“Do NOT Google Jennifer Aniston’s parents.”
For Variety’s Actors on Actors series, Jennifer Aniston and Sebastian Stan gathered this week to speak about TV, acting, and the concept of celebrity in 2022.
Upon talking about Sebastian’s part as Tommy Lee and the musician leaked/stolen sex video with Pamela Anderson, Jen claimed that it was during this period, the late ’90s and early 2000s, that this mentality of being famous, only for being famous, emerged.
Source: Variety / Via youtube.com
She claimed that it happened, “right at the time when the internet really shaped a new culture about people becoming famous. This thing of people becoming famous for basically doing nothing. I mean — Paris Hilton, Monica Lewinsky, all those.”
Source: Variety / Via youtube.com
“I feel so lucky that we got a little taste of the industry before it became what it is today,” the Friend star continued.
Source: Variety / Via youtube.com
“More streaming services — you’re famous from TikTok, you’re famous from YouTube, you’re famous from Instagram.”
Source: Variety / Via youtube.com
“It’s almost, like, it’s diluting the actor’s job,” Jennifier went on.
Source: Variety / Via youtube.com
Those remarks infuriated some people, who pointed out that Jennifer’s parents, John Aniston and Nancy Dow, were both famous actors.
jennifer aniston (nepotism baby) wants to talk about diluting the actors job. right. https://t.co/ODZtBDzDVU
— sk (@kirkxxs) June 13, 2022
mind you, her parents are actors. https://t.co/bcqe2RboIU
— Ivyprofen 💊✨ (@IvyKungu) June 13, 2022
do NOT google jennifer aniston parents https://t.co/eZQDqFhYPa
— sony walkman (@manic_posting) June 13, 2022
do NOT google jennifer aniston parents https://t.co/eZQDqFhYPa
— sony walkman (@manic_posting) June 13, 2022
Others pointed out that Jen’s meteoric climb to stardom was not necessarily based on merit:
Casting directors literally used to go up to pretty girls they randomly met and offer them roles if they ‘said’ they could act 💀 https://t.co/Fpc1XSvZk0
— 𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗖Ʊ𝗥𝗬 (@theeSNYDERVERSE) June 13, 2022
“i miss it when you could only get famous when you were already privileged and rich” thats what shes saying https://t.co/VTEs8fHupN
— mr. zendaya (@firstkilIer) June 13, 2022
back in my day you needed to WORK to get famous from an all-caucasian tv show set in new york city https://t.co/GMckkfCOQX
— neal (@ne_al_) June 13, 2022
Jen’s words, on the other hand, did not go over well in general:
people are so angry that the industry is more diverse, more inclusive of people from all backgrounds who had nothing but a phone to prop up to showcase their dream when their communities were probably underfunded and overlooked. let’s keep making em mad. https://t.co/HlcN2uedDB
— jordan • they/them (@jd_occasionally) June 13, 2022
they’re so mad they can’t gatekeep the title of celebrity to stay in their weird nepotism Hollywood elite 💀 https://t.co/2VdahZGDxd
— ember ☭ (@bimbomarxistt) June 13, 2022
