Jennifer Aniston Life of Crime Interview Justin Theroux

Photo: BEImages/Matt Baron.

Jennifer Aniston has more than transcended Friends. You could even argue that of the six pals who hung around Central Perk, only Aniston has truly broken through on the big screen. While the press is busy yammering on about her personal life — yes, she's engaged; no, she isn't pregnant...moving on, please — Aniston's racked up a roster of impressive film credits.

She proved she can do comedy in Horrible Bosses, and she shone in indie flicks like The Good Girl. Aniston's latest is a caper flick called Life of Crime (in theaters August 29), based on Elmore Leonard's The Switch. Here, the actress talks about getting into the swinging '70s, her costars, and what's next. (Hint: It's not her wedding.)

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How'd you like the film's '70s vibe and costumes? “It was a lot of fun to wear all of that polyester and the handkerchiefs around the neck. My favorite piece of the wardrobe was these sunglasses. I basically look like my mom. I pulled out a lot of her old pictures and just tried to rock the old Nancy Aniston 1970s look.”

How did you prepare for the tough physical scenes?

“I didn’t prepare. I just let them hurt me. Turns out it's the best way to get a real reaction. We also worked a lot on that ski mask [I had to wear]. It was lined with silk. I mean, it's a lot to deal with to convey emotion when everything that usually does is covered up. It was really fun for me, though."

Talk about your great chemistry with Will Forte.
“I don’t think you can force it or create it. We got along instantly when we met. We were both interested in the very subtle, odd, not-even-love story. I think good chemistry is chemical, man, I don’t know how you make it.”

How about your rapport with Tim Robbins? “He’s a lovable — teddy bear is an understatement. He’s a towering figure for sure, so for those scenes it was kind of really intense but awesome to play, especially toward the end when she really kind of grows a good set of balls and just takes him over. It was fun to have him beat me up a little bit.”

What are your long-term career goals?
“Direct, absolutely. That’s the next thing I want to take on. I’ve done a few short films that I just loved the experience of doing. I’m just waiting for that wonderful window and that wonderful script, and that will be the next thing for me.”

Any particular genre you’re interested in?

“I wouldn’t say horror film or like a Matrix kind of a thing...I don’t think you want to see my directorial version of that. I love the human experience, I love human beings, behavior, and relationships. It will probably have something to do with that.”