Zion (Hebrew: ציון‎) (also transliterated Sion, Tzion or Tsion) is a place name often used as a synonym for Jerusalem.^[1][2] The word is first found in Samuel II, 5:7 dating to c.630-540 BCE according to modern scholarship. It commonly referred to a specific mountain near Jerusalem (Mount Zion), on which stood a Jebusite fortress of the same name that was conquered by David and was named the City of David. The term Tzion came to designate the area of Jerusalem where the fortress stood, and later became a metonym for Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, the city of Jerusalem and generally, the World to Come.

In Kabbalah the more esoteric reference is made to Tzion^[3] being the spiritual point from which reality emerges, located in the Holy of Holies of the First, Second and Third Temple.

Etymology[link]

The etymology of the word Zion (ṣiyôn) is uncertain.^{[1][2] [4]} Mentioned in the Bible in the Book of Samuel (2 Samuel 5:7) as the name of the Jebusite fortress conquered by King David, its origin likely predates the Israelites.^[1][2] If Semitic, it may be derived from the Hebrew root ''ṣiyyôn ("castle") or the Hebrew ṣiyya ("dry land," Jeremiah 51:43) or the Arabic šanā ("protect" or "citadel").^[1][4] It might also be related to the Arabic root ṣahî ("ascend to the top") or ṣuhhay ("tower" or "the top of the mountain").^[4] A non-Semitic relationship to the Hurrian word šeya ("river" or "brook") has also been suggested.^[4]

Orthography[link]

The form Tzion (Hebrew: ציון‎; Tiberian vocalization: Ṣiyyôn) appears 108 times in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), and once as HaTzion.^[5] It is spelled with a Tzadi and not Zayin.^[6] The commonly used form is an adopted mis-transliteration in English based on German orthography,^[7] where z is always pronounced [t͡s] (e.g. "zog" [t͡soːk]), hence "Tsion" in German literature. A tz would only be used if the preceding vowel is short, and hence use of Zion in 19th century German Biblical criticism. This orthography was adopted because in German the correct transliteration can only be rendered from the one instance of HaTzion in Kings II 23:17, where the a vowel is followed by a double consonant tz.

Biblical usage[link]

Some examples from the book of Psalms, which have been frequently recited and memorized by Jews for centuries, state:

• "By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Tzion." (Psalms 137:1)
• "For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Tzion. How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Raze it, raze it, even to the foundation thereof; O daughter of Babylon, that art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that repayeth thee as thou hast served us." (Psalms 137:3-8, italics for words not in the original Hebrew)
• "The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcast of Israel. Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Tzion." (Psalms 147:2,12)

The Daughter of Tzion[link]

Mentioned 26 times in the Tanakh, the Biblical phrase "Daughter of Tzion" (Hebrew "bat Tzion") is considered by some^[who?] to be referencing a small hill in Jerusalem (whether Mount Moriah, the Temple Mount, or another hill), with the location of the actual tall mountain (as described in the Psalms) remaining mysterious. Another cryptic verse, Zechariah 4:7, seems to refer to this hill, but is also ambiguous, depending on the punctuation. In Hebrew it reads "Mi attah Har-haGadol lifnei Zerubbabel l'mishor..."; the plain text has no punctuation, but the Masoretic Text puts a pause following Har-haGadol, to mean "Who are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel, [you will become just] a plain..." However, if the pause is placed following Zerubbabel, it would mean instead "What are you, "great mountain" before Zerubbabel? [You are just] a plain..." Since this hill is where Zerubbabel built the Second Temple, it appears to be a reference to the "Daughter of Zion" (the hill), as distinct from Tzion (the mountain).

However, "Daughter of Zion", and a variety of other names like "Daughter of Jerusalem", might also be interpreted as referring to Jerusalem and the Jewish people personified, instead of a geographical feature.^[8]

In the New Testament the Daughter of Zion is the bride of Christ, also known as the Church, according to the writer of the book of Hebrews (see Heb 12:22). In this sense the lower hill with the temple mount is of course the Daughter of Zion as a geographical or 'earthly' manifestation of spiritual reality, as well as the lively and alive place of the human congregation.

Naming the holy city "daughter Zion" was a common practice in the Hebrew language. Not only Jerusalem was called this way, but also Babylon, Tyre and Tarshish were referred to as "daughter".^[9]

Arab and Islamic tradition[link]

Sahyun (Arabic: صهيون‎, Ṣahyūn or Ṣihyūn) is the word for Zion in Arabic and Syriac.^[10][11] Drawing on biblical tradition, it is one of the names accorded to Jerusalem in Arabic and Islamic tradition.^[11][12] A valley called Wâdi Sahyûn (wadi being the Arabic for "valley") seemingly preserves the name and is located approximately one and three-quarter miles from the Old City of Jerusalem's Jaffa Gate.^[10]

The Kaaba in Mecca was also called Sahyun or Zion by Muhammed, the prophet of Islam.^[12] Islamic scholarship sees many passages of the Bible that refer to the desert or eschatological Zion as references to the holy site of Mecca.^[13] For example, the reference to the "precious cornerstone" of the new Jerusalem in the Book of Isaiah 28:16 is identified in Islamic scholarship as the cornerstone of the Kaaba.^[13] This interpretation is said by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyah (1292–1350) to have come from the People of the Book, though earlier Christian scholarship identifies the cornerstone with Jesus.^[13]

Zionism[link]

A World War I recruitment poster. The Daughter of Zion (representing the Hebrew people): "Your Old New Land must have you! Join the Jewish regiment".

The term "Zionism" coined by Austrian Nathan Birnbaum, was derived from the German rendering of Tzion in his journal Selbstemanzipation (Self Emancipation) in 1890.^[14] Zionism as a political movement started in 1897 and supported a 'national home', and later a state, for the Jewish people in Palestine. The Zionist movement declared the re-establishment of its State of Israel in 1948, following the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine. Since then and with varying ideologies, Zionists have focused on developing and protecting this state.

While Zionism is based in part upon Torah mitzvot linking the Jewish people to the Biblical land of Israel, the modern movement is largely secular. Indeed, until 1967 the Tzion of the Tanakh (the Old City of Jerusalem) was not even within the boundaries of Israel (although Mount Zion itself, was).

In 2005, Ralph Uwazuruike from Nigeria pushed for the creation of the already disputed state of Biafra for the Igbo people. He approached the Israeli government to support this movement on the basis that Israel is the long lost home of the Igbos.

Anti-slavery symbolism[link]

The Jewish longing for Zion, starting with the deportation and enslavement of Jews during the Babylonian captivity, was adopted as a metaphor by Christian Black slaves in the United States, and after the Civil War by blacks who were still oppressed. Thus, Zion symbolizes a longing by wandering peoples for a safe homeland. This could be an actual place such as Ethiopia for Rastafarians or Israel for some of the Igbos in Nigeria for example. For others, it has taken on a more spiritual meaning—a safe spiritual homeland, like in heaven, or a kind of peace of mind in one's present life.

Usage by the Rastafari movement[link]

In the Rastafari movement, "Zion" stands for a utopian place of unity, peace and freedom, as opposed to "Babylon", the oppressing and exploiting system of the western world and a place of evil.

For Rastafarians, Zion is to be found in Africa, and more specifically in Ethiopia, where the term is also in use. Some Rastas believe themselves to represent the real Children of Israel in modern times, and their goal is to repatriate to Africa, or to Zion. Rasta reggae is peppered with references to Zion; among the best-known examples are the Bob Marley songs "Zion Train", "Iron Lion Zion", the Bunny Wailer song "Rastaman" ("The Rasta come from Zion, Rastaman a Lion!"), The Melodians song "Rivers of Babylon" (based on Psalm 137:1,3,4), the Bad Brains song "Leaving Babylon", the Damian Marley song featuring Nas "Road to Zion," The Abyssinians' "Forward Unto Zion" and Kiddus I's "Graduation In Zion," which is featured in the 1977 cult roots rock reggae film Rockers. Reggae groups such as Steel Pulse and Cocoa Tea also have many references to Zion in their various songs. In recent years, such references have also crossed over into pop and rock music thanks to artists like MindZion, O.A.R. "To Zion Goes I", Sublime, Lauryn Hill, Boney M. ("Rivers of Babylon"), Black Uhuru "Leaving to Zion", Fluid Minds "Zion", Dreadzone with the reggae-tinged track "Zion Youth.", P.O.D. with song "Set Your Eyes to Zion" (but P.O.D. with a Christian viewpoint: Zion referring to the spiritual kingdom of God), Trevor Hall with song "To Zion", and Australian roots reggae outfit Vindan and The Zion Band, also Alcyon Massive (a reggae/psychedelic band in Southern Oregon) wrote a song titled "Zion" which is currently very popular. The rock band Rush also reference Zion/Babylon duality in the song "Digital Man" with the following lyrics: "He'd love to spend the night in Zion. He's been a long while in Babylon".

Latter Day Saint movement[link]

A similar metaphoric transformation of the term "Zion" occurs in the modern Latter Day Saint movement, originating in the United States in the 1830s. In this interpretation, Zion refers to a specific location to which members of the millennial church are to be gathered together to live. During that time the ancient city of Enoch, also named Zion, that was taken to Heaven will return to the Earth. A Temple is to be built unto the Lord for a sacred work to be performed and for the Lord Jesus Christ to reign when he returns at the Second Coming. Until the gathering of Israel (Gentile and Jew who have accepted Jesus as their savior), when the second coming of Jesus Christ.^{[clarification needed]}

Latter Day Saints also believe Zion to be their location congregations where they gather weekly to renew vows and covenants made to God the Father and to the Son of God.

In popular culture[link]

Zion is referenced in several media and entertainment groups. For example in music the band with the name Mind Zion also there are song titles such as "To Zion", a song by Lauryn Hill, "Road to Zion", by Damian Marley, "Iron Lion Zion" by Bob Marley, or the "Zion (David Bowie song)". It is referenced in the song "Pancake" by Tori Amos from her concept album "Scarlet's Walk". In film, Zion is a fictional human-controlled underground city in The Matrix (franchise). In literature, Zion is a space station in the 1984 cyberpunk novel Neuromancer.

In February 2011 the Iranian government issued a formal complaint, saying that Britain's 2012 Olympics logo spelled the word "Zion". They initially threatened to boycott the event if the "offensive" logo was not replaced.

Mount Zion today[link]

Dormition Church, situated on the modern "Mount Zion"

Today, Mount Zion refers to a hill south of the Old City's Armenian Quarter, not to the Temple Mount. This apparent misidentification dates from the Middle Ages, when Christian pilgrims mistook the relatively large, flat summit (the highest point in ancient Jerusalem) for the original site of the Jewish Temple. The Dormition Church (right) is located upon the hill currently called Mount Zion.

See also[link]

• Book of Micah
• New Jerusalem

References[link]

• Ludlow, D. H. (Ed.). (1992) Vol 4. Encyclopedia of Mormonism. New York: Macmillian Publishing Company.
• McConkie, B.R. (1966).Mormon Doctrine. (2nd ed). Utah: Bookcraft.
• (Online) Available http://www.lds.org.
• Steven Zarlengo: Daughter of Zion: Jerusalem's Past, Present, and Future. (Dallas: Joseph Publishing, 2007).

Further reading[link]

• Batto, Bernard F.; Roberts, Kathryn L. (2004). David and Zion: Biblical Studies in Honor of J.J.M. Roberts Eisenbrauns, USA. ISBN 1-57506-092-2.

Coordinates: 31°46′N 35°14′E / 31.767°N 35.233°E / 31.767; 35.233

Jennifer Aniston
Aniston at a ceremony to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in February 2012
Born	Jennifer Joanna Aniston[1][2] (1969-02-11) February 11, 1969 (age 43) Sherman Oaks, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1989–present
Spouse	Brad Pitt (2000–2005)
Partner	Justin Theroux (2011–present)

Jennifer Joanna Aniston (born February 11, 1969)^[3] is an American actress, film director, and producer. Aniston gained worldwide recognition in the 1990s for portraying Rachel Green on the television sitcom Friends, a role which earned her an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

Aniston has also enjoyed a successful Hollywood film career. She gained critical acclaim for her performances in the independent films She's the One (1996), Office Space (1999), The Good Girl (2002) and Friends with Money (2006).^[4] She has had her greatest commercial successes with the films Bruce Almighty (2003), The Break-Up (2006), Marley & Me (2008), Just Go with It (2011) and Horrible Bosses (2011).^[5] Aniston was selected for a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2012.^[6]

Early life[link]

Jennifer Aniston was born in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles^[7] to actors John Aniston and Nancy Dow.^[8] Her father is Greek and a native of Crete, while her mother was born in New York City. One of Aniston's maternal great-grandfathers was an Italian immigrant;^[9] her mother's other ancestry is Scottish, Irish, and a small amount of Greek.^[10] Aniston has two half-brothers, John Melick, her maternal older half-brother, and Alex Aniston, her younger paternal half-brother.^[7][8] Aniston's godfather was actor Telly Savalas, one of her father's best friends.^[7][8] As a child, Aniston lived in Greece for one year with her family. They later relocated to New York City.^[8] Aniston attended the Rudolf Steiner School in New York,^[11] and graduated from Manhattan's Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.^[7] She worked in Off Broadway productions such as For Dear Life and Dancing on Checker's Grave,^[8] and supported herself with several part-time jobs, which included working as a telemarketer, waitress, and bike messenger.^[8] In 1989, Aniston moved back to Los Angeles.^[12]

Career[link]

Television[link]

Aniston was cast in her first television role in 1990, starring as a regular on the short-lived series Molloy and in the TV movie Camp Cucamonga.^[13] She also co-starred in Ferris Bueller, a television adaptation of the 1986 movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off.^[13] The series, however, was quickly canceled.^[8] Aniston then appeared in two more failed television comedy series, The Edge and Muddling Through, and guest-starred on Quantum Leap, Herman's Head, and Burke's Law.^[13] After the string of canceled shows, along with her appearance in the critically derided 1992 horror film, Leprechaun,^[14] Aniston reportedly considered giving up acting.^[8]

Aniston's plans changed, however, after auditioning for Friends, a sitcom that was set to debut on NBC's 1994–1995 fall lineup.^[7][15] The producers of the show originally wanted Aniston to audition for the role of Monica Geller,^[15] but Courteney Cox was considered to be better suited to the role. Thus, Aniston was cast as Rachel Green. She was also offered a spot as a featured player on Saturday Night Live, but turned it down to do Friends.^[16] She played the character of Rachel from 1994 until the show ended in 2004.^[17][18]

The program was successful and Aniston, along with her co-stars, gained world-wide reputation among television viewers.^[7] Aniston received a salary of $1 million per episode for the last two seasons of Friends, as well as five Emmy nominations (two for Supporting Actress, three for Lead Actress),^{[19][20][21][22]} including a win for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.^[23] According to the Guinness World Book of Records (2005), Aniston (along with her female costars) became the highest paid TV actress of all time with her $1 million-per-episode paycheck for the tenth season of Friends.^[24]

In 2007, Aniston guest starred in an episode of Courteney Cox Arquette's series Dirt, playing Arquette's rival, Tina Harrod.^[25] She appeared in the third episode of Season 3 of NBC's 30 Rock playing Liz Lemon's old college roommate who stalks Jack Donaghy.^[26] On July 16, 2009, Aniston received an Emmy nomination in the category of Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her role on 30 Rock. Aniston was a guest star on the Season 2 premiere of ABC's sitcom Cougar Town, playing a psychiatrist.^[27]

Film[link]

While appearing on Friends, Aniston also started segueing into film roles. She made her film debut in 1992's Leprechaun, which was negatively reviewed by critics, but was commercially successful and gained a cult following. Following a four year hiatus from cinema, Aniston returned to film work in 1996, when she played supporting roles in the independent films Dream for an Insomniac, and She's the One, alongside Edward Burns and Cameron Diaz. Aniston's first starring vehicle was the film Picture Perfect (1997), in which she starred opposite Kevin Bacon and Jay Mohr. While the film received mixed reviews, Aniston's performance was more warmly received, with many critics suggesting that she had screen presence.^[28] During the second half of the 1990s she starred in several films such as the ensemble romantic film 'Til There Was You (1997) with Dylan McDermott and Sarah Jessica Parker, The Thin Pink Line (1998), the animated feature The Iron Giant (1999), and the critically acclaimed comedy Office Space (1999). She gained critical acclaim for her performances in The Object of My Affection (1998), a comedy-drama about a woman who falls for a gay man (played by Paul Rudd),^[29] and in the low-budget 2002 film The Good Girl, playing an unglamorous cashier in a small town. The latter film opened in relatively few theaters—under 700 in total—taking $14M in the U.S. box office.^[30]

Aniston, with Steve Zahn, at the premiere of Management (2008)

Aniston's biggest box office success to date was her appearance in 2003's Bruce Almighty, in which she played the live-in girlfriend of Jim Carrey's title character.^[31] Aniston then starred in the 2004 film Along Came Polly opposite Ben Stiller.^[32] In late 2005, Aniston appeared in two major studio films, Derailed and Rumor Has It….^[33][34] In 2006, Aniston appeared in the low-budget drama Friends with Money, which was first shown at the Sundance Film Festival and received a limited release.^[35] Aniston's next film, The Break-Up, which was released on June 2, grossed approximately $39.17 million during its opening weekend, despite lukewarm reviews.^[36] In 2006, Aniston directed a hospital emergency room-set short film called Room 10, starring Robin Wright Penn and Kris Kristofferson as part of Glamour's Reel Moments film series.^[37] Aniston noted that she was inspired to direct by actress Gwyneth Paltrow, who also directed a short film in 2006.^[38]

On December 25, 2008, Marley & Me, in which Aniston starred alongside Owen Wilson, was released. It set a record for the largest Christmas Day box office ever with $14.75 million in ticket sales. It earned a total of $51.7 million over the four-day weekend and placed #1 at the box office, a position it maintained for two weeks.^[39] The total worldwide gross was $242,717,113.^[40] Her next film in wide release, He's Just Not That into You, where she starred opposite Ben Affleck, opened in February 2009. The movie made $27.5 million, ranking #1 at the box office in its opening weekend.^[41] While the film received mixed reviews, Aniston, along with Affleck, Ginnifer Goodwin, and Jennifer Connelly, were often praised by critics as being the stand-outs in the film.^[42][43]

In March 2010, Aniston appeared in The Bounty Hunter, which costarred Gerard Butler. While the film received scathing reviews from critics, it was a modest box office success, garnering over $130 million worldwide.^[44] A lukewarm box-office reception greeted her next film, The Switch, in which she co-starred with Jason Bateman. The film's opening weekend drew what The Hollywood Reporter dubbed "a dispiriting $8.4 million".^[45] The film received generally mixed reviews, with review site Metacritic showing 13 out of 30 critics delivering a positive verdict.^[46]

By June 20, 2010, Aniston's movies had grossed more than $1 billion in the United States and over $1.7 billion worldwide.^[47] Aniston's Just Go with It, with Adam Sandler,^[48] was released on Valentine's Day weekend in 2011.^[49] The story is about a plastic surgeon, played by Sandler, who asks his office manager, played by Aniston, to pose as his wife, to prove his honesty to his much younger girlfriend, played by Brooklyn Decker.^[50] Also in 2011, Aniston starred in the comedy movie Horrible Bosses, with Colin Farrell, Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, and Jamie Foxx, directed by Seth Gordon. The film focuses on a trio of employees who plot to murder their titular tyrannical supervisors. Aniston played one of the bosses, a sexually aggressive dentist who harasses Charlie Day's character.^[51]

Aniston at the London premiere of Horrible Bosses (2011)

In 2012, Aniston appeared in Wanderlust with Paul Rudd,^[52] with whom she co-starred in the 1998 movie The Object of My Affection and also Friends.^[53] The script, bought by Universal Pictures,^[54] was written by Rudd, Ken Marino, and David Wain, with the latter also directing the film, and was produced by Judd Apatow.^[55] The movie was about a married couple who join a commune after losing their money and deciding modern life is not for them.^[56]

EUE/Screen Gems Productions is expected to start work on We're the Millers in Summer 2012 in the Wilmington, North Carolina area. Aniston and Jason Sudeikis star in the comedy about a drug dealer with a fake family.^[57]

Other work[link]

Aniston has appeared in various commercials and music videos. In 1996, she was in Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers music video for "Walls". In 2001, Aniston was in Melissa Etheridge's music video for "I Want To Be In Love". She was cast in a Heineken commercial which was later banned in the U.S. due to branding issues.^{[citation needed]} Aniston has also been in commercials for L'Oreal hair products. In 1995, Aniston and her Friends co-star Matthew Perry shot a 60-minute instructional video for the release of Microsoft's new operating system, Windows 95.^[58] Along with Brad Pitt and Brad Grey, CEO of Paramount Pictures, Aniston founded the film production company Plan B Entertainment in 2002,^[59] although she and Grey withdrew in 2005.^[60][61] In 2008, she and partner Kristin Hahn formed the production company Echo Films.^[62]

Aniston worked for over a year on a new perfume, which was released on July 21, 2010, at Harrods in London.^[63][64] Original plans called for the perfume to be named Lolavie by Jennifer Aniston, but to avoid confusion with a similarly named perfume, the name was changed to simply Jennifer Aniston.^[65] In an interview following the launch, Aniston said that she would also like to create a fragrance for men.^[66]

Since 2007, Aniston has worked in a publicity campaign for the drink SmartWater; on March 7, 2011, she released a YouTube video, titled "Jennifer Aniston Goes Viral", for SmartWater, tripling online interest in the product within 24 hours of the release.^[67][68][69]

Philanthropy[link]

Aniston is a supporter of Friends of El Faro, a grassroots non-profit organization that helps raise money for Casa Hogar Sion, an orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico. She has appeared in many TV commercials for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, which she supports. She also hosted September 2008's Stand Up to Cancer show.^[70]

In the "It Can't Wait" campaign to free Burma, Aniston directed and starred in a video.^[71]

On April 14, 2007, Aniston received GLAAD's Vanguard Award for her contributions to increased visibility and understanding of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.^[72] On Earth Day 2010, she joined Courteney Cox, Woody Harrelson, Ben Stiller and others in "The Cove PSA: My Friend is..."^[73] an effort to stop the slaughter of dolphins and protect the Japanese people from the toxic levels of mercury found in dolphin meat. Other charities that Aniston has supported include AmeriCares, Clothes Off Our Back, Feeding America, EB Medical Research Foundation, Project A.L.S., OmniPeace, and Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network.^[74]

Aniston donated $500,000 to Doctors Without Borders, Haitian health care provider Partners in Health and AmeriCares,^[75][76] and also participated in the megastar-studded Hope for Haiti Now telethon.^[77][78]

Personal life[link]

Aniston at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival

In May 1998, Aniston began dating actor Brad Pitt. They married on July 29, 2000, in a private wedding ceremony in Malibu.^[79] For a few years, their marriage was considered the rare Hollywood success.^[8] However, the couple announced their separation on January 6, 2005.^[80] Pitt and Aniston were seen together publicly after announcing their separation, even at a dinner party for Aniston's 36th birthday, and friends of the couple had declared they were reconciling.^[81] Aniston, however, filed for divorce on March 25, 2005.^[2] It was finalized on October 2, 2005.^[82] During this period there was intense speculation in the media that Pitt had been unfaithful to Aniston with his Mr. & Mrs. Smith co-star, Angelina Jolie.^[83]

In the following months, the public's reaction towards the divorce was reported in the press. The story became the headline news of media shows such as Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood, and made the front-pages of tabloid magazines for years, continuing till this day. 'Team Aniston' and 'Team Jolie' T-shirts appeared, with 'Team Aniston' shirts out-selling the 'Team Jolie' shirts 4:1.^[83] Aniston revealed that her divorce prompted her to reach out to her mother, Nancy, from whom she was estranged for nearly a decade. They initially became estranged when Nancy spoke about her daughter on a television show and later wrote a book entitled, From Mother and Daughter to Friends: A Memoir (1999).^[84][85] Aniston has also stated she was devastated by the death of her longtime therapist, whose work helped make her separation from Pitt easier.^[38] Aniston said her relationship with Pitt, which she does not regret, was "seven very intense years together" and that "it was a beautiful, complicated relationship."^[86]

Aniston and Pitt's former Santa Barbara residence

After her divorce, Aniston began a relationship with actor Vince Vaughn, with whom she co-starred in The Break-Up. Relationship troubles were reported in September 2006, followed by a confirmed split in December of that year.^[80] She dated British model Paul Sculfor for a few months in 2007.^[87] In February 2008, she began dating singer John Mayer.^[80] The couple broke up in August, but they resumed the relationship in October before splitting again in March 2009.

In May 2011, Aniston began a relationship with Justin Theroux. She sold her Beverly Hills mansion in July 2011 for $38 million. In January 2012, Aniston and Theroux purchased a home in Los Angeles’s Bel-Air neighborhood for roughly $22 million.^[88]

Aniston has had two septoplasties to correct her deviated septum—one which was incorrectly done in 1994 and the second in January 2007.^[89]

Aniston is the godmother of Coco Riley Arquette, the daughter of her good friends, actors Courteney Cox and David Arquette.^[90]

In the media[link]

In 2007, Forbes rated Aniston as one of the top 10 richest women in entertainment and estimated her net worth to be about $110 million.^[91] Aniston was also included in the annual Star Salary Top 10 of trade magazine The Hollywood Reporter for 2006.^[92] According to Forbes, in October 2007, Aniston was the top-selling celebrity face of the entertainment industry.^[93] She was also Hollywood's most profitable actress. Aniston has been on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list, based on "earnings and fame", every year since 2001, topping the list in 2003.^[94] For the year of 2008, Forbes listed Aniston's earnings as $27 million.^[95]

In 2005, Aniston became the first-ever GQ Woman of the Year. She has appeared on People's annual list of The Most Beautiful every year since 1995, and came in at #1 in 2004. She also topped the magazine's Best Dressed List in 2006. She has been a regular on FHMs 100 Sexiest Women list since 1996, ranking at #79 in 2012, #81 in 2010, #24 in 2009 and #27 in 2008.^[96] In 2011 The Telegraph reported the most sought after body parts of the rich and famous revealed by two Hollywood plastic surgeons who carried out a survey among their patients to build up the picture of what the perfect woman would look like. Under the category of the most sought after body shape Aniston was voted in the top three alongside Gisele Bundchen and Penelope Cruz.^[97] In the same year, readers of Men's Health magazine voted Aniston the "Sexiest Woman of All Time".^[98]

Although Aniston disliked the hairstyle she wore during her first two years on Friends, "The Rachel" became and remains very popular among women.^[2]

Filmography[link]

Aniston at the premiere of He's Just Not That Into You in February 2009

Director[link]

Producer[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

Aniston has won multiple awards during her career, and has been recognized for her work in both television and movie productions.