Jennifer Aniston “Fought for” One of Her Most Polarizing Hair Transformations

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Jennifer Aniston has long been known for her character’s hair—hello, “The Rachel” from Friends—but she revealed in a new interview that she “fought” for a wig for her role in Horrible Bosses that would make the actress not look like herself.
Speaking to Vanity Fair for its new cover story, Aniston spoke about how her hairstyle was actually a point of contention when she was filming the 2011 movie alongside Jason Bateman. In the film, her character wears a wig, and “I fought for that wig, by the way,” Aniston said. “That was not an easy battle.”

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Jennifer Aniston on March 28, 2023
“I wanted her to look different,” she added. “And the argument from the studio—I’m sorry to call you out—was that, ‘We’re just afraid it won’t look like you.’ And I said, ‘That’s kind of the point.’”

Aniston plays Julia in the film, which also stars Jason Sudeikis, Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx, and a whole host of other celebrities. Of her role, Aniston said, “And I just still think it might look a little bit like me, but I’m glad I fought for it, and I stuck to my guns.”

Charlie Day and Jennifer Aniston in ‘Horrible Bosses’

Jennifer Aniston in ‘Horrible Bosses’
In fact, Aniston wanted to shake up her image: “I think I was always seen as the girl next door, the ingénue,” she said. “It was fairly fun to play somebody like this, because it’s so far away from anything that I am. And I think that’s what the director liked, was that, ‘Oh, this is so not what we would expect from this gal.’”

“That was the fun of it, though,” she continued. “I think that’s what made it more creatively exciting for me, obviously. I remember when I read this script, I was pretty excited about it.”

Jennifer Aniston on January 7, 2024
In her cover story interview, her co-star Bateman is mentioned, noting that they went back way before Horrible Bosses; they met in the 1990s when Bateman was starring with Aniston’s friend on a sitcom. He has become part of her chosen family. “Sometimes you look back at the person you were in your 20s, and you don’t recognize that person or those people around you,” she said. “But we’ve grown up together.”

Aniston is close to his daughters Francesca, 18, and Maple, 13: “She’s the first one to call or text about big dates in the girls’ lives,” Bateman told Vanity Fair. “She has questions about boyfriends.” Their relationship is so close that Bateman called Aniston a “co-mom,” adding that “she’s been a part of their lives from the moment they were born.” Francesca “has also been the lucky recipient of some of Aniston’s wardrobe,” Vanity Fair reported.

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Aniston also said that she approaches her career differently now and, like with her hair in Horrible Bosses, isn’t afraid to stand up for herself. “As a young actor, you can forget that you are the one who’s earning income for the people around you,” Anison said. Crediting her manager Aleen Keshishian with helping her assert herself, she added, “She would say, ‘You’re the boss. You pay us. Don’t lose sight of your power in that. Don’t become an asshole or bitch, but don’t lose your voice.’”

“If there’s an area in my life where I have no fear, it’s my career—of speaking up for what I want,” she continued. “I don’t do it in a scary or mean way. I just know my value.”

NBCU Photo Bank Jennifer Aniston and “The Rachel” hairstyle
In 2021, Aniston—forever known for her hair—launched the haircare line Lolavie. The same year Horrible Bosses came out, in 2011, Aniston addressed her famous “Rachel” hairstyle in Allure, saying—despite being close to this day with hairstylist Chris McMillan—that he “was the bane of my existence because he started that damn Rachel, which was not my best look.”

“How do I say this?” she continued. “I think it was the ugliest haircut I’ve ever seen.”

Read the original article on InStyle