Jennifer Aniston is vulnerably reflecting on her New York City childhood long before fame, fortune, or red carpets. During a candid chat on Dax Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast, the “Friends” alum, 56, opened up about the gritty side of her upbringing in Manhattan. “We lived in this building on 92nd and Columbus,” Aniston recalled.
Photo By Getty Images)“But the block between Columbus and Amsterdam and then Amsterdam Broadway, that was all abandoned buildings.”
The actress shared that she often braved the city as a child. “I was on a bus by myself at 11,” she said. “Can you imagine? Just by yourself, throw your key in your sneaker and ‘see ya mom.’”
‘There Was a Sniper in One of the Buildings’
(Photo by Vinnie Zuffante/Archive Photos/Getty Images)“The Morning Show” star shared a startling memory from her youth, explaining that she sometimes had to detour around her block because of danger in the area.
(Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)The Hollywood favorite then recalled having to sometimes walk around the block because there “was a sniper in one of the abandoned buildings,” she said. “That was just normal at the time.”
Despite growing up in what she described as a challenging environment, Aniston said she didn’t let fear control her. “As I got older I was mugged,” she revealed. “I was mugged a couple of times. But I didn’t feel fear. I still walked home at midnight on my own.”
How Her Upbringing Shaped Her
This isn’t the first time Aniston has reflected on her upbringing. She has previously spoken about witnessing her parents’ difficult marriage and how it influenced her views on relationships.
“I think that it comes from growing up in a household that was destabilized and felt unsafe, watching adults being unkind to each other,” she told WSJ Magazine in 2023. “I don’t want to experience this feeling I’m having in my body right now. I don’t want anyone else that I ever come in contact with to feel that.”
Her parents, actors Nancy Dow and John Aniston, divorced when she was a child, an experience that left a lasting impression on her approach to love and stability.
Aniston Opens Up About Following Her Passion Despite Her Father’s Warning
(Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)Despite her father’s strong objections, Aniston also opened up about how she pursued an acting career.
The daughter of the late actor John Aniston — best known for “Days of Our Lives” — reflects on her early days and her dad’s disapproval of her Hollywood dreams.
“My dad was telling me, ‘Please don’t do this, you’re just going to suffer rejection,’” Aniston recalled during her appearance on Dax Shepard and Monica Padman’s Armchair Expert podcast on October 20.
The award-winning actress shared that her father had encouraged her to choose a more traditional career path. “Just go get a job. Like, get a real job. All the cliché things,” she remembered.
Still, Aniston said her mind was made up. “Whatever drives you, if you find passion in something and you love it, go do it,” she told Shepard.
During the same interview, Aniston weighed in on the ongoing “nepo baby” debate in Hollywood.
“I mean, look at all the law firms. Blanky Blank Blanky and Blanky Blank. Isn’t that a version of ‘it’s all in the family’? It’s all in the family,” said The Morning Show star. “So, maybe you got into a door because you are so-and-so’s kid, but if you suck, guess what? You’re not going to continue to do it.”
Reflecting on her childhood, Aniston shared that she often longed for her father’s attention after her parents divorced when she was nine. “I would give anything for my dad’s attention,” she said.
