INTERROGATION: Life's the Pitts

Does all the money you have now make you happier, or does it just make life easier?

Jennifer Aniston: Money makes life easier in all the obvious ways, but it does not bring you happiness, in any shape or form. If you don't have a clear idea of who you are and why you're here, money can be deadly. It can divide people, and make people very greedy. You can have money and be thankful, or you can waste it all and die of an overdose because you don't know who you are. This is a seductive industry - it makes you think you're greater than you are. I, of course, never fell for that one...

So how do you handle it all?

JA: I have great friends. I've been best friends with some of them for 25 years, and we all started together. We're not all actors, there are writers, a photographer, a producer, a teacher and a therapist. We keep each other sane, and nobody lets you get away with anything.

What about all the gossip that stems from living in Hollywood?

JA: Gossip is a tough one - it's hard to stomach. I try not to read it. I can't help but get infuriated when it messes with something sacred, especially my marriage.

Like the rumours about your marriage being on the rocks?

JA: How about that? I don't know what all that's about. Brad and I were supposed to be separated, I was living in a hotel, I'm a jealous bitch, Brad's living in Vegas... Luckily Brad's the voice of reason. He said, 'Just wait three weeks, they're not going to know what to do when we're still together.' And all of a sudden, we've 'rekindled our love'. Yeah, that's what happened.

What was the worst job you ever had?

JA: It wasn't the worst, but I was a bike messenger in New York. I wasn't too coordinated, but I got to ride a bike with a sack on my back looking cool. I loved it, but I didn't do it very well, so I got fired.

How is your pounds 9 million Beverly Hills house coming along?

JA: Oh, if I were God for a week, I'd get it all finished.

How long have you been building?

JA: A year and a half. We bought it two years ago and they say if you can survive building a house together, you can survive anything. We're almost done.

How do you and Brad juggle the household responsibilities?

JA: That's the least of our worries. I have a 9-to-5 job on Friends, and I'm in LA most of the time. This year I learnt the lesson of taking on a little too much at one time, but I'm home now. The hardest thing is that Brad is now away shooting Troy in Europe.

How has Brad changed your life?

JA: Let me count the ways. It's nice to have someone I not only love, but someone I like so much. It has made me more comfortable with who I am. The film and TV work is great, but if I didn't have this amazing relationship with Brad, things wouldn't feel as good as they do.

Are children on the cards soon?

JA: Yeah, definitely. But haven't we said that before? I think when Friends is done, having a baby will be the next job.

What about the movie you and Brad are supposed to shoot together?

JA: We're not in it together, we're just producing it and a couple of other things. There's not even a written script yet, just an idea. We started a company.

Are you glad you're now recording the last season of Friends?

JA: We have six cast members, and everybody has to be happy. I would have probably been OK with it ending before, just because I felt like I wanted Friends to leave off where people still like us.

Who would you choose for President?

JA: Courteney Cox. She'd whoop everybody's butt. She knocks stuff out - she's fair, honest and gets the job done.

What about you for President?

JA: Nah, I'm a follower. I'm not so much of a leader. But I do love to give advice. If I hadn't become an actress, I was going to be a therapist.

You've said recently if you were born again, you would have loved to have been a hippie. Why?

JA: I would have liked to have been a teenager in the 1960s. That would have been fun. The clothes were cool, and they're coming back into fashion. They can't think of anything new, can they?

Do you work out a lot?

JA: I don't have much time to work out but if I do, I run and sweat, and feel it. In my spiritual down time, I'd rather meditate by myself at home, at my altar or whatever.

Are you massively disciplined?

JA: Very disciplined, but I wasn't always this way. I'm now addicted to the euphoric feeling of getting up and having a good sweat. It wakes your body up. Unfortunately, I didn't get to do that while I was working and I really see the difference, especially getting older. My body isn't what it used to be...

Do you feel Greek?

JA: Yes. I feel very close to my Greek roots. I remember living there for a year when I was a kid, in Athens and Crete when Greece was at war with Turkey. I remember opening a door and seeing a soldier with a machine gun, but I don't remember why he was there. I remember the ruins, which I loved, and the freshly squeezed orange juice from the fish market, which was disgusting. That market turned me off fish forever.

Do you feel jealous about Brad filming Troy with German supermodel Diane Kruger?

JA: No. I did have a period when I was younger where that sort of thing did bother me. But I don't feel like that now. Brad's very loyal and honest. He's not like normal guys. He's not impressed with that sort of stuff.

Was it true Brad told Jim Carrey he liked it when they made your boobs bigger for the film Bruce Almighty?

JA: I don't know, maybe they were having talks among themselves. I got to feel what it was like to have bigger boobs for a day, and the amount of people that wanted to touch them was weird.

How would you feel if your child wanted to be an actor?

JA: I don't know. It's not something where I would say, 'Oh, go for it, there's nothing but joy in that!' It can be hard.

Has making the transition from TV to film been hard for you?

JA: I worked in movies, but they weren't necessarily good movies. I remember thinking before The Good Girl came along, I need to do something else because I'm bored with myself. But I don't want to do TV any more - I don't think it would be wise to try to follow Friends. I would like to sing.

JEN'S REALITY CHECK

Do you do your own grocery shopping?

Sure. I usually go with my hair in a ponytail and dressed in a T- shirt and cargo pants.

Do you ever say, 'Do you know who I am?'

No, that wouldn't be polite.

How do you make a Swiss roll?

Sorry, I don't know.

Tell us two things you hate

Lace and the colour pink.

What keeps you healthy?

The Zone diet. Yoga. Hikes. But most of all, coming home to Brad.

What's your ideal Friday night?

Just playing games at home with close friends.

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