Over the years, speculation suggested that Friends star Jennifer Aniston was too “selfish” or a “workaholic” to start a family. But in a rare, candid interview, the 56-year-old actress revealed she had spent two decades trying to have a child, enduring a deeply emotional journey behind the public eye.
Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar UK, Aniston said the criticism from strangers affected her. “They didn’t know my story, or what I’d been going through over the past 20 years to try to pursue a family,” she explained. “I don’t go out there and tell them my medical woes — that’s nobody’s business. But eventually, you can’t ignore the narrative about how you won’t have a baby because you’re selfish or a workaholic. It does affect me. I’m just a human being.”
Aniston, who was married to Brad Pitt (2000–2005) and Justin Theroux (2015–2018), has previously spoken about the challenges of “the baby-making road.” In a 2022 Allure interview, she said she wished someone had advised her to freeze her eggs. “So here I am today. The ship has sailed. But I have zero regrets. My late thirties, forties, I went through really hard s**t, and if it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t have become who I was meant to be. I was trying to get pregnant.”
She also described the years of speculation as extremely difficult, recalling her efforts with IVF, herbal remedies, and everything else she could try. Her recent interview emphasizes that she hopes speaking out helps other women who are going through similar struggles. “I knew a lot of women at the time dealing with IVF,” she said.
Aniston has also firmly dismissed claims that her marriage to Pitt ended because she didn’t want children, calling the rumor “an absolute lie.” Pitt later had six children with Angelina Jolie before their split.
Currently, Aniston is rumored to be dating hypnotist and wellness expert Jim Curtis. The couple has been seen on outings in Malibu and Mallorca with friends, including Friends co-star Courteney Cox.
The actress also reflected on modern challenges like social media, saying she worries about the anonymity that allows people to spread false narratives. Yet she admits she no longer feels the need to constantly defend herself: “The news cycle is so fast, it just goes away. My family knows my truth, my friends know my truth.”
Aniston further addressed ageism, criticizing the sidelining of older women as an “old ideology” that she believes is fading. “The wisdom older women have to contribute is quite extraordinary, and we’ve seen genuine progress in the film world.”
She remains close to her Friends castmates, sharing that she recently had dinner with Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow. “They’re my family. Sometimes you love to hate your family, but it’s a lifetime commitment, for sure,” she said.
Reflecting on the tragic 2023 death of Matthew Perry, who played Chandler Bing, Aniston described it as “heartbreaking” and spoke of his inner struggles, noting that his ability to laugh was central to who he was. She added that bringing back Friends without him would be “physically impossible,” but finds comfort knowing a new generation of fans continues to embrace the show. “People watch episodes to help their mental health,” she said. “That if they’re stressed about the news or the world, they just sit down and watch a Friends episode. That’s the ultimate compliment.”
