Jennifer Aniston Watch

Back in 2001, Jen filmed The Good Girl with Jake Gyllenhaal, who at the time was a relative newcomer (his credits at the time included Donnie Darko and Bubble Boy). Not only did they share the screen in the quirky flick, but they shared a love scene, which for both actors marked a first. Jen was notably apprehensive about simulating such a private moment for all to see; she told In Style upon the film’s release that “unless you’re someone who gets off on having people watch you - which I’m certainly not - it’s weird having 40 crew members look at you in such an intimate situation.”

However, she did find solace in Jake’s own approach to the moment, as she told the magazine that “Jake was as nervous as I was. Finally you just go for it. I couldn’t ask for a better, sweeter person to be devirginized on film with.” For his part, Jake discussed his experience working on the scene: “We had been making out for weeks in other scenes, and this was just some more hip grinding; some more kissing. Jennifer turned to me at one point and said, ‘That wasn’t so hard. I’ve faked it before.’” Throughout the production, he developed something of a protective stance toward his leading lady; he says that at one point, “I remember we were in bed one day, and Miguel Arteta screamed, ‘Stop joking around.’ And I thought, ‘This is Jennifer Aniston, motherf***er. You don’t yell at her.’”

Furthermore, they have continued to show a great deal of respect for each other’s work over the years. In 2005, Jen was on hand at the Hollywood Film Festival to present Jake with a Hollywood Breakthrough Award. Earlier this year, Jake returned the favor, presenting Jen with her GLAAD Vanguard Award. He gave a great presentation speech, citing Jen’s warmth and integrity as traits that he has come to know personally, and upon her arrival onstage he greeted her with a kiss. As Jake himself put it, “Everybody falls in love with Jennifer, and I have to say, it’s always her fault.”

Jennifer Aniston, Jake Gyllenhaal, The Good Girl, costars, GLAAD Media Awards

In Style is a relatively young publication, coming on the market in 1994 with the aim of making celebrity style accessible. This would seem to fit nicely with Jen’s down-to-earth style, and indeed, she has graced their cover four times so far. Here is a history of Jen’s In Style cover appearances:

January 1996

In Style first caught up with Jen during the early days of Friends, and profiled the rising star’s easygoing style and meteoric rise to fame. While Rachel’s style was a hit with viewers, Jen insisted that her own style was much simpler, favoring t-shirts and khakis over designer frocks. The magazine even went so far as to ask Jen about the widespread emulation of her hairstyle. Her response? “Yeah, I know, everyone loves it. But I’m sick of it and I don’t know what to do, chop it off or grow it long.”

September 1999

A few years on, Jen was chosen to front the “What’s Sexy Now” issue. Clad in nothing but a sheet, she certainly epitomized that ideal, and she shared some of her own thoughts on the matter. When asked what she finds sexy in a man, she said, “Quirky is sexy, like scars or chipped teeth. I also like tattoos - they’re rebellious.”

September 2002

Once again, she showed readers what sexy is. This time, she was basking in rave reviews for The Good Girl, a film that featured Jen’s very first love scene. Of costar Jake Gyllenhaal, she said, “I couldn’t ask for a better, sweeter person to be devirginized on film with.” She also shared her feelings about the end of Friends, saying that she would get “all goosey and weepy thinking about it.”

January 2006

Upon the release of Rumor Has It, Jen invited In Style along on a girls’ trip to Mexico. Here, she shared her fresh post-divorce outlook, and talked about her goals for the future, which at that time included enriching her experiences through travel, taking new steps in her career, and laying down the foundation to start a family.

Jennifer Aniston, In Style

While Jen doesn’t have any children in real life, judging by her onscreen roles, she’d be a natural. She has often played the part of a mother or expectant mother, and always brings warmth and realism to the part. Here is a sampling of such roles (some may be spoilerish):

Friends At the end of season 7, it was revealed that Rachel was expecting, and a season later, she and Ross welcomed Emma. The remainder of the series saw Rachel juggling the demands of parenting with work, love, and life.

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This is another one that would hold up under a more critical light; it was widely regarded as Jen’s first major stab at a dramatic role, and she pulled it off brilliantly. The Good Girl, released in August 2002, starred Jen as Justine Last, a married Texas woman who feels that she has missed every opportunity for adventure in her life. She can’t seem to get pregnant by her husband Phil (John C. Reilly), a housepainter with an affinity for marijuana, and her daily existence revolves around her dead-end job at Retail Rodeo. Enter Holden (Jake Gyllenhaal), a wannabe writer who has begun work as a cashier. Justine befriends this intriguing young man, and they begin a furtive affair. Justine’s desire to maintain her status as a “good girl” leads her to dig herself even deeper under all of her lies and secrets. This film, directed by the brilliant Miguel Arteta, features a remarkable cast that includes Mike White (who also wrote the screenplay), Zooey Deschanel, Tim Blake Nelson, John Carroll Lynch, and Deborah Rush. This is by far one of my top film recommendations of all time.

The Good Girl, Jennifer Aniston, Jake Gyllenhaal, John C. Reilly, Miguel Arteta, drama, dark comedy, affair, Texas