Big, one sixth of the ensemble cast of NBC's stellar sitcom Friends, has practically become a friend to the millions of viewers tuning every Thursday night. Born on February 11, 1969 in Sherman Oaks, California and raised in New York, Aniston was no stranger to the world of acting. She was the daughter of John, a regular on the daytime soap Days of Our Lives and Nancy, an actress and model, as well as goddaughter of the late Telly Savalas. In high school, Aniston was a member of the drama club, which sparked her decision of pursuing a career as an actress. Among her acting talent, one of Aniston's passions is painting, and one of her creations was even displayed in New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art when she was 11.

A graduate of New York's High School of Performing Arts, Aniston worked in the off-Broadway productions For Dear Life and Dancing on Checker's Grave. Her first television break finally came in 1989, when Aniston got a part as a regular on Molloy. It took a while for Aniston to get roles, until her agent suggested she lose some weight. Unfortunately, none of her television gigs were anything worth catching, as most of the shows were not big hits. Does anybody remember catching The Edge and the television adaptation of Ferris Bueller on the boob tube? Among the more successful shows that featured Aniston included a recurring role on Herman's Head, as well as an appearance on The Larry Sanders Show, Partners, Burke's Law, and Quantum Leap.

Aniston's big break came in 1994, when she was cast as Rachel Green on the sitcom Friends, part of NBC's "Must See TV" line-up. The always fashionable, sometimes ditzy and loyal friend, Rachel became a household name, as viewers (mostly female) would anxiously watch to see if Ross and Rachel would finally get together. Aniston became known for her hairstyle, which eventually became known as the Rachel 'do and became practically the standard hairstyle among women.

Big web sites and shrines cropped up all over the Internet, dedicated to the actress who was even revered by Beavis and Butt-head. Aniston's other "digital" role include a role on an interactive CD-ROM directed by Steven Spielberg and co-starring Quentin Tarantino titled Movie Maker.

Joining the trend of Friends' cast members working on the big screen (Aniston boasts the most movie roles of the cast), she starred in small low-budget films, including She's the One, co-starring Cameron Diazand which required Aniston to work on the film on weekends off from taping Friends; 'Til There Was You; Dreams for an Insomniac; and Picture Perfect, co-starring Kevin Bacon Paul Ruddwas Aniston's gay roommate and the object of Aniston's affection in 1998's The Object of My Affection, which was her first lead role, and to date her most successful among moviegoers. She most recently starred in the comedy Office Space, directed by the creator of Beavis and Butt-head and King of the Hill.

Joining the ranks of fellow beauties Tyra Banksand Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Aniston and fellow Friend Lisa Kudrowproved they Got Milk by showing off their milk moustaches for the famous milk ad campaign, promoted education in a public service announcement for NBC, and joined the rest of the cast of Friends to promote Diet Coke. Aniston has been romantically linked to Tate Donovan and is presently the envy of many women as Brad Pitt's new wife