CULTURE

Jennifer Aniston Reveals Which Anchor She Based Her The Morning Show Character On

Aniston returns to television.


CHANEL Dinner Celebrating Our Majestic Oceans, A Benefit For NRDC
Rich Fury

Twenty-five years after the end of Friends, Jennifer Aniston is returning to television in a role she based on another leading lady of the small screen: Diane Sawyer. In The Morning Show, an upcoming series from Apple, Aniston plays the co-host of, well, a morning show, and recently revealed to InStyle that Sawyer was a major inspiration for the character, saying, “I’ve known Diane for years, and I had the joy of getting to pick her brain when I was doing research for the show. Diane’s always been so elegant and classy.” She also hung around the Good Morning America set at five in the morning as part of her research for the role, though we have to imagine lunch with Sawyer was more fun.

In the same article, Aniston says she and co-star/co-producer Reese Witherspoon were also galvanized by the #MeToo movement and its subsequent effect on Hollywood. “The show was always about the abuse of power, and women and sexism. We sold it in the summer, and then Harvey [Weinstein] happened in the fall,” says Aniston of the timing, adding, “Reese and I were like…‘The show is writing itself.’ It was as if the universe were begging for this patriarchal society to be exposed. It’s crazy.”

Speaking of patriarchy, double standards and sexism, the actress also noted that “you look great for your age” is perhaps not the kind compliment it’s intended to be. Having just crossed the threshold into the 50 and over category, Aniston says, “I don’t feel any different. Things aren’t shutting down in any way. I feel physically incredible. So it’s weird that it’s all of a sudden getting telegraphed in a way that’s like, ‘You look amazing for your age.’ I think we need to establish some etiquette around that dialogue and verbiage.”

Maybe that dialogue can happen on the show. Aniston says the series will “[look] at the ways in which we’ve all normalized [sexist] behavior and how we’re all by-products of our environment, having grown up with sexism encoded in our messaging, however extreme or subtle.” Sounds like Sawyer will be proud.

Related: Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston Star in the First Teaser for Apple’s The Morning Show

Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler: Speed Trap

#### Click

#### #### NEXT

#### for all shopping information.

Photographer: Steven Klein Stylist: Alex White

1. Fendi’s silk jersey dress, $1,540, at Fendi, New York, 212.759.4646, Beverly Hills, 310.276.8888, and Bal Harbour, Florida, 305.861.7114. 2. Prada’s vinyl and hemp clutch with crystal detail, $995, at select Neiman Marcus stores. 3. Agent Provocateur’s polyester and elastic garter belt, $100, at agentprovocateur.com 4. Wolford’s nylon hosiery, $45, at [neimanmarcus.com](http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod97030013&par entId=cat19580731&masterId=cat000106&index=5&cmCat=cat000000cat000001cat0000 09cat000097cat000106cat19580731).

Photographer: Steven Klein Stylist: Alex White

#### Click

#### #### NEXT

#### for all shopping information.

Photographer: Steven Klein Stylist: Alex White

1. Agent Provocateur’s polyester and elastic garter belt, $100, at [agentprovocateur.com](http://www.agentprovocateur.com/lingerie/suspenders/info/love-suspender~blac k) 2. Wolford’s nylon hosiery, $45, at [neimanmarcus.com](http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod97030013&par entId=cat19580731&masterId=cat000106&index=5&cmCat=cat000000cat000001cat0000 09cat000097cat000106cat19580731) 3. Lanvin’s silk satin shoes with chains, $1,073, at Lanvin, Bal Harbour, Florida, 305.864.4254. 4. Dolce & Gabbana’s silk jacquard bodysuit, $1,150. 5. David Yurman’s watch, $4,500, davidyurman.com 6. Dolce & Gabbana’s silk lace jacquard culottes, $995. 7. Dolce & Gabbana’s necklace, $425. 8. Dolce & Gabbana’s silk lace top, $1,595. For shopping information on all Dolce & Gabbana pieces, call 877.70.DGUSA

Photographer: Steven Klein Stylist: Alex White

#### Click

#### #### NEXT

#### for all shopping information.

Photographer: Steven Klein Stylist: Alex White

1. Munnu/The Gem Palace’s platinum, aquamarine and diamond earrings, price upon request, 212.861.0606. 2. Dolce & Gabbana’s cotton and polyester shirt, $375, 877.70.DGUSA. 3. Carine Gilson Lingerie Couture’s silk bra, $495, and silk lace briefs, $340, at Agent Provocateur, New York, 212.965.0229, and Los Angeles, 323.653.0229; Neiman Marcus, Beverly Hills, 310.550.5900. 4. Stella McCartney’s garters, $75, at Stella McCartney, New York, 212.255.1556, and Los Angeles, 310.273.7051, and at lilleboutique.com 5. Alberta Ferretti’s silk chiffon dress, $1,695, at Alberta Ferretti, Los Angeles, 310.652.9000. 6. Wolford’s hosiery, $45, at [neimanmarcus.com](http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod97030013&par entId=cat19580731&masterId=cat000106&index=5&cmCat=cat000000cat000001cat0000 09cat000097cat000106cat19580731) 7. Bates’s boots, $125. 8. Lanvin’s shoes, $1,195, at Lanvin, Bal Harbour, Florida, 305.864.4254

Beauty Note: Aniston smolders in the sunset with Dior Beauty DiorSkin Airflash Spray Foundation in #300; 5-Colour Eyeshadow in Stylish Move; Le Crayon Khôl pencils in Black and Magenta Brown; DiorShow Iconic Mascara in Black; DiorBlush in Rosebud; and Rouge Dior Replenishing Lipcolor in Rita Beige.

Hair by Chris McMillan/Solo Artists; makeup by Lucia Pieroni/Streeters for Clé de Peau Beauté; manicures by Ashlie Johnson/The Wall Group; men’s grooming by Jamie Taylor/The Wall Group for La Mer. Set design by Arabella Serrell; production by North Six. Photography assistants: Tristan Fitzpatrick, Dominick Sheldon, Sebastian Mader, Sigurd Widenfalk and Kaita Takemura. Fashion assistants: Kathryn Typaldos, Katie Casamassimo and Andy Salmen.

Photographer: Steven Klein Stylist: Alex White
Photographer: Steven Klein Stylist: Alex White

Aniston on W’s February 2003 cover.

Click here to read what she had to say about signing on for her 10th season of “Friends,” her budding film career and her tough times with husband Brad Pitt. (“Is he the love of my life?”)

Click here to read our 2003 interview. (Here’s what she had to say about the current state of her fame: “It’ll be interesting to see if it dies down at all once ‘Friends’ is over.”)

Click here to read the our 2003 story. (“If there’s one thing I’m proud of, it’s that I’ve finally gotten over not liking myself,” she told us then. “It took me 10 years to really notice, Wow, you’re not really nice to yourself, are you?”)

Photographer: Michael Thompson Stylist: Joe Zee

Vintage Jennifer Aniston! The rising star on W‘s November 1999 cover.

Click here to read our interview with the fashion world innocent. “I remember thinking ‘couture’ was a designer,” she told us. “I thought, wow, this guy is everywhere — on every label! That’s how much I know.”

Click here to read our 1999 story.

Editor’s note: Photo at left is distorted (we had to scan an old issue). Jennifer did not have those giant wrinkles in 1999!

Photographer: Michael Thompson Stylist: Joe Zee

Click here to read our 1999 interview with the young star. Back then, this is how W’s Merle Ginsberg described Aniston: “She may have the so-called Sexiest Man Alive as her boyfriend, but she’s still a woman others can relate to.”

1/13