickly blossomed. Despite warnings of the challenge that show business would bring, it was evident that Jen had found a passion.

LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts At 15, Jen successfully auditioned for this highly competitive performing arts magnet school, featured in the movie Fame. Here, she shined far brighter onstage than she did in the classroom, and began to display the unique comic talent that she would become famous for. Jen is one of a very distinguished list of alumni, and she did, indeed, passionately pursue an acting career right out of high school, acting in Off-Broadway plays before making the move to L.A. The rest, as they say, is history.

Jennifer Aniston, education, Rudolf Steiner, Waldorf method, LaGuardia, Fame, alumni