Jennifer Aniston is a household name now – but before she landed her big break on Friends, the actress was ordered to lose 30lbs if "she wanted to stay in Hollywood", according to a new book about the show. In the biography, which celebrates the 25th anniversary of the popular US sitcom, author Saul Austerlitz revealed the tough sacrifices Jennifer, who was told that she was "too fat" for many roles on offer, had to make to beat other hopefuls in LA.
In his new book, Generation Friends: An Inside Look at the Show That Defined a Television Era, Saul wrote: "She had to lose thirty pounds if she wanted to stay in Hollywood. Los Angeles was a tough place to be an actress - it was a tough place to be a woman - and Jennifer Aniston’s agent was reluctantly levelling with her." Saul continued: "Aniston was hardly fat - everyone could see she was beautiful - but as the show she would one day become indelibly associated with later made a point of noting, the camera added ten pounds."
© Photo: Getty ImagesJennifer was told to lose 30lbs to make it in Hollywood
MORE: Friends is hitting the big screen for 25th anniversary
The 50-year-old addressed the tough critique she received when she first landed in LA during a 1996 interview with Rolling Stone magazine. Jennifer admitted she had to cut out certain foods, including mayonnaise sandwiches on white bread, which she called "the most delicious thing in the world".
© Photo: RexJennifer's weight loss came shortly before she landed her iconic role of Rachel Green in Friends
MORE: This is who told Simon Cowell he needed to lose weight
She said: "My agent gave it to me straight. Nicest thing he ever did... The disgusting thing of Hollywood - I wasn’t getting lots of jobs 'cause I was too heavy." Despite the harsh words, the Rachel Green actress admitted she has been thankful that the comments made her change her diet. She said: "I was like, 'What?!' But my diet was terrible. Milkshakes and French fries with gravy. It was a good thing to start paying attention."
Like this story? Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.
