Jennifer Aniston Watch

Jen’s popping up all over Chicago! My latest “Jen sighting” is at Michigan and Ontario, on the Magnificent Mile, where she’s making every commuter’s day just a little bit prettier. Once again, it’s all “pure speculation.”

Speaking of speculation, Jen’s been snapped on the Bounty set looking very friendly with her costar Gerard, and speculation has been rampant that they’re, well, more than friendly. INF Daily, the source of these pics, seems particularly convinced of this thinking, as their eyewitnesses say that Jen and Gerard laughed and joked and appeared “intimate.” I can’t say I’m convinced just yet - Jen’s hugged many of her leading men like that! This friendly gesture could be just that - friendly. But as always, time will tell - so what do you think?

Is this just a friendly dinner between costars, or something else entirely? On Thursday night, Jen was snapped leaving a restaurant in New York City - with none other than Bradley Cooper, one of her costars in He’s Just Not That Into You (pics are at PopSugar). Bradley, who stars in current box office hit The Hangover, was seen opening the door for Jen as the two of them entered a black SUV. And rumors have circulated about these two for a while - so what do we think? Are they friendly, or are they very friendly?

Meanwhile, Jen is in New York to film The Bounty (formerly titled Bounty Hunter). So far, her costar Gerard Butler has been seen on the set - here’s hoping we see Jen in action soon!

I’ll start with the good news, or in any case, the one thing I’m sure of - the Management trailer is out! Access Hollywood has a first look at the trailer for the upcoming flick, in which Jen costars with Steve Zahn and Woody Harrelson - go check it out! This movie looks hilarious, and I can’t wait to see it in theaters - the US release date is May 15th.

As for the latest rumors, and I’m sure you’ve all heard them by now, I really have nothing to say about them for the time being. The reports I have heard have been conflicting, and frankly, I’m a bit confused. I would like to ask that whatever the reality of the situation turns out to be, any discussion of it in the comments remains respectful of all parties involved.

Jen has flown under the radar since returning from the European press junket for Marley & Me - however, last night, she was snapped enjoying dinner out with Courteney at Sunset Tower, a favorite hangout for the pals (pictures are at Gossip Girls). For this relaxed girls’ night out, Jen kept out the evening chill by adding a lovely purple scarf to her all-black ensemble.

Jen has good reason to keep things low-key for now - later in the month, she is set to head to New York to film the comedy Baster alongside Jason Bateman. It has been reported that Jen has been apartment-hunting in New York City, so if the reports are true, it sounds like this “Fame school” alum will once again spend some time in the Big Apple.

First Vogue, then the Times . . . and this week, Jen is on the cover of Entertainment Weekly! On the cover and in the photographs, Jen poses with an adorable puppy - and she looks great as well! The interview covers a variety of topics - and Jen is, as always, lovely and engaging.

By now, many of us know not to believe the rumors, and indeed, Jen discusses just how out of hand many of them get - specifically, she laments the effect of the rumors on the eventual moment when one of them becomes true:

”Oh, my God, it’s hysterical!” she says, throwing up her hands. ”You can’t do anything without it going to some extreme. It’s almost going to take away the fun from actually being able to say one day, ‘I’m pregnant!’ Everyone will be like, ‘Yeah, right.’ It’s the boy who cried wolf. Stop stealing my thunder, motherf—ers!”

Despite the tabloid drama surrounding her own motherhood prospects, Jen did enjoy the opportunity to play a mother in Marley & Me - despite some early jitters about the role:

”Jen had some anxieties about preparing,” says director David Frankel (The Devil Wears Prada). ”You have crying babies, the kinks and stresses of being a young, exhausted mom — a lot of stuff she hadn’t been through personally or acted before.” In the end, Aniston embraced the challenge: ”I feel like that’s in my future and I’m on the verge of it in some way — or it’s something I long for. So it was great to sort of dip your toe in it.”

Indeed, Jen seems eager to challenge herself on all fronts - she may be best known for girl-next-door roles, but she expresses the desire to take on challenges much like her offbeat, well-received roles in The Good Girl and Friends With Money:

‘The girl trying to get the guy — those movies just don’t interest me these days,” Aniston says. ”I’d be so bored just doing that. I always think of it as you’re walking down the aisle of the supermarket and there’s the Fruity Pebbles. I like to do a little Kashi as well, a little granola.”

For her part, she’s making it happen on the development end, with Echo Films producing projects such as Counter Clockwise and Goree Girls. However, she also has an eye behind the camera - with her work on Room 10 under her belt, she is now looking to take on the challenge of directing a feature film:

But of course, what she would really like to do is direct. She already has a particular project in mind: ”It’s about schizophrenia, a woman who overcame the odds against her — that’s all I’m going to say.”

No matter what becomes of these projects, Jen is hopeful about the future, whatever it brings:

She’ll tell you that, as she approaches 40, she’s never been happier, never felt better: ”I don’t know if I’m just a late bloomer, but I feel like everything is just beginning.”

The full interview is at Entertainment Weekly’s website, along with other pictures from the photoshoot; additionally, Jen shares her favorite tearjerkers!

Thanksgiving is coming up, and for many of us this means bringing home a date to meet the family. Of course, those meet-the-parents moments are a lot easier with the right date, and with that in mind, online dating company Avalanche LLC conducted a poll on the ideal celebrity dates for Thanksgiving, and not surprisingly, our girl came out on top! 35% of men polled saw Jen as the perfect choice to bring home to Mom, with women choosing George Clooney as her counterpart:

“We weren’t surprised that George Clooney and Jennifer Aniston topped the list of ideal dinner dates for Thanksgiving as they truly represent Hollywood Royalty; both are sophisticated, charitable, gorgeous, fascinating and worldly, and could make any relative jealous while charming even the grouchiest Grandparent,” said Shira Zwebner, Relationship Advisor for Date.com, Matchmaker.com and Amor.com.

It seems that Jen’s recent costars agree with the sentiment - they have wonderful things to say about her as well. Alec Baldwin, who plays Jack Donaghy on 30 Rock, told OK! just what he thought of his more amorous scenes with her:

“It was the greatest day of my life,” Alec said of making out with Jen when she was a guest star on 30 Rock.
. . .

“They’re getting paid to kiss you. I’m getting paid to kiss her. But she’s a doll.”

Alec is not alone in his opinion - Aaron Eckhart, who costars with Jen in the upcoming film Traveling, corroborates the sentiment, as he revealed to Fox News at the GQ “Men of the Year” party:

Speaking of making movies, Aaron Eckhart just wrapped filming the chick-flick “Traveling” alongside Jennifer Aniston and seemed to be very smitten by the former “Friend.”

“Jennifer is a peach, she’s such a wonderful amazing woman to work with,” Eckhart gushed. “Her reputation is well justified.”

Current press might be all about Marley right now, but I’m looking forward to this one as well!

Blogger’s note: Speaking of Thanksgiving, I will be out of town (and away from my computer) starting early tomorrow to spend the holiday with my family. If any major news breaks in the next few days and it does not show up here, this is why. I will play catchup upon my return on Sunday. Until then, I have arranged for a few pre-written posts for your reading enjoyment during my absence. I would like to wish one and all a very happy Thanksgiving.

Marley & Me promotion has begun, and with that, it fits that Jen will appear on an upcoming magazine cover - and not just any magazine, but Vogue! The magazine’s December issue features Jen in a beautiful beach photo shoot - and a refreshingly candid interview. Jonathan Van Meter asked her about everything from decor to her upcoming films to her love life - and Jen was totally game.

The interview starts with a tour of her home, mid-renovation. Jen shows off the results of the renovations that have been completed so far - one particularly amusing moment involves the front door:

Then she leads me down a fantastically wide hallway to the front doors—giant twin slabs of bronze. “This is the best thing about this place,” she says. “Look at the size of them! They’re huge! And I love this little Wizard of Oz peephole.” She opens the tiny door, peeks through, and says in a Munchkin voice, “No, she will not see you!” and then slams it shut.

The conversation eventually turns to Jen’s upcoming films - Marley & Me is first up. The writer, having seen an advance screening of the film, says that both Jen and Owen do “some of their best work ever” in it. He has high praise for their chemistry onscreen, and quotes director David Frankel as saying, “They are so captivating, and it was apparent from the first second that I saw them together.” Jen herself has high praise for Owen, saying that “Everything he went through in the last year really allowed for a beautiful performance. He arrives in this film.”

Discussion then turns to He’s Just Not That Into You, a film whose premise is, as Jen admits, not one that would immediately attract her. She tells Van Meter, “I don’t know. I don’t…like…girls…whining…and complaining…about…wanting a man! I never liked Sex and the City, the kind of thing where women only feel empowered once they find the Man.” Nevertheless, Jen does say that she enjoyed her storyline, in which her character and Ben Affleck’s character have been living together for years - but won’t get married. And according to Drew Barrymore and Ken Kwapis, Jen turns in a terrific, emotional performance.

Speaking of love, yes, the interview does go there, about love past and present. This interview took place in September, when Jen and John were “on a break” so to speak, but even then, she expressed a lot of affection for him - is it any wonder, then, that they have since reunited?

“He is a wonderful guy. We care about each other. It’s funny when you hit a place in a relationship and you both realize, We maybe need to do something else, but you still really, really love each other. It’s painful. There was no malicious intent. I deeply, deeply care about him; we talk, we adore one another. And that’s where it is.”

She even spoke about the peace she now has with ex-husband Brad Pitt:

“We have exchanged a few very kind hellos and wishing you wells and sending you love and congratulations on your babies. I have nothing but absolute admiration for him, and…I’m proud of him! I think he’s really done some amazing things.”
. . . .

“I mean, in the end, we really had an amicable split. It wasn’t mean and hateful and all of this stuff that they tried to create about Brad can’t talk to Jen and Jen can’t talk to Brad because this person won’t allow it. It just didn’t happen. The marriage didn’t work out.”

However, when asked, she did have a few words to say about the media’s coverage of the split - and the role that Brad’s current partner has had in that:

When I ask her about Angelina Jolie, Aniston asks me to turn off the tape recorder for a moment. Suffice it to say, if there is never any love gained in the first place, there can be no love lost. But she did want to put a few things on the record.
. . . .

Jolie felt the need to recount a detailed timeline of exactly how her relationship developed on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, while Aniston was still married to and living with Pitt. “There was stuff printed there that was definitely from a time when I was unaware that it was happening,” says Aniston. “I felt those details were a little inappropriate to discuss.” Aniston, still galled, shakes her head in disbelief. “That stuff about how she couldn’t wait to get to work every day? That was really uncool.”

The past is now past, however, and it certainly does appear that Jen has a lot of wonderful things going on in her life now. At one point, Kristin Hahn says of Jen, “Wherever she points that wand, flowers grow,” and without a doubt, it does seem like Jen is in a place in her life where she has the power to make anything happen. Acting? She’s got it nailed. Directing? Producing? The sky’s the limit.

The entire interview, along with photos, can be found at Style.com and on newsstands in the December issue of Vogue.

In recent days, the rumor mill has been in overdrive, about everything from pregnancy to plastic surgery - ridiculous as each and every one of these rumors may be, they are just as ridiculously easy to dismiss. So with that, I bring you . . . the Rumor Patrol Lightning Round!

Is Jen pregnant? Recent pics such as these and these from Faded Youth have led gossips to speculate that Jen may be pregnant, and that this is the reason why she and John Mayer have reunited. Not surprisingly, this was quickly denied - Stephen even went so far as to say “give me a break.” Knowing the tabloids, I somehow doubt that they will, but for now, it’s safe to say that this rumor is false.

Is Jen a germaphobe? One of the more bizarre stories circulating is the National Enquirer’s story that Jen is so phobic about germs that she is even afraid to shake hands! I had a good laugh over this one, as I suspect that many of you did - any Jen fan knows that she’s a hugger. Judging by her body language with Courteney and Stephen, among others, it is no stretch to figure out that this rumor is untrue.

Did Jen and Courteney have plastic surgery? Wow, they really aren’t even trying to come up with anything new, are they? In Touch is running a cover story about Jen and Courteney’s “plastic surgery confessions.” This is almost too easy. Yes, Courteney did admit to trying Botox in her recent Marie Claire interview - bring in the vultures! She also said that she did not like it one bit. As for Jen, that quote on the cover is about having her deviated septum fixed, which as we already know, was a medically necessary procedure. Seriously, now, you’d think that if they’re going to come up with bogus stories, they’d at least come up with new ones.

Jen looks serene in this still from her upcoming film Management - and she’ll be putting that serenity to the test in coming months, as it looks like she’ll be a very busy lady! As TIFF rapidly approaches, their website has updated, with screening times and a review - along with credits that list Jen as an executive producer! File this one under “things I didn’t know” - I had no idea that alongside her role in front of the cameras, she had her producer hat on as well. This just makes the upcoming premiere all the more exciting - I’m sure that we’ll see plenty of Jen on the promotional trail for this one.

However, it looks like Jen’s not about to rest on her laurels anytime soon - recent pictures seem to suggest that she’s got something else in the works! Not only has she been spotted more than once in recent weeks with a script in her hand, but she’s also been photographed on her way to and from meetings lately, and in the past couple of days, it looks like she took care of some more business. On Monday, she was snapped leaving her office (pictures at Gossip Girls), and even under shades and an OmniPeace hat, there was no hiding her smile!

She was then photographed yesterday arriving at Madeo (pics also at Gossip Girls), and it is reported that her lunch companion was none other than Woody Allen! Mr. Allen has more than a few comedic credentials to his own name, so there’s no doubt that a collaboration between him and Jen would be a wonderful thing. Amusingly, Entertainmentwise refers to Jen’s smart jacket-and-jeans ensemble in the latest pics as a “post-John Mayer makeover.” Somehow I feel like I’ve seen this “new look” before . . .

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Well, maybe not. But she was snapped at the Met on Wednesday, rocking a comfy-looking pair of boyfriend jeans, along with a little gray top and her favorite Bottega Venetta bag. She looked casually cool - and gorgeous! Check out PopSugar for more pictures - something is definitely agreeing with this woman!

There’s no denying that Jen looks better than ever these days, and according to a recent interview published in the UK edition of Hello!, Jen’s secret for looking so great comes from the inside out - she relies on yoga for physical and mental health:

Q: You still have the radiance of a 20-something. How do you do it?

A: How about - lust for life? Otherwise, I do the best I can to keep myself fit, both in body and mind. I also draw a lot of strength from yoga, new age and cosmic energies. I very much believe in karma: the way you treat your fellow man is how you’ll ultimately be treated yourself.

She also addressed those pesky plastic surgery rumors - as has been previously reported, she did have her deviated septum corrected last year. She makes it clear that the objective for that procedure was medical, not cosmetic - and she is very happy with the result:

Q: A few months ago there were rumours that you underwent plastic surgery.

A: Oh yeah, that old story. I once had the degree of my deviated septum operated on. Since then, I can breathe much better and sleep nights like a baby. The rest of my body is all mine. And absolutely natural. And it’s going to stay that way. I am very happy with what God gave me.

Of course, the objective of this interview was to discuss Marley & Me, and on that, Jen certainly delivered, with her take on the old adage “Never work with children or animals”:

Q:For this movie, you broke an unwritten Hollywood rule that an actor or actress should never make a film with dogs and children.

A: There’s certainly some truth in that, but Owen Wilson and I are real dog lovers and decided to simply not worry about such a rule. We’ve been greatly rewarded for our audacity! The filming went wonderfully. Aside from that, the dogs were no problem whatsoever because they were excellently trained. As opposed to the kids. They were, of course, super adorable, but boy, did they have minds of their own!

She also had wonderful things to say about Owen - according to Jen, they knew each other prior to their work together on this movie, and the opportunity to work alongside him was one of the things that drew her to this movie! Along with, of course, the canine theme - and in keeping with that, both Jen and Owen brought their dogs with them on location.

As this movie’s Christmas Day release draws closer, we will without a doubt hear plenty more! I know that I, for one, cannot wait.

Jen and John in Miami in May

I didn’t want to believe it, but when even People’s saying it, there’s probably at least a grain of truth involved. It began as whisperings and over the past day has turned to a dull roar - “sources” are now reporting that Jen and John have split.

You all know what I think of “sources,” but in this case the sheer volume of coverage has led me to at least consider the possibility that there’s some truth to this. While things looked like they were going smoothly, as fans we are on the outside looking in, and without hearing anything directly from the parties involved, at best we are guessing at what happened. While some of the stories going around involve dramatic scenarios, the truth may be closer to Us Weekly’s report that things simply cooled between the two.

As I said, we are on the outside looking in, but it looked like there were some good times between these two! However, many of us can relate to the fact that this is not always a surefire recipe for lasting love. Hopefully, whatever happened was in the best interest of both parties involved - both Jen and John seem to be very thoughtful about such matters. Here’s hoping that they are both allowed some peace in coming days, both in their daily lives and from the media.

Want more? Check out Superstar Couples for Christy’s take on this and other news on celebrity couples.

. . . she’s gotta wear shades! Jen was snapped getting out of her car on a bright and sunny day earlier this week - with what appears to be a new script in her hand! Wearing her “Jennifer” shades and a form-fitting green dress that showed off her yoga-toned physique, Jen ran an errand that must have had something to do with that letter on CAA letterhead - and the script attached to it. As evidenced by her recent inclusion on the Forbes list of Hollywood’s top money makers, audiences love seeing Jen onscreen, and happily, it looks like she’s about to give them more of what they want! I’m already excited about the projects that she already has in the can, and as always, I can’t wait to hear official word on what she’s got brewing next. More pictures of Jen taking care of business can be seen at PopSugar and Gossip Girls.

Even though things seem to be picking up on the work front for Jen, she has still managed to find the time to have some fun with friends. The Gossip Girls have pics of Jen looking very happy while leaving Foxtail Lounge last night. It seems that there was a party there - with Hermes gift bags! Jen looked comfortably chic in a gray top and a black skirt, accessorized by a gray scarf and the black Bottega Venetta bag that she’s carried on and off since filming The Break-Up three years ago - she even carried it on the set! Jen is a woman who knows what she likes - and who can blame her, when it all looks so good?

Jen has always had a glow about her, and these days it seems to be brighter than ever! She was snapped shopping at Barney’s on Wednesday, looking summer-chic in a tank top, pencil skirt, and her Tom Ford “Jennifer” shades (see pics under the jump and at PopSugar, along with FabSugar’s advice on how to get the look).

It’s no wonder Jen’s looking so happy lately - she and John are enjoying more and more of each other’s company lately. Jen has been a regular presence on John’s summer tour, and according to People, Jen has gotten along famously with John’s friends and colleagues on the tour bus. And just as Jen has gotten along with John’s friends, John has gotten to know Jen’s friends as well - the pair recently visited Courteney’s house together. As John’s tour continues on, I can’t wait to see what the future holds for this adorable duo.

Pics under the jump!

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John Mayer plays at the Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View, CA on July 26

As I have previously mentioned, John’s tour is currently on its California leg, and indeed, all eyes have been on him this weekend. One thing’s for sure, though - Jen’s not the only one sporting a new look! John debuted a newly cropped ‘do on Friday night at his Maryville concert. No word on his reasons for opting for this streamlined look (above), but E! Online has their own mildly ridiculous theory.

John’s been playing with the passion of a man in love lately, and while it would be presumptuous to assume where his inspiration came from, fans in Irvine on Sunday night noted that he had brand-new material - a song titled “Taking On Water.” Try JM has video and a transcription of the lyrics. And guess who was on hand to hear the new song? According to People, Jen was in attendance in Irvine, and despite John’s assertion that the evening would be about “more music and less talk,” he did say of his rendition of “Free Fallin’” that “just like me, this song gets to sleep in its own bed tonight.”

So where to next? John has one more California stop, in Chula Vista, before he moves on to Phoenix. Obviously, there is no word on when, where, and whether Jen will join him on later stops, but it will, as always, be a pleasure to find out whether she does - and whether John has any more new material. Stay tuned!

Jen’s been a busy woman lately - within the past year alone, she’s filmed four movies! It’s no wonder she keeps getting invited back - audiences love her, and Forbes has done the math to prove that she is one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars. The Philadelphia Daily News reports that Jen is #8 on the “bang for the buck” list, bringing in $10.48 of box office revenue for every dollar she is paid. With those four films set for release in coming months, it seems that she’s poised to continue that hot streak - I know that I, for one, will be first in line.

Speaking of upcoming projects, could Jen have another one on the way? PopSugar has pictures of Jen keeping cool in a ponytail and shades - and holding up what looks like a script! There are many projects rumored to be in the works for her, especially with Echo Films up and running, so time will tell whether she’s got something brewing for real.

Meanwhile, the rumor mill is in overdrive about Jen’s relationship with a certain someone whose name starts with John and ends with Mayer. Star reports that Jen and John had dinner together at Madeo on Tuesday night. According to the mag, they were very affectionate with one another and even ordered the same thing - Italian sea bass with red wine. OK!, meanwhile, is reporting that the already gorgeous Jen is making an extra effort to look good for her man, spending money on private yoga lessons and a personal organic chef. Somehow, I don’t think that these are new developments for Jen - she has practiced yoga for a very long time, and has always had healthy habits, so I get the sense that she does these things for her own well-being. It makes a good story, though.

Finally, FabSugar UK asks: What do you think of the sexy wavy ‘do that Jen was rocking on Monday night (above)? Love it? Hate it? Undecided? As they say, vote early, vote often.