Jennifer Aniston Career

Career

Television

Aniston was cast in her first television role in 1990, starring as a regular on the short-lived series Molloy and in the TV movie Camp Cucamonga.^[12] She also co-starred in Ferris Bueller, a television adaptation of the 1986 hit movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off.^[12] The series, however, was quickly canceled.^[8] Aniston then appeared in two more failed television comedy series, The Edge and Muddling Through, and guest-starred on Quantum Leap, Herman's Head, and Burke's Law.^[12] After the string of canceled shows, along with her appearance in the critically derided 1992 horror film,Leprechaun,^[13] Aniston reportedly considered giving up acting.^[8]

Aniston's plans changed, however, after auditioning for Friends, a sitcom that was set to debut on NBC's 1994–1995 fall lineup.^[7][14] The producers of the show originally wanted Aniston to audition for the role of Monica Geller,^[14] but Courteney Cox was considered to be better suited to the role. Thus, Aniston was cast as Rachel Green. She was also offered a spot as a featured player on Saturday Night Live, but turned it down to do Friends.^[15] She played the character of Rachel from 1994 until the show ended in 2004.^[16][17]

The program was successful and Aniston, along with her co-stars, gained world-wide reputation among television viewers.^[7] Aniston received a salary of $1 million per episode for the last two seasons of Friends, as well as five Emmy nominations (two for Supporting Actress, three for Lead Actress),^{[18][19][20][21]} including a win for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.^[22] According to theGuinness World Book of Records (2005), Aniston (along with her female costars) became the highest paid TV actress of all time with her $1 million-per-episode paycheck for the tenth season ofFriends.^[23]

In 2007, Aniston guest starred in an episode of Courteney Cox Arquette's series Dirt, playing Arquette's rival, Tina Harrod.^[24] She appeared in the third episode of Season 3 of NBC's 30 Rock playingLiz Lemon's old college roommate who stalks Jack Donaghy.^[25] On July 16, 2009, Aniston received an Emmy nomination in the category of Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her role on 30 Rock. Aniston was a guest star on the Season 2 premiere of ABC's sitcom Cougar Town, playing a psychiatrist.^[26]