Jennifer Aniston

In addition to her star-making role as Rachel on the iconic sitcom Friends, Jennifer Aniston has proven her worth on the big screen with great performances in The Good Girl (2002), Along Came Polly (2004), Derailed (2005), The Break-Up (2006), and will appear in He's Just Not That Into You (2008).

Jennifer Aniston was born into a famous family. Her father, John Aniston, has been a cast member of Days of Our Lives since the mid-'80s, and her mom was a model and part-time actress. And even though John Aniston had a successful acting career, he was reluctant about Jennifer's desire to go into acting. Well, it's safe to say she proved him wrong.

After roles in failed TV shows, like Molloy and Ferris Bueller, and mediocre films,  like the slasher flick Leprechaun (1993), Jennifer landed the part of a lifetime in 1994. As Rachel Green, the spoiled Long Islander who leaves her husband at the altar and ends up working at Central Perk, Jennifer Aniston and her five Friends costars quickly became the biggest stars on television.

In the meantime, Jennifer appeared in films like She's the One (1996), Picture Perfect and Office Space (1999). Although she was seen on the big screen, she was never considered a box-office draw... until she married A-list actor Brad Pitt in 2000. Suddenly, Aniston could be seen everywhere, in magazines, tabloids, tabloid shows, and in the front seat at fashion shows.

In 2002, Jennifer starred in The Good Girl and proved that she could be more than "Rachel" -- she even downplayed her looks for the role. Because of her work in the film, Jennifer received Best Actress nominations courtesy of the Independent Spirit Awards and the Golden Satellite Awards. The following year, she returned to comedy and starred as Jim Carey's girlfriend in the summer blockbuster Bruce Almighty.

In 2004, Jennifer became the object of Ben Stiller's affection as a flaky cocktail waitress and salsa dancer in Along Came Polly.

After months of media speculation (and shots of Jennifer and Brad alone at premieres), the couple formally announced their separation in January 2005. And though the harsh tabloid spotlight clearly took its toll on Jennifer, she parlayed that attention into extra box-office receipts when her film The Break-Up with Vince Vaugn opened in 2006 to huge numbers. Thanks to her work in the film, Jennifer picked up the 2007 People's Choice Award for Favorite Female Movie Star.

According to Forbes in October 2007, Jennifer Aniston was the top-selling celebrity face of the entertainment industry.