Jennifer Aniston Watch

If Jen’s He’s Just Not That Into You costar Justin Long looks familiar, that’s because he is - this isn’t the first time he’s shared the screen with her. Jen fans might remember him as gallery receptionist Christopher in The Break-Up. A native of Fairfield, Connecticut, the Vassar grad got his start on NBC’s Ed, alongside future HJNTIY costar Ginnifer Goodwin; Justin was a series regular, playing nerdy high schooler Warren Cheswick. He carried that geeky persona into a supporting role in Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, and he played boyfriend roles in Crossroads and Herbie: Fully Loaded. He has also appeared in independent films such as Waiting . . . and its upcoming sequel Still Waiting . . ., and of course, his quirky role in The Break-Up was something of a stretch as well. More recently, he appeared with Bruce Willis in Live Free or Die Hard. As “advice guy” Alex in HJNTIY, he is set to show a more adult, confident side of his acting abilities.

So what’s next for Justin? In addition to his duties as the “Mac guy” in a series of advertisements for Macintosh, he has a slew of upcoming releases hitting theaters this year. The roles include Todd in Serious Moonlight, directed by Cheryl Hines and written by the late Adrienne Shelly, Chase Revere in Patriotville, in which he plays a small-town man looking to protect a piece of history, and Paul Saunders in Youth In Revolt, directed by The Good Girl director Miguel Arteta and based on the novel by C.D. Payne. With his diverse resume, the future looks bright for this talented actor.

Back in 2006, The Break-Up brought in over $200 million worldwide and entertained audiences all over the world, and it has been rumored that Jen and Vince just might recreate that magic. According to Osoblog, Jen has been offered $20 million to star in a sequel to the Chicago-set dramedy. I can’t help but wonder what the plot would be - the ending of the original did leave some things open-ended, after all. Either way, while I’m taking this story with the requisite ton of salt for now, the prospect of Jen returning to Chicago for filming does excite me!

Meanwhile, Jen has some promotion to do for the films that she already has in the can, and according to the same Osoblog article, Jen has gotten a start on that with a cover shoot for Vogue! Jen will appear on the cover in December, just in time for the release of Marley & Me, and according to the blog, Jen lets photographers and readers have a glimpse into her home, showing off her decorating sense. Somehow, I get the feeling that her decorating sense is as classy as her dress sense - I am sure that she and her surroundings will look beautiful!

The luxury is not limited to her decor - it has been reported that Jen is treating Norman to spa treatments and acupuncture to ease the aches and pains of aging. Jen has always been good to her friends, and Norman has always been a faithful one, even traveling with her on location - no wonder he gets only the best!

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, here are some of the things that we’ve learned about love from Jen’s movies:

It’s the little things that count
In a famous scene from The Break-Up, Jen’s character Brooke notices that her boyfriend Gary has brought home three lemons instead of the twelve that she requested, and she is not pleased; this misstep is later worked into their knock-down, drag-out, break-up fight later in the evening. While something this small seems like a petty arguing point, it is not when it is a mere example of one partner’s pattern of behavior. Every day is a chance to show that you care.

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To play Chicago art dealer Brooke, Jen went for a look that was polished but approachable. Her outfits were high-end and stylish in order to provide a contrast to Gary’s sloppy look, but at the same time, she maintained her everywoman appeal by sticking to wearable, comfortable pieces (save for the occasional “big date” dress). For work, she wore professional basics with ease, favoring a simple Calvin Klein aesthetic. She wore, simple, beautiful jewelry by Jennifer Meyer, and as she often does, she set off a major trend, as women everywhere sought to emulate the look. Find out more about the collection here.

Her beauty routine was also refreshingly low-key, opting for wavy locks and neutral makeup; given that it was filmed during a humid Chicago summer, it was perhaps best to keep things simple! Though she wore nothing at all in the film’s most talked-about scene, for the rest of the film she wore outfits that complimented her beauty and her status as the heart of the film.

Jennifer Aniston, fashion, The Break-Up, Jennifer Meyer

Wrapping it up . . .

From Maria:

I would like to know about Jen’s personality. Through her movies and tvshow, and interviews she looks sweet and funy, but I will like to know more about how she really is.

Thanks

Based on my own experience, I’d say that your impression is correct. She is very thoughtful, and incredibly kind with fans and colleagues. On the set of The Break-Up, she happily took photos with crew members, and was very friendly with extras. Her longer-lasting relationships speak volumes; I of course saw her closeness with Chris in action, and the loyalty she inspires in her entire circle of friends speaks to what a wonderful thing it is to be her friend. And funny? She kept pace with the famously hysterical Vince Vaughn. Not a whole lot more needs to be said there.

From Kathy Bear:

I would like to know-how does she keep under the radar for so long of a time.I’d like to know her “disappearing” or “evasive” tactics on advoiding the media and paps….

First of all, she is something of a homebody. In interviews, she has said that she can stay at her house for days at a time without leaving, and certainly with her means, goods and services can come to her if need be. However, another factor in her “disappearing” tendencies is simply her unassuming presence. When she does go out, she isn’t particularly flashy, and in person she’s a normal (albeit beautiful) woman and it almost strikes the observer as an afterthought that she just so happens to be famous. So unless the paparazzi know where to look for her (which they still often do), she can slip out without too many people creating a fuss.

Jennifer Aniston, fan encounters, The Break-Up, paparazzi

Jen is known to be gracious with her fans, as I and many others can attest. Here’s a particularly sweet story, from Cincinnati’s Enquirer newspaper:

Jennifer Aniston with members of the dance team from Starmaker Dance Studio in Delhi Township in Chicago, 2005.

“Several of the members of Starmaker’s dance team met Jennifer Aniston while in Chicago attending a national dance competition in the summer of 2005,” writes Michelle Westerfeld of Harrison, the mother of one of the dancers, Maggie .

“Jennifer was there filming ‘The Break-Up.’ The girls talked the security personnel into asking Jennifer to come out and meet them. The best part of the story is how nice she was to the girls. She was in no hurry to get away from them - (she) talked to them for quite a while. She even agreed to watch them dance, but her security guards said no.”

Left to right: Carlin Ram of Bridgetown, Kacey Willis of Dayton, Maggie Westerfield of Harrison, Priya Ram of Bridgetown, Anna Flinchbaugh of Bridgetown, Allison Mercurio of Delhi, Abbey Watson and Chris Flinchbaugh, both of Bridgetown.

Stories like this make me smile; Jen made their trip to Chicago a memorable one!

Jennifer Aniston, Chicago, fan encounters

One unexpected treat that came out of my work on The Break-Up was the opportunity to listen to the Old 97’s for pretty much two days straight. Being hopelessly out of touch with the musical scene, I had actually never heard of them before, so I was glad to discover that they were actually quite good. They performed tracks from the 1997 album Too Far To Care, and they were very cool during downtime, mingling with the extras on the scene, many of whom were Old 97’s fans.

Tom Nawrocki, formerly of Rolling Stone, gives us his view of the concert scene here:

He asks Jennifer Aniston on the DVD commentary if she liked filming the scene, in which she goes to see the boys at the Riviera, and she replies, “I liked listening to the Old 97s.” Good on you, Jen.

Chicago (where the film is very deeply set) has always been big for the band, and is obviously where the Empty Bottle of “Barrier Reef” fame is, although the Riviera looks loaded to the gills. Also, Rhett looks like he spent as much time on his hair as Miss Aniston did.

By the way, that packed theater was a bit of movie magic; they moved the same few people around a lot.

Old 97’s, The Break-Up, Jennifer Aniston, behind-the-scenes

Jen spent much of the summer of 2005 in Chicago filming The Break-Up. As anyone who’s been to Chicago knows, the Magnificent Mile is a stretch of Michigan Avenue noted for its upscale shopping, fine dining, and luxurious accommodations. Jen spent a good amount of time here, both onscreen and off.

The Peninsula Chicago

Jen typically stays at the famed Peninsula hotel, located on East Superior, while in town. With its upscale amenities and proximity to top Chicago attractions, it is an obvious choice for the more discerning traveler.

Right around the block from the Peninsula, Ralph Lauren’s RL cafe is one of Jen’s favorite local restaurants. Located at the intersection of Michigan and Chicago, this spot boasts delicious food and a great spot for people-watching.

Jen is seen here taking a walk with Chris and Norman near the Giordano’s flagship at Rush and Superior. As the sign next to Chris boasts, Giordano’s does, in fact, have “world famous stuffed pizza.” I don’t know if Jen has actually been there or just walked past it, but I myself highly recommend it.

Finally, remember the Marilyn Dean Gallery? The then-vacant Michigan Avenue storefront now houses a Nokia retailer.

Jennifer Aniston, Chicago, Magnificent Mile, The Break-Up

In the past several years, Jen has been a reliable presence at the People’s Choice Awards, as she is a perennial fan favorite, along with her fellow Friends. Today, having made the transition to film, she continues to shine, most recently receiving the award for Favorite Female Movie Star. Here are some pictures from PCA’s past:

1995 Jen and her castmates celebrate a win for Favorite New Series.

2000 Friends is going strong, and boasts a win for Favorite Comedy Series.

2001 Friends continues its hot streak, and Jen starts one of her own, with her first of many Favorite Female Television Performer wins.

2002 Jen wasn’t present to pick up her award this year, but she accepted with a taped speech (she was at Sundance for The Good Girl).

2003 It takes talent to look fashionable while injured, but Jen, nursing a broken toe, did exactly that while accepting her third consecutive PCA. Matthew Perry, ever the gentleman, helped her to the stage.

2004 Jen was again unable to attend the awards, but she once again showed her appreciation with a taped speech.

2007 The success of The Break-Up made Jen a front-runner for this year’s Favorite Female Movie Star award. Her speech, in which she said, “Thank you for loving The Break-Up, I did,” was regarded by many as a highlight of the evening, and her light, airy Versace dress was a fashion favorite.

People’s Choice, Jennifer Aniston, Friends, The Break-Up

Jen, Vince, et al take in a Cubs game, May 2006

In the past few years, Jen has starred in two films set here in Chicago (Derailed and, of course, The Break-Up). It is then not surprising that Jen has been spotted at several popular Chicago spots, some of which she counts as favorites. Here, then, is the opportunity for my fellow Windy City residents (and interested visitors) to capture a bit of the magic:

Cuisine

- Wiener’s Circle This humble-looking hot dog stand at 2622 North Clark is not only a Jen fave (she’s been seen here on multiple occasions), but my own pick for best hot dog in Chicago as well. And as Jen can attest, they yell at you! It is quite the experience.

- Japonais This upscale sushi lounge is another favorite for Jen, where she has been spotted not only with Vince and other usual suspects, but with Oprah as well. With its delicious food and classy ambiance, it is worth the splurge (600 W. Chicago Ave.).

- Coco Pazzo During the filming of The Break-Up, Jen and other cast and crew were often seen enjoying the exquisite Tuscan cuisine at this River North spot (300 W. Hubbard St.).

- Costa’s For Vince’s 36th birthday in March 2006 (during reshoots for The Break-Up), he and Jen enjoyed this Greektown staple (340 S. Halsted St.).

- Chilpancingo In November 2004, Jen and her Derailed costars were seen at this Mexican restaurant in River North (358 W. Ontario). It has since closed and been replaced by Zocalo, another upscale Mexican spot.

Culture

- Museum of Science and Industry On a day off from filming The Break-Up, Jen came down to Hyde Park to check out the Body Worlds exhibit featured at MSI two summers ago. Check out Winnie’s article on the 451 Press Chicago blog for info on the latest MSI happenings.

- Museum of Contemporary Art That same summer, Jen was spotted here, and so can you be, for free on Tuesdays. Peggy sings its praises, and I agree, it’s a pretty awesome place.

Filming locations
Here are the places where Jen has been seen filming in Chicago:

Derailed
- State and Elm
- Union Station
- the Loop

The Break-Up
- Wrigley Field
- The Riviera Theater
- Grant Park
- Millennium Park
- Armitage (near the Brown Line)
- Smith & Wollensky
- North Michigan Ave. (near Ohio)
- General Jones Armory (used as a soundstage)
- North Avenue Beach

Other

- Music Box Theater The Chicago premiere of The Break-Up was held here (3733 N. Southport Ave.).

- Wrigley Field Kind of an obvious attraction, she took in a Cubs game with Vince and several others in May 2006.

- The Peninsula Chicago Where Jen stays.

Chicago, tourism, culture, dining, The Break-Up, Derailed, Jennifer Aniston

As fans of Jen and her work, we would, of course, like to know what Jen has to say about her various projects. Here, then, is an assortment of Jen’s quotes about work:

“Mostly I like scripts that mix it up. Life can be funny and dramatic all in the same day. I don’t actually feel there’s a big difference between comedy and drama. You just step into the building and stuff goes out the door. Most of all, I just want to do work that comes from the heart.” - Chicago Sun-Times, January 2004

On Friends With Money
“It was great. A great group of women. I’ve never worked with all women. It was like camp. Actor camp. I felt very supported.” - Vogue, April 2006

“I think I’ve been lucky finding, once in a while, these little parts that are just so beautifully written. I read the [Friends With Money] script in about an hour and I just loved all these characters, especially Olivia. I thought, boy, she was really having a tough go at it.” - Entertainment Weekly, April 4, 2006

On The Break-Up
“I love this movie. I have a good feeling about it. It’s beautifully balanced and surprisingly emotional. I don’t think anyone has really seen anything quite like it.” - Vogue, April 2006

“This movie was fate. To be able to walk through a movie called The Break-up, about a person going through a breakup, while I’m actually going through a breakup?! How did that happen?! It’s been cathartic. It’s turned something into a fantastic experience - Not that divorce is fantastic, but I’ve never had more fun in a creative process.” - Elle, November 2005

On Derailed
“It took me so long to say yes because I was terrified of it. Not terrified—I don’t want to say that. But I’d gotten comfortable, and I knew it was going to be a challenge.”

Tell Aniston the ghost of Rachel Green did not appear once while watching Derailed and she squeezes her eyes shut, opens them, reaches her hand across the table, and says, “That is one of my greatest compliments.”

“I’m thinking, Good God, Jesus. It’s like watching a car wreck—you’re riveted and then disturbed. I thought, Why would I want to make someone feel this way?” - Elle, November 2005

On Along Came Polly
“It was five straight days where all we did was dance. My feet looked like raw meat. In fact, I don’t know how dancers do it.” - Chicago Sun-Times, January 2004

Two summers ago, Jen worked on The Break-Up right here in Chicago. Happily, I was in the right place at the right time and had the opportunity to work as an extra in it. While you can only really see me in the DVD alternate ending, I nevertheless had a blast.

In all my years as a Jen fan, I never thought that I’d really have the chance to meet her or see her in person, so I don’t know what I thought that it would be like. However, I suppose that I always suspected that she’d be nice, so it was very affirming that she turned out to be incredibly so. She didn’t have the dreaded “star barrier” on set; she happily made small talk with all around, certain extras included! Despite the fuss made about her personal life at the time, she was, in fact, very upbeat. She and Vince got along famously. Not that I came away saying that they were definitely a couple, but there was a fun dynamic between them. She also spent a fair amount of her downtime palling around with Chris McMillan, her hairdresser and close confidant. When it came down to business, though, Jen was remarkably focused; you could definitely see the shift when it came time to get into character.

- What didn’t make the DVD: During the scene at the Riv, she goes down to the bar to get two beers. Well, during one take, as she took out her wallet to pay, a spare shirt (?) was in her purse, so she just put it on the counter and kept looking!

- About that dynamic: Vince teased her mercilessly, and I don’t think that I even caught the half of what went on. While filming the alternate ending, there was a shot of the dialogue that went over Vince’s shoulder and focused on Jen. Well, during takes, he would make faces at her, and the camera didn’t pick that up, but Jen kept giving him this “damn you!” look. At another point, the last holdup before the take was waiting for Chris to finish touching Jen up, so when he finished, Vince announced to all assembled, “Let’s all give Chris a hand, shall we?” To which both Jen and Chris rolled their eyes, understandably. Also during that scene, there was a fair amount of improv, as you might suspect with Vince. Jen totally held her own, sparring with the famously quick Vince. They’re both total pros and hilarious, and it was a treat to watch them in action.

- Overheard: Chris telling a crew member that Jen has a “really good memory.” Which, as we know from recent comments by Courteney (the word “freakoid” might have been used), seems to be the overwhelming consensus of those close to her.

Overall, the 5 days that I spent on set were ones that I’ll never forget. I’ve been a fan for a long time, but now I know firsthand that all of my reasons are true; she’s hardworking, talented, and above all, real.

One day, I was telling my mom about the film Friends With Money, and somehow the phrase “my impartial opinion” slipped in there. To which she replied, “You, impartial about a Jennifer Aniston movie? I think that that’s impossible.”

She’s absolutely right, of course; nevertheless, from time to time I will have entries that focus on one of her films. I will begin with The Break-Up, the Jen film on which I am without a doubt the most biased.

Jen plays Brooke, a young woman sharing a downtown Chicago condo with her boyfriend Gary (Vince Vaughn). During and after a dinner party with their families, Gary and Brooke have the mother of all arguments, and Brooke decides to break it off. The now-exes continue to live together, as neither wants to admit fault by handing over the condo. This film is hilarious at turns, and surprisingly moving, and provides a view of the Windy City only rivaled by one of Gary’s bus tours.

Having worked as an extra on this film, I can say that the inside dirt on it is . . . not so dirty. Lucy Spiller would be devastated. But check back tomorrow for selected behind-the-scenes anecdotes. With that, I leave you with pictures from premieres around the world:

Los Angeles, 5/22/06

Sydney, 6/6/06

Hamburg, 6/12/06

London, 6/14/06