Editing Jennifer Aniston (section)

===1994–2004: ''Friends'' and worldwide recognition===
{{main|Friends}}
Depressed over her four unsuccessful television shows, Aniston approached TV executive [[Warren Littlefield]] at a Los Angeles gas station asking for reassurance. As the head of NBC entertainment, he encouraged her to continue acting, and a few months later helped cast her in ''[[Friends]]'',<ref name="shuter20120503">{{cite web | url=https://huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/03/warren-littlefield-jennifer-aniston_n_1475363.html | title=Warren Littlefield Talks Jennifer Aniston's Journey To 'Friends' | work=The Huffington Post | date=May 3, 2012 | access-date=August 7, 2013 | last=Shuter | first=Rob | archive-date=October 22, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022091520/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/03/warren-littlefield-jennifer-aniston_n_1475363.html | url-status=live }}</ref>{{r|buchanan20130807}} a sitcom set to debut on NBC's 1994–1995 fall lineup. The producer wanted Aniston to audition for the role of [[Monica Geller]],<ref name="ths">{{cite episode|title=Friends|series=E! True Hollywood Story|network=E!|airdate=November 19, 2006|season=10|number=15}}</ref> but [[Courteney Cox]] was deemed more suitable, and Aniston was cast as [[Rachel Green]]. She was also offered a spot as a featured player on ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', but turned it down in favor of ''Friends''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/post/2011/02/jennifer-aniston-turned-down-saturday-night-live-cast-job/1|work=USA Today|first=Ann|last=Oldenburg|title=Jennifer Aniston turned down 'Saturday Night Live' job|date=February 3, 2011|access-date=February 9, 2011|archive-date=September 3, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903193008/http://content.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/post/2011/02/jennifer-aniston-turned-down-saturday-night-live-cast-job/1|url-status=live}}</ref> She played Rachel until the show ended in 2004, when Aniston took a 15-year hiatus from television save for occasional guest roles.

[[File:JenniferAniston08TIFF.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Aniston at the [[2008 Toronto International Film Festival]]]]
The program was a massive hit and Aniston, along with her co-stars, gained worldwide recognition. Her character was especially popular.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The 100 Greatest Characters of the Last 20 Years: Here's our full list!|url=https://ew.com/article/2010/06/01/100-greatest-characters-of-last-20-years-full-list/|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=March 13, 2019|author=Adam B. Vary|date=November 14, 2014|archive-date=January 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150111102557/http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/06/01/100-greatest-characters-of-last-20-years-full-list/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Potts|first=Kim|title=100 Most Memorable Female TV Characters|url=http://www.aoltv.com/2011/03/02/tvs-greatest-women-25-1/|work=AOL TV|access-date=July 20, 2012|date=November 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922053410/http://www.aoltv.com/2011/03/02/tvs-greatest-women-25-1/|archive-date=September 22, 2013}}</ref> She received five [[Primetime Emmy Award]] nominations (two for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series|Supporting Actress]], three for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series|Lead Actress]]), and won for Lead Actress.<ref>{{cite web|first=Stephen M.|last=Silverman|url=https://people.com/celebrity/emmy-awards-make-new-best-friends/|title=Emmy Awards Make New Best 'Friends'|access-date=March 13, 2019|date=September 22, 2002|work=People|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915220748/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,26334,624767,00.html|archive-date=September 15, 2008}}</ref> She was also nominated for two [[Golden Globe Awards]] and won in 2003 as [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy|Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy]]. According to the ''[[Guinness World Records|Guinness Book of World Records]]'', Aniston (along with her female co-stars) became the highest-paid television actress of all time with her $1&nbsp;million-per-episode paycheck during the final season of ''Friends''.<ref>{{cite book| title= Guinness World Records 2005: Special 50th Anniversary Edition |year= 2004|publisher= Guinness|page=288|isbn=1-892051-22-2}}</ref> Her character's relationship with [[Ross Geller]], portrayed by [[David Schwimmer]], was widely popular among audiences; they were frequently voted television's favorite couple in polls and magazines.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Bierly|first1=Mandi|last2=Fog|first2=Henning|title=32 Best 'Will They/Won't They?' TV Couples|url=https://ew.com/gallery/32-best-will-theywont-they-tv-couples/|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=March 13, 2019|date=April 1, 2014|archive-date=March 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190313072151/https://ew.com/gallery/32-best-will-theywont-they-tv-couples/|url-status=live}}</ref>

After a four-year hiatus, Aniston returned to film work in 1996, when she performed in the ensemble cast of romantic comedy ''[[She's the One (1996 film)|She's the One]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Filmography|url=http://www.anistoncenter.com/jennifer-aniston-filmography/|website=anistoncenter.com|access-date=November 15, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129011123/http://www.anistoncenter.com/jennifer-aniston-filmography/|archive-date=November 29, 2014}}</ref> Her first starring film vehicle was ''[[Picture Perfect (1997 film)|Picture Perfect]]'' (1997), where she played a struggling young advertising executive opposite [[Kevin Bacon]] and [[Jay Mohr]]. It received mixed reviews and was only a moderate commercial success;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=pictureperfect.htm|title=Picture Perfect|access-date=November 5, 2018|website=Box Office Mojo|archive-date=October 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181031052623/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=pictureperfect.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> but Aniston's performance was more warmly received, with many critics suggesting that she had screen presence.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://metacritic.com/movie/picture-perfect/critic-reviews|title=Critic Reviews for Picture Perfect|access-date=July 30, 2010|website=Metacritic|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100823062830/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/picture-perfect/critic-reviews|archive-date=August 23, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1998, she appeared as a woman who falls for a gay man (played by [[Paul Rudd]]) in the romantic comedy ''[[The Object of My Affection]]'',<ref>{{cite news|first=Janet|last=Maslin|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9C06E6D8143CF934A25757C0A96E958260|title=The Object of My Affection Review|access-date=August 8, 2008|date=April 17, 1998|work=[[The New York Times]]|archive-date=November 1, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101085550/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9C06E6D8143CF934A25757C0A96E958260|url-status=live}}</ref> and the next year she starred as a restaurant waitress in the [[cult film]] ''[[Office Space]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine|title='Office Space': Cast talk cult hit and Jennifer Aniston|url=https://ew.com/article/2011/10/07/office-space-reunion-interview/|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=October 7, 2011|first=Anthony|last=Breznican|access-date=March 13, 2019|archive-date=October 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001030842/http://ew.com/article/2011/10/07/office-space-reunion-interview/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Aniston appeared in the [[dramedy]] ''[[Rock Star (2001 film)|Rock Star]]'' (2001) opposite [[Mark Wahlberg]] and [[Dominic West]]. She starred in the independent dramedy ''[[The Good Girl]]'' (2002) as an unglamorous cashier who cheats on her husband. The film was a commercial success in limited release, taking in over $14&nbsp;million in North America.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Lisa|last=Schwarzbaum|url=https://ew.com/article/2002/08/07/good-girl-2/|title=The Good Girl Review|access-date=August 8, 2008|date=August 7, 2002|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|archive-date=October 19, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019152700/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,334811,00.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Film critic [[Roger Ebert]] declared it her breakthrough: {{blockquote|After languishing in a series of overlooked movies that ranged from the entertaining ''Office Space'' to the disposable ''Picture Perfect'', Jennifer Aniston has at last decisively broken with her ''Friends'' image in an independent film of satiric fire and emotional turmoil. It will no longer be possible to consider her in the same way.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Good Girl|url=https://rogerebert.com/reviews/the-good-girl-2002|website=RogerEbert.com|access-date=22 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191031164615/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-good-girl-2002|archive-date=October 31, 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>}}

Aniston's biggest commercial success in film has been the comedy ''[[Bruce Almighty]]'' (2003), where she played the girlfriend of a television field reporter ([[Jim Carrey]]) offered the chance to be God for one week.<ref>{{cite news|first=Robert|last=Koehler|url=https://variety.com/2003/film/reviews/bruce-almighty-1200541426/|title=Bruce Almighty Review|access-date=March 13, 2019|date=May 23, 2003|work=Variety|archive-date=January 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131080052/https://variety.com/2003/film/reviews/bruce-almighty-1200541426/|url-status=live}}</ref> With a worldwide box office gross of $484&nbsp;million,<ref>{{cite web|last=Gray|first=Brandon|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=1246&p=.htm|title='Bruce' Blesses Memorial Weekend with $85.7 Million|date=May 27, 2003|access-date=November 5, 2018|website=Box Office Mojo|archive-date=June 14, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060614071319/http://boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=1246&p=.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=brucealmighty.htm|title=Bruce Almighty|access-date=November 5, 2018|website=Box Office Mojo|archive-date=April 8, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100408032042/http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=brucealmighty.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> it was the fifth-highest-grossing feature film of the year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=2003&p=.htm|title=2003 Yearly Box Office Results|access-date=November 5, 2018|website=Box Office Mojo|archive-date=November 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106223544/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=2003&p=.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Aniston next starred as the old classmate of a tightly wound newlywed in the romantic comedy ''[[Along Came Polly]]'' (2004) opposite [[Ben Stiller]],<ref>{{cite web|first=Stella|last=Papamichael|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2004/02/10/along_came_polly_2004_review.shtml|title=BBC Films&nbsp;– Along Came Polly Review|access-date=August 8, 2008|website=BBC|archive-date=December 6, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206025310/http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2004/02/10/along_came_polly_2004_review.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> which placed number one at the North American box office, earning $27.7&nbsp;million in its opening weekend;<ref>{{cite web|title='Along Came Polly' ... And Down Went The 'King'|last=Kaufman|first=Gil|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1484436/along-came-polly-tops-box-office.jhtml|date=January 20, 2004|website=MTV Movie News|access-date=May 25, 2011|archive-date=November 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107061555/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1484436/along-came-polly-tops-box-office.jhtml|url-status=dead}}</ref> it eventually made $172 million worldwide.<ref name="highest gross"/>