Jennifer Aniston Has Never Had A Public Meltdown, And She Believes The 'Positive People' In Her Support System Are To Thank
Jennifer Aniston has been living in the spotlight since the mid-'90s, and though she's endured countless personal and professional hardships, she's managed to evade ever having a public breakdown.
The feat is something she credits to her "godsend of support."
The 52-year-old told The Hollywood Reporter that she's always had "so many evolved, positive people around" her to rely on.
"I also grew up watching someone [Aniston’s late mother Nancy] sit comfortably in victimhood, and I didn’t like how it looked," the Friends star noted. "I knew that this person was giving me an example of what I’d never want to be, and I will never ever be that. I think it’s toxic, and it erodes your insides and your soul."
"And listen, is it a sliver of an annoyance to have to publicly go through dark shit in front of the world? Yes, it’s an inconvenience, but it’s all relative," she continued. "So, I had a choice to make: Either I’m going to surrender into bonbons and living under my covers or I’m going to go out there and find a creative outlet and thrive, and that’s what I did. It just happened to be with a movie called The Break-Up."
However, the Emmy winner explained that she still isn't a fan of the tabloids and the narratives they spin, as she's usually painted "as the girl next door, the damsel in distress, the brokenhearted — your traditional rom-com themes."
For a while, the actress felt she would never be able to break out of the box she was put in, admitting she started experiencing feelings of self-doubt.
The Smartwater ambassador noted that luckily, "so much is self-generated" these days, "which is great since I wasn’t going to get the jobs I’m really interested in because the industry isn’t secure enough to say, 'Yeah, let’s try it.'"
"They go for the actors they know can play the fancy dramatic roles," she insisted. "But there are still certain directors I’d love to work with, ones who have their pick of who they like, and sometimes I want to go, 'I’d love to be part of that club.'"
As time passes, her desire to expand her horizons has also become more difficult, as she said the industry isn't what "it used to be."
"It’s not that glamorous anymore. It’s slowly becoming about TikTok and Instagram followers. It’s like, we’re hiring now based on followers, not talent? Oh, dear," she quipped. "And I’m losing touch. I’m not great at going, 'I’m going to stay relevant and join TikTok.'"
