‘Second chances are exciting!’ Jennifer Aniston opens up about embracing her life and career during her 50s

There’s no denying Jennifer Aniston, 51, is having something of a rebirth when it comes to her career.

Although she’s been one of the world’s most high-profile stars for more than 25 years, Jen finally broke away from her iconic Friends character Rachel Green with her award-winning appearance in The Morning Show last year. Outside work, Jen and ex-husband Brad Pitt sent fans into a frenzy when they were reunited at the SAG Awards – the first time they’d been pictured in public together since their split in 2005.

Meanwhile, Friends fans have been asking 'Are Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer dating?'

It seems that Jen’s new appreciation for second chances comes from realising that life is still exciting and she’s still in control. She said, ‘Women have stood up and said, “We’re mad as hell, and we’re not going to take it anymore!”’

Expanded horizons

Despite her incredibly youthful looks, like many women, Jen feels she is often judged on her age – or, at least, was, until she decided not to play by those rules anymore. When discussing playing the role of a mother, Jen confessed she was once told, ‘Don’t play a mum, and if you do, make sure it’s to a three-year-old!’

But she added, ‘That’s not the case anymore. So many of those women were put out to pasture when they were 40, and the fact that we get to still be working and are actually coming into our most creative adventures ever at this point in our lives – we’re rewriting the narrative that society sort of plastered on us.’

During a chat with her close friend Sandra Bullock for Interview magazine, Jen also opened up about experiencing a second round of huge success with The Morning Show, after her time in Friends.

In the interview Sandra noted that, ‘As women, we don’t often get second chances!’ to which Jen responded, ‘Yes. And isn’t that exciting?’

Reunion rumours

Speaking of second chances, the rumour mill went into overdrive when Jen and Brad, 56, met up on the red carpet at the SAG Awards in January. Since then there has been many reports that the former golden couple are already back together but, as we previously revealed, while Jen and Brad are in fact closer than ever, they are taking things slowly. A source told us, ‘Jen and Brad don’t want to jinx anything, which is why they’re being so secretive and publicly sticking with the official line they’re not dating yet.’

Brad has even joked about the media attention on them. Speaking on the red carpet at the Golden Globes, he said, ‘I’ll run into Jen, she’s a good friend.’ Referencing the long-awaited Friends reunion, Brad added, ‘The second most important reunion of her year, I understand?’

But it seems even those closest to the former couple are hoping their strengthened friendship will blossom into a second chance. Our insider added, ‘None of their friends are fooled and the ones closest to them are in the loop about what’s really going on. Basically, at this point, some are saying that anything could happen.’

Future plans

It may be a time in Jen’s life where anything really could happen. After decades of false pregnancy reports, she’s confessed that

she does see children in her future. When asked by Sandra what’s left on her bucket list, Jen said, ‘It’s not what I see myself doing, but it’s more like a little screenshot in my brain, where I see the ocean, I hear laughter, I see kids running [about], I hear ice in a glass, I smell food being cooked. That’s the joyous snapshot in my head.’