JENNIFER ANISTON

The girl with the great hair on family, ‘Friends’ and fame

Actress Jennifer Aniston, 44, is the daughter of actor John Aniston and is of Greek stock. (Her real name is Jennifer Anastassakis). Born in California, she grew up in New York City, where she attended a progressive Rudolf Steiner School.

She became famous playing the quirky Rachel Green on TV sitcom Friends, and has successfully moved from small screen to movies.

She has a production company, Echo Films, lives in Los Angeles, and is engaged to Justin Theroux (pictured). In her new film, We’re

the Millers, she plays a down-on-her-luck stripper married to a small-fry dope dealer, played by Jason Sudeikis.

We’re the Millers is sort

of sweet, although it’s hard to put the word “sweet” on this movie about a group of people trying to smuggle weed across the border. But somehow, in all of that, they become a family. It’s a comedy — it’s not supposed to be taken seriously.

I wanted to play the role because I’ve never played a dancing

stripper. I have appeared nude before and used to dance in high school and in my 20s but I was definitely out of my comfort zone stripping. Luckily, a fabulous dance instructor just pulled the inner stripper out of me. I get more comfortable in my body and in who I am as I get older, so it wasn’t too difficult.

I like to not look like myself on

screen. The costumes in this film were horrible and the mop on my head was the sort of wig you can buy for $5.99. When we wrapped on the film, I threw it up in the air. But I relished the opportunity to step out of “type” and play a real suburban mom.

I get bored with the constant speculation that I’m this or that:

married or not. Why not just wait until we actually get to have the fun of announcing something? Who wants to play the guessing game, whether it be a family wedding, this, that, the other thing?

I’ve lived a very charmed life. I have amazing work, amazing friends, beautiful dogs, lovely home. I tune the noise of fame out. With fame you lose your privacy and certain pressures come to bear. There are so many details that are inappropriate to discuss. Transcendental meditation helps me deal with it.

There should be some sort of a class on fame, because there’s so much to learn

so fast if you “do well”. It looks very glamorous from the outside, but the truth is it’s very hard work and the truly glamorous bits are few and far between.

My father didn’t want me to act but he knew if he told me not to, that I’d be

even more determined. He warned me that the rejection and the opposite, the fame, would rip my heart out. I didn’t believe it. I wanted to find out for myself. And I did, and how!

Ageing is great. In my twenties, I was so awkward and uncomfortable, in my thirties I started to find direction and now I feel I am exactly where I should be. I don’t feel I’m supposed to be any further along.

So much is made of sexiness nowadays. If I had to choose my sexiest woman it would be a tie between Brigitte Bardot and Gloria Steinem. The sexiest thing about a man, other than his abs, is if he can make me laugh, has compassion, kindness and an accurately-sized ego.

The happiness of being engaged to Justin stands all by itself. I am very happy. — © Marianne Gray

• We’re the Millers is on circuit