It seems like only yesterday that Rachel Green was serving up coffee at Central Perk, but Jennifer Aniston made the jump from small screen to big without missing a step and had some pretty incredible moments along the way. The last decade included ups and downs for one of America's most beloved actors, but she managed to find her stride wearing iconic LBDs and starring in critically acclaimed films along the way. The hair is different, but Aniston's still got audiences wrapped around her finger. Celebrate her best moments of the decade below.
Career
Fresh off of the end of Friends, Aniston kept to her comedy routine. She appeared in movies that played to what everyone knew and loved her for: namely, laughs. The early '10s found her starring in The Switch, Horrible Bosses, Wanderlust, and We're the Millers. Off-screen, Aniston became a spokesperson for skincare brand Aveeno, something she still does today. And to top it all off, in 2012, she earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, making her the first Friends starto earn the distinction. Adam Sandler was in attendance, as well as Justin Theroux, who happened to star in Wanderlust alongside her the film opened the same weekend as Aniston's ceremony.
Fashion
Aniston cemented her red carpet M.O. Just about every single time she stepped out, she was wearing a monochromatic minidress. Sleek, polished, and sophisticated, she went against other stars' penchants to go over-the-top. And as for the Rachel haircut? It never made a comeback.
Career
Like her Just Go With It co-star Adam Sandler, Aniston took a turn into more serious fare. Her role in 2014's Cake, where she played a defense attorney dealing with chronic pain,earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama, a Critics Choice Award for Best Actress, and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role. But she didn't abandon comedy altogether after that critical acclaim. She went on to star in Horrible Bosses 2 and Office Christmas Party.
Aniston faces just as much scrutiny as her peers, but she rarely bothers to address rumors or acknowledge her enormous following. Hell, she didn't even join Instagram until October and even that was mainly to promote 'The Morning Show.' Somehow, she has found a near-perfect balance of living in the public eye while not seeming overly concerned with how we perceive her.
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That includes the most difficult stage of all, politics; while Aniston has shared her support for Democratic candidates in the past, she’s rarely outspoken on issues and as a result, hasn’t seemed to seriously alienate conservative fans. In an age where it’s more crucial than ever for public figures to use their platforms, this isn’t all commendable; many of her fans would likely love if Aniston took on activism in a more obvious way. Still, there’s no denying that the star’s relatively apolitical character has helped her stay so loved and kept her out of Swift-like controversy.
That doesn't mean being America's Everlasting Sweetheart is a fun job, of course; when asked in 2005 if she hoped the label would get debunked, she said, 'God, I hope so.' But, she added, she wasn’t actively trying to shake it. And it’s unlikely she ever will. Even as other well-loved celebrities du jour like Chrissy Teigen or Selena Gomez rise up in the ranks, it's impossible to imagine anyone actually taking her spot, or Aniston’s allure fading. If anything, it’s only growing.
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In a recent interview, Aniston noted that she's entering 'one of the most creatively fulfilling periods' of her life. Those new projects, combined with the still-enormous popularity of 'Friends' and her record-breaking Instagrams, mean that she’ll undoubtedly be on our radar for years to come. And her fans couldn’t be any happier.