Jennifer Aniston says her father, actor John Aniston, told her to “get a real job” rather than pursue acting. The ‘Friends’ star has also addressed the nepotism debate.

Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston (Photo Credit: Instagram/ jenniferaniston)

Hollywood star Jennifer Aniston has opened up about how her father, actor John Aniston, had tried to discourage her from joining the profession before she hit the bigtime. She also shared her views on the nepotism debate.

What did Jennifer Aniston’s father say?

 

“My dad was telling me, ‘Please don’t do this, you’re just going to suffer rejection. Just go get a job. Like, get a real job’. All the clich things,” Jennifer Aniston opened up, during a conversation with show hosts Dax Shepard and Monica Padman on ‘Armchair Expert’ podcast.Aniston, who is best recalled for her role of Rachel Green in the popular sitcom ‘Friends’, insisted it was important to pursue one’s passion. “Whatever drives you, if you find passion in something and you love it, go do it,” Jennifer Aniston said during the podcast.

On the nepotism conversation, which is gathering ground in Hollywood lately, her views were quite candid. Aniston gave the example of the legal industry to underline her point that being the child of someone famous could help you get an entry into a profession, but being successful was entirely about talent.

“I mean, look at all the law firms. Blanky Blank Blanky and Blanky Blank. I mean, all right, isn’t that a version of it’s all in the family? It’s all in the family,” Aniston said. “So, maybe you got into a door because you’re so-and-so’s kid, but if you suck, guess what? You’re not going to continue to do it,” added the star, whose father John Aniston is widely known for his role of Victor Kiriakis in ‘Days of Our Lives’. John Aniston played Victor on the show for 37 years, till his death in 2022.

Among other aspects of her life that Jennifer Aniston opened up during the two-and-a-half-hour podcast, she spoke about how she vied for her father’s attention after the divorce of her parents when she was about nine.

Jennifer Aniston’s biggest roles

Jennifer Aniston thrilled TV buffs with her evergreen act as Rachel Green on ‘Friends’ over 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004. The performance fetched her wins at the Golden Globes, Primetime Emmys and the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

On the big screen, Aniston’s breakout act was in the 1993 horror comedy ‘Leprechaun’. She has carved her niche particularly in comedies, with films such as ‘Picture Perfect’ (1997), ‘The Object of My Affection’ (1998), ‘Office Space’ (1999), ‘Bruce Almighty’ (2003), ‘Along Came Polly’ (2004), ‘Marley & Me’ (2008), ‘The Bounty Hunter’ (2010), ‘Just Go with It’ (2011), ‘Horrible Bosses’ (2011), ‘We’re the Millers’ (2013), and ‘Murder Mystery’ (2019).

Lately, she has made a mark with the series, ‘The Morning Show’, for which she won a Screen Actors Guild Award. Jennifer Aniston’s stars in the show with Reese Witherspoon, and both the actors also serve as executive producers.