Playing out of character for a change, Jennifer Aniston takes on the role of an aggressive and intolerable boss, alongside Colin Farell and Kevin Spacey. Now 42, and in a good place with new love, actor Justin Theroux, Aniston says she had no trouble settling in with an all-male cast on the sets of Horrible Bosses, the new comedy that hit cinemas recently.
The script was hysterical
Well, obviously it was just such a different direction for me to go, and it was pretty clear soon after reading it that it was hysterical. It was really well mapped out and I just loved the character. I just couldn't believe that I was asked to play her, so I jumped at the chance.
I didn't really have to prepare
Well, I took it because it was obviously so crazy and out there and not something that I normally get handed. I watched and witnessed enough women in my life that I just sort of understood.
More comfortable in my skin now
I think the older you get, the more comfortable you get in your body and in your skin, and who you are. You have more of a "f*** it" attitude. You are so careful and controlled in your twenties and you are just more aware of your every move. And now I think there's just more freedom and comfort and none of it really matters as long as you are enjoying yourself and having a really good time. And not hurting other people - that goes without saying.
I played Julia Harris like a guy
I think Horrible Bosses was so much fun because it was about playing a character who is actually male, and I thought of her just like a guy. That's sort of what made it that much more fun. And I didn't have any input into my role. I did go to the dentist beforehand (for that famous dentist scene) though, to see how they hold the tools. And then the rest was easy.
Horrible BOSSES is an unapologetic comedy
I think that is what's great about these comedies. There are no apologies, it's going for it. And yes, it was a lot of fun. When something is so out there, you should be having fun. This is what we get to do every day, so hopefully you are always having some sort of fun.
Toughest job I had?
The toughest job I ever had was being a bike messenger in New York City when I was 19. My worst day was probably riding into a door that opened or (laughs) just not doing, just being uncoordinated, extraordinarily klutzy.
Not being typecast
This kind of role is my first. I've gone into other little areas of an independent film or Good Girl or Derailed, but it's definitely a step in the right direction, and that's why it was so fun.
Love directing. Love being boss
I love being the boss. I actually love the directing experience. Having been doing it [on small independent films] for as long as I have, while acting on the other side, I felt like it was fun to discover how much you actually know. Though I haven't gone to a film school of any sort, there's just a certain instinct I have from being around it for so many years. So I enjoyed it and I think I was a very nice boss in fact.
Are woman more aggressive now?
I think women are just becoming stronger and have been given more power. They're not barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen any more. I think it's been a progression of women empowering themselves and I don't know if it's called aggressive, but it has a negative connotation to it. I think women are just strong and I'm sure there are men who may have a problem with that, especially those who are still of that time, but I think we are all becoming equal.
Lack of female comedy roles
In general comedies, it's very rare to get a great female comedy role. I mean it's all the big boys, it's usually male - Ben Stiller, Jim Carrey - that's where the comedy is. So it's nice that I got one, thank you for writing strong women.
America's sweetheart or sex symbol?
I don't have any kind of labels for myself. I'm just walking the planet. No, I didn't take this role so that I could try to sort of rid myself of the American sweetheart title. I don't know where that title came from, I mean there are so many different American sweethearts, I just took the role because I loved it. I thought it'd be a fun challenge and good for me to step out of what people would usually like to see me play. So, that's a label, you're branded, there's always going to be something attached to you.
Men are intimidated by women?
I think men are intimidated by women who are confident, no matter what age.
Not a blonde boss
They wanted me to look like myself, or as they said, "we want you to look like Jennifer Aniston". And I thought, ‘that's not who that is'. They wanted to keep it safe but I fought to have a different look. There was no way that I could be or look like myself and play the part.
As an actor, it's important to step out
As you keep earning more and more trust, maybe you need to step out and give people time to adjust and start to realise that there is more to you than just one little thing. That's why it's important for me to keep going out and taking those little extra steps out of the box that I can remind myself that there is more out there.
Everyone loves workplace comedies
I don't know, they just happened to be workplace comedies, but I think there are so many personalities in the workplace, a lot of opportunities for crazy characters and situations. They are just fun and they are relatable because everybody is in one.
