Ten Things You Never Knew About Jennifer Aniston

Rex Features

Since shooting to stardom playing the ditzy Rachel in Friends, Jennifer Aniston has become one of the most talked-about women in the world. We've watched her get married and get divorced. We've been there through the rumours of pregnancies, proposals, fall outs and relationships. But tabloid fascination makes it easy to forget that the perfect-haired one is a Golden Globe-winning actress with a serious knack for comedy. That looks set to change with next week's big release Marley & Me which has already done big box office business in the US. Keep reading for ten intriguing facts about everyone's favourite girl-next-door.

1. Jennifer Karen Aniston was born on February 11, 1969, in Sherman Oaks, California to Days Of Our Lives star John Aniston and former actress Nancy Dow. She has two half-brothers called Alex and John.

2. She attended New York's Fiorello H. La Guardia School of Performing Arts (otherwise known as the Fame school). Other notable students include Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and Adrien Brody - do we see an Oscar in her future?

3. Displaying her creative talents at an early age, Aniston had a painting displayed at the Metropolitan Museum Of Art in Manhattan when she was just 11. Impressive!

4. She may be an international style icon now, but the actress admits that she favoured a less groomed look in high school. "[I had a] mini-mohawk, just above my ears and lots of liquid eyeliner," she confesses.

5. Before she became famous, she worked as a receptionist, waitress, telemarketer and bike messenger, as well as trying her hand in an advertising agency, skin-care centre and an ice cream shop!

6. Jennifer has appeared in three music videos: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers's 'Walls', The Rembrandts' 'I'll Be There For You' and 'I Want To Be In Love' for close friend Melissa Etheridge.

7. She has two dogs: Norman, a corgi-terrier mix, and Dolly, a white German shepherd. "If there was a way to put Norman in a movie [I'd do it]," she says. "Because his expressions are just perfect. I want to do a short film called ‘Cut to Norman’ and just have all these little vignettes, and then we could cut to Norman."

8. Despite her globe-trotting lifestyle, she suffers from a fear of flying. "I know there's a whole theory behind it and aerodynamics," she rationalises. "[But] still, it's a big, heavy plane!"

9. In 2005, Finnish songwriter Anssi Kela wrote a song called 'Jennifer Aniston' about the actress appearing in her recurring dreams after a paper mill is shut down. Well, that makes sense....

10. She may have a seemingly perfect life, but if she could swap places with someone who would it be? "I would love to be Oprah, for just one day," she admits. "[Or] I’d be a spy. A very glamorous spy who plays poker and lives in Monaco. And has affairs with Daniel Craig." Sounds good!