Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston have been entertaining audiences for decades, coming to fame in the 1990s with, of course, Friends for the latter and several iconic movies for Witherspoon, including Cruel Intentions, Election and Pleasantville. The two continue to have success today, but that looks a lot different than it did back then. The stars of The Morning Show recently opened up about how hitting their 40s was a turning point for them, including how the wisdom gained from age and experience affected their careers and the show they both executive produce.
Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon have known each other a long time, with Witherspoon even guest starring as Rachel Green’s younger sister Jill on two Season 6 episodes of Friends. Their relationship continues today as co-stars of The Morning Show (available to stream with an Apple TV+ subscription), and they spoke to Harper’s Bazaar ahead of the show’s third season premiere. Aniston, who is thriving at 54 years old, explained the mindset change that occurred when she reached her 40s, saying:
There’s something about getting into your 40s where you just go, ‘I don’t have to fight this anymore. I don’t care.’ Fighting for your narrative? You are your narrative, so just trust in that.
It seems the past decade or so of Jennifer Aniston’s life has been a little less embattled, and she’s allowed authenticity to lead the way. That frame of mind has also influenced the way the Murder Mystery actress views aging in Hollywood, as she’s accepted the fact that she’ll always have her critics.
It’s all about filtering out what doesn’t matter, and Reese Witherspoon said for her that liberation from other people’s opinions also came in her fourth decade. The Legally Blonde actress said:
I think you start to realize there’s a finite amount of time that you have to accomplish what you want to accomplish in this world and that worrying about other people’s opinions of you is a waste of your precious time. It’s a liberation in your 40s to feel free of other people’s opinions. I mean, they’re always there. They just don’t matter as much to you, and it’s a great feeling.
I’m sure age does have a lot to do with the actresses finding more self-confidence and not seeking as much validation from outside voices, but they also shouldn’t discredit the work they’ve done to take the reins on their careers, producing many of their projects. Reese Witherspoon also has created opportunities for other women through her production company Happy Sunshine, in which women have been offered more nuanced roles than she saw growing up, in stories written by women.
The Morning Show is a good example of that, as the workplace drama inspires those nuanced conversations about real-world issues like COVID, the #MeToo movement, workplace relationships and racism. It won’t be too long before we get a third dose of what Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon are dishing out, with The Morning Show’s third season set to premiere on September 13. In the meantime, you can check out some of the other best shows on Apple TV+, and keep up with all of the upcoming premieres with our 2023 TV schedule.
