Jennifer Aniston Rejected 'SNL' Because It Was 'MaleDominated,' Says Her Father Pushed Her to 'Get a Real Job' and Not Act: 'You're Just Going to Suffer Rejection' Zack SharfOctober 21, 2025 at 10:06 PM 0 Gilbert Flores/Variety Jennifer Aniston recently appeared on the "Armchair Expert" podcast and ...
- - Jennifer Aniston Rejected 'SNL' Because It Was 'Male-Dominated,' Says Her Father Pushed Her to 'Get a Real Job' and Not Act: 'You're Just Going to Suffer Rejection'
Zack SharfOctober 21, 2025 at 10:06 PM
0
Gilbert Flores/Variety
Jennifer Aniston recently appeared on the "Armchair Expert" podcast and remembered her father, the late actor John Aniston, urging her not to follow in his professional footsteps. John Aniston starred on the soap opera "Days of Our Lives" for nearly four decades.
"My dad was telling me, 'Please don't do this, you're just going to suffer rejection,'" Aniston said. "'Just go get a job. Like, get a real job.' All the cliché things. [But] whatever drives you, if you find passion in something and you love it, go do it."
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Aniston said it was only natural for her to want to pursue the same professional career as her father, and rejected the notion of being a "nepo baby."
"I mean, look at all the law firms. Blanky Blank Blanky and Blanky Blank. I mean, all right, isn't that a version of it's all in the family? It's all in the family," Aniston said. "So, maybe you got into a door because you're so-and-so's kid, but if you suck, guess what? You're not going to continue to do it."
Aniston told Vanity Fair earlier this year that she became an actor despite her father's protests, then spent the majority of her career trying to win him over, adding: "Always wanting to get Pop's approval — it was the thing that drove me."
Fortunately for Aniston, she wouldn't have to suffer too much rejection in Hollywood after her career exploded thanks to NBC's "Friends." But right before landing the role of Rachel Green, Aniston turned down another NBC comedy institution: "Saturday Night Live."
"I always thought I was such hot shit. The story of that is all very confusing," Aniston said when "Armchair Expert" host Dax Shepard asked why she turned down "SNL."
"Honestly, today I'd have to ask Lorne, because I remember, I was in New York City, and I had a meeting with Lorne Michaels, and I ran into [Adam] Sandler and [David] Spade in the room right outside. And I knew Sandler forever," Aniston said. "I don't know why I had this self-righteous attitude of 'I don't know if women are treated the way they should be treated on this show. It's a very male-dominated [show], I would love to be here if it was in the Gilda Radner day.' I mean, this is the brain that semi-remembers things that are back that far. Something like that. I can't remember, but I just remember 'Friends' then happened."
Watch Aniston's full interview on the "Armchair Expert" podcast in the video below.
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