Jennifer Aniston Gives Love To Her ‘Iconic’ ‘Friends’ Cast At People’s Choice Awards
That’s why Jennifer Aniston is an icon. While accepting the People’s Icon Award at the People’s Choice Awards, she said she wouldn’t even BE an icon without some help from her ‘friends.’
Call the 2019 E! People’s Choice Awards “The One Where Jennifer Aniston Is Officially Recognized As An Icon.” The 50-year-old actress has been an “icon” since her days on Friends, and she was given her due during the Nov. 10 event. After receiving a heartfelt {and hilarious} introduction from her friend, her Murder Mystery co-star, and fellow ’90s icon, Adam Sandler, Jennifer graciously accepted the award before displaying some remarkable humility. “If I have any claim to this word ‘icon,’ it’s only because I was able to be on an ‘iconic’ show with an ‘iconic’ cast and [with] an ‘iconic’ haircut,” said Jen.
“Friends was truly a gift of a lifetime, and I wouldn’t be standing here without that amazing show, without those five other amazing actors, and without an audience that stuck with us for a decade …and through streaming services now.” She then joked that Friends would be coming to “a watch near you” soon. While holding back tears of gratitude, Jen thanked everyone who stayed with her on this journey. “I love you guys. So, thank you for sticking by me!”
To be honest, though the 2019 PCAs are celebrating her as an icon, Jenifer Aniston has been iconic ever since Friends debuted in September 1994. As Rachel Green, Jen captivated a generation, and her hairstyle on the beloved sitcom inspired millions of viewers to head to the salon and get the “Rachel.” However, her appeal was more than just her hair, for her performance as America’s Sweetheart earned her a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy. While Friends ended in 2004, the love for Jen hasn’t waned. In fact, it’s only gotten stronger with her roles in Bruce Almighty, The Break-Up, Marley & Me, Horrible Bosses, Office Space, Along Came Polly, Cake, We’re The Millers and more. Most recently, she returned to television on the Apple TV+ drama series, The Morning Show.
“Jennifer Aniston is a tour de force, who has portrayed some of the most iconic, unforgettable and relatable characters of our time,” said Jen Neal, General Manager, E! News, Live Events and Lifestyle Digital, in a press statement announcing Jen as this year’s winner. “For gracefully conquering comedy and drama on both the small and big screen, we’re honoring Jennifer Aniston with The People’s Icon of 2019.”
Jen recently blew up Instagram – literally – by joining the social media platform. She made her first post on Oct. 15, and it was an epic Friends selfie featuring her, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry, and Matt LeBlanc. The post broke the platform. So many people followed Jen’s account (supposedly, she got to a million followers is 12 seconds, a Guinness Book world record) that for a moment, Instagram malfunctioned, and it looked as if she had deleted her account. Thankfully, it was a false alarm, and as of Nov. 10, her first post has garnered over 15 million likes.