Aniston was born in Sherman Oaks, California, but she spent her youth in New York. She also lived in Greece for a year with her family. After joining the Rudolf Steiner School drama club at age 11, Aniston discovered a lifelong fascination with acting that was encouraged by Steiner himself. His was an alternative school that provided children with an extensive background in the creative arts, and in addition to acting, Aniston also studied painting. The same year that the acting bug bit, one of her paintings was displayed at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.
In her teens, Aniston attended New York's prestigious High School of the Performing Arts and graduated in 1987. She then began working off-Broadway, and she made her television debut in 1989 on the series Molloy; from there, she had regular roles in several short-lived series including Ferris Bueller, The Edge, and Herman's Head. She also made guest appearances in a few series, including Quantum Leap. In 1994, Aniston landed her role on Friends, and when the show became a smash hit, she became a major star and a sex symbol; her distinctive hair style inspired a national fad. With Aniston's sudden popularity came movie offers, and she went on to appear in a number of romantic comedies, including Ed Burns' She's the One (1996), Picture Perfect (1997), and Til There Was You (1997). In 1998, she starred as a woman in love with a gay man (Paul Rudd) in the comedy The Object of My Affection (1998), her most successful film to date. -- Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Jennifer Aniston