Jennifer Aniston was a common name in my household because my mom has always been a huge fan of hers. Ever since "Friends," my mom has considered Jen to be her favorite female celebrity. I never thought much about her, until recently, when I began doing some research for my Dumplin' article. That's when I learned that she's a much more awesome person than I would've guessed.
So, in honor of her recent 50th birthday, here are some reasons why Jennifer Anniston is one of the best role models in Hollywood.
1. She's a well-rounded actress.
Acting is the thing that brought her into the limelight, and, honestly, she's pretty damn good at what she does. She's able to play the oblivious mother role in "Dumplin" and the promiscuous boss in "Horrible Bosses."
2. She's all about girl power and feminism.
"You know when I feel inwardly beautiful? When I am with my girlfriends and we are having a 'goddess circle'."
3. She remains calm and collected, even during hard times.
Seriously...look at her break-ups. They've all been major, public ones, and she's never once been referred to as the "crazy" ex.
4. She's widely known as being one of the more "down to earth" celebrities.
Like Jen, we should all try and stay grounded.
5. She isn't swayed by public opinion.
Unlike so many other stars out there, who change the way they are (even if it's just a little bit) to fit in more with the standards put on celebrities, Jen has basically stayed the same
6. She's not petty or catty.
Obviously I don't know her personally, but have you ever seen any headlines about "celebrity beef" that involve Jennifer Aniston? Because I haven't.
7. She can get along with her exes.
I mean, she invited Brad Pitt to her 50th birthday bash...that shows some maturity.
8. She's a self-made success.
She's won Emmy's, People's Choice Awards, Golden Globes, and even the GLAAD Media Vanguard award.
9. She can appeal to all ages.
My mom's generation obviously knows her from "Friends," while millennials know her better from movies like "We're the Millers." She's even won Teen Choice Awards!
10. She shows that you don't have to be a mom to be a successful woman.
Some people out there are still under the impression that you're not a real woman unless you have children, or are planning to have children. Jennifer Aniston is proof that, no matter if you choose to have children or not, you can still be a kick-ass woman.
11. She proves that you don't need plastic surgery to be attractive.
With celebrities getting lip injections and botox, it's easy to feel like these are things we need in order to be attractive. Jennifer Aniston, though, proves that this isn't the case; no matter if you choose to have cosmetic surgery or be all-natural, you can still be attractive.
12. She's all about equality.
"I would say I couldn't be in a relationship without equality, generosity, integrity, spirit, kindness, and humor. And awesomeness."
13. She promotes self-love.
"Once you figure out who you are and what you love about yourself, I think it all kinda falls into place."
14. She's heavily involved in charities.
15. She's a style icon.
I mean, just look at her. Her wardrobe is literally what my mom wishes hers was.
16. She promotes healthy lifestyles.
She isn't into any crazy or extreme diets or exercise routines. Instead, her lifestyle seems pretty easy to manage.
17. When she does talk about her public love life, she's respectful.
It's been speculated for years now that Angelina Jolie was involved with Brad Pitt, whom Jen was married to for 5 years, while the two were still together. Typically Jennifer stays away from topics like this during interviews (because she's so badass that there are more important things to cover), but one time that she did respond to a question about the alleged affair, she simply said that it was "uncool." Jen doesn't have time to start drama.
18. She had a haircut named after her.
After "Friends" aired, everybody was getting "the Rachel" haircut.
19. She's funny.
Simply put: she's got a good sense of humor.
20. She's friends with everybody.
I mean, just take a look at some of the people on her 50th birthday bash guest list: Reese Witherspoon, Keith Richards, Robert Downey Jr., John Mayer, Orlando Bloom, Katy Perry, Gwenyth Paltrow, Ellen DeGeneres, Kate Hudson...and a ton more. Plus, all of her "Friends" costars.
21. Her father's famous, but she's made a name for herself.
So many celebrities with famous parents, even if they're out doing their own thing, start off with 15 minutes of fame granted to them by having the same name as their parents. In Jennifer Aniston's case, though, she's made her own way.
22. Her friendship with Courtney Cox is so pure.
They're still best friends, long after their show together has ended. They're like the "Friends" version of Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey.
23. She's the queen of Taco Tuesday.
In a WIRED interview featuring Jason Bateman, it's revealed that Jennifer makes tacos for Taco Tuesdays and invites friends over. We love a relatable celebrity.
24. She's the most successful of the "Friends" cast.
Out of all of the actors and actresses on the show, she's definitely the one everybody talks about the most.
25. She's proof that you can make it out of retail hell.
She was once a server at an ice-cream shop, and now she's a multi-millionaire actress. Dreams do come true.
26. She loves to brag on her friends.
In one 8-minute interview alone, she brags about Jason Bateman being a great dad and father, and about how generous Chelsea Handler really is. Everybody needs that friend that hypes them up!!
And these 26 reasons aren't the only awesome things about her, either; there are so many other things that make her a great person to call your role model.
