Jennifer Aniston: I am not heartbroken

Jennifer Aniston has said she laughs at the “ridiculous” headlines about her private life, as they have become “more and more absurd”.

The Friends star – who has been through break-ups with Brad Pitt and Justin Theroux in the glare of the spotlight – said claims that she can’t keep a man, is too into her acting career to have children or that she is heartbroken are “reckless assumptions”.

Aniston, whose marriage with Theroux ended earlier this year, told InStyle magazine: “It’s pretty crazy.

Talk about her all you like, but with great friends, new projects, and still-perfect hair, September cover star Jennifer Aniston is doing just fine. And at 49, she knows who she is. That means no boundaries, no bullshit, and lots of laughing. “For the most part I can sit back and laugh at the ridiculous headlines because they have gotten more and more absurd,” she tells her close friend @MMcNearney, who interviewed her for her refreshingly candid cover story. “I guess they’re feeding into some sort of need the public has, but I focus on my work, my friends, my animals, and how we can make the world a better place. That other stuff is junk food that needs to go back in its drawer.” Read the full interview at the link in bio. | Photographed by @BenHassett; Styled by @JuliaVonBoehm

A post shared by instylemagazine (@instylemagazine) on Aug 1, 2018 at 5:00am PDT

“The misconceptions are ‘Jen can’t keep a man,’ and ‘Jen refuses to have a baby because she’s selfish and committed to her career.’

“Or that I’m sad and heartbroken.

“First, with all due respect, I’m not heartbroken.

“And second, those are reckless assumptions.

“No one knows what’s going on behind closed doors. No one considers how sensitive that might be for my partner and me.

“They don’t know what I’ve been through medically or emotionally.

“There is a pressure on women to be mothers, and if they are not, then they’re deemed damaged goods. Maybe my purpose on this planet isn’t to procreate. Maybe I have other things I’m supposed to do?

“For the most part I can sit back and laugh at the ridiculous headlines because they have gotten more and more absurd.”

The 49-year-old actress added: “I guess they’re feeding into some sort of need the public has, but I focus on my work, my friends, my animals, and how we can make the world a better place.

“That other stuff is junk food that needs to go back in its drawer.”

Jennifer Aniston has dealt with the tabloids for her entire career, but lately it seems relentless. “The misconceptions are ‘Jen can’t keep a man,’ and ‘Jen refuses to have a baby because she’s selfish and committed to her career.’ Or that I’m sad and heartbroken,” she tells dear friend @MMcNearney in our September cover story. “First, with all due respect, I’m not heartbroken. And second, those are reckless assumptions. No one knows what’s going on behind closed doors. No one considers how sensitive that might be for my partner and me. They don’t know what I’ve been through medically or emotionally. There is a pressure on women to be mothers, and if they’re not, then they’re deemed damaged goods. Maybe my purpose on this planet isn’t to procreate. Maybe I have other things I’m supposed to do.” | Photographed by @BenHassett; Styled by @JuliaVonBoehm

A post shared by instylemagazine (@instylemagazine) on Aug 1, 2018 at 5:15am PDT

Aniston said she has experienced her “fair share” of sexism in the media as women are “picked apart and pitted against one another based on looks and clothing and superficial stuff”.

She said: “When a couple breaks up in Hollywood, it’s the woman who is scorned. The woman is left sad and alone. She’s the failure. F that.

“When was the last time you read about a divorced, childless man referred to as a spinster?”

Aniston also talked about the #MeToo movement in the wide-ranging interview, saying while she has never had anyone in a position of power make her feel unconformable, she has had “some sloppy moves made on me by other actors” which she handled by walking away.

“In my personal experience I’ve been treated worse verbally and energetically by some women in this industry,” she added.

She said change was overdue and that people need to be better at listening to one another.

“That includes men,” she said.

Jennifer Aniston’s been a cover star many times over, but she still admits to getting nervous the night before a big shoot. As she told us on set in LA at the Sheats-Goldstein House, “I’m always nervous the night before. Just always, I don’t know why. For over 20 years—maybe it keeps it exciting.” We followed along as Jen — plus a glam squad that includes her longtime hairstylist @MrChrisMcMillan and makeup artist @GucciWestman — posed for our September cover in menswear-inspired looks. This is how the shoot came together!

A post shared by instylemagazine (@instylemagazine) on Aug 1, 2018 at 6:47am PDT

“They need to be part of this conversation. When everyone is mad and aggressive, people become too afraid to speak and there is no conversation.”