Name a ‘90s actress more iconic than Jennifer Aniston, we’ll wait. The beloved Hollywood star, who got her start on the hit sitcom Friends, has been gracing film and TV screens and setting style and beauty trends (remember “the Rachel” haircut craze?) for decades. Although Aniston is now a household name, once upon a time, she was a New York City drama student with big dreams.
From her early role in the Ferris Bueller television show (yes, this was a thing) to almost not getting the part of Rachel, we take a look at some of Aniston’s early career highlights.
1980s: Early Star Quality
Aniston, who graduated from New York’s LaGuardia High School of Music & Performing Arts (aka the Fame school) in 1987, poses for a portrait in the ‘80s.
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1990: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Television Series
NBC//GETTY IMAGESOne of Aniston’s earliest roles was on the Ferris Bueller’s Day Off television series—which got canned after only one season. Here she’s seen sitting beside her co-stars Charlie Schlatter, Brandon Douglas, and Ami Dolenz, during a promotional shoot for the show.
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1990: With Charlie Schlatter at Spago
Aniston briefly dated her Ferris Bueller co-star, Schlatter, during the early ‘90s. The two were photographed out on a date at Spago, Wolfgang Puck’s celeb-loved Beverly Hills restaurant.
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1990: At the NBC Stars Party
Besides Ferris Bueller, Aniston also appeared in the TV movie Camp Cucamonga and seven episodes of Molloy, a comedy series that also starred Mayim Bialik.
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1992: Leprechaun Premiere Party
In 1992, the young actress had her first-ever movie role in Leprechaun, a horror-comedy fantasy flick. During a 2021 video interview with InStyle, Aniston shared that she was afraid the film would negatively affect her acting career.
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1993: On the Set of Burke’s Law
A year later, she acted in an episode of Burke’s Law, a television series that aired on CBS.
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1994: On the Set of Muddling Through
In 1994, Aniston starred in yet another short-lived sitcom, Muddling Through, as Madeline Drego, the daughter of Stephanie Hodge’s character Connie Drego, an ex-convict who returns to her family.
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1994: Filming Friends
Later that year, Aniston landed the role of a lifetime as Rachel Green in the television series Friends. However, Aniston almost didn’t star in the iconic show. During an interview on SiriusXM’s Gayle King in the House, Aniston shared that her other series during the time, Muddling Through, was set to be renewed for a few more episodes. After hearing this, the Friends producers started auditioning other actresses as a backup.
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1995: NBC Press Tour Party
Aniston was catapulted to superstardom after Friends began airing in 1994 due to the excellent dynamics that she and the whole ensemble cast shared right off the bat. Here, she’s pictured attending one of NBC’s press tour parties in 1995.
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1995: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
NBC//GETTY IMAGESThe actress appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 1995 to promote Friends. The musical guest that night was James Ingram.
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1995: Before Sunrise Hollywood Premiere
Aniston and her Friends co-star, David Schwimmer, attended the Hollywood premiere of Before Sunrise amid their Friends fame. The movie, which was a buzzy mid-’90s romance drama directed by Richard Linklater, stars Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy.
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1995: 21st Annual People’s Choice Awards
RON GALELLA//GETTY IMAGESAniston attended the 21st Annual People’s Choice Awards in Universal City with her Friends co-stars. The group won the Favorite New Television Comedy Series award that night.
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1996: On the Set of Picture Perfect
A year later, Aniston starred in Picture Perfect along with Kevin Bacon. Here, she’s pictured between scenes during a location shoot in New York City with her then-boyfriend, Tate Donovan.
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1996: 53rd Annual Golden Globe Awards
Aniston also went to the 1996 Golden Globe Awards with her Friends co-stars, and looks fabulous alongside Lisa Kudrow. The show was nominated for Best Musical/Comedy Series, but lost to Cybill.