Aniston, who graduated from New York’s LaGuardia High School of Music & Performing Arts (aka the Fame school) in 1987, poses for a portrait in the ‘80s.

One of Aniston’s earliest roles was on the Ferris Bueller’s Day Off television series—which got canned after only one season. Here she’s seen sitting beside her co-stars Charlie Schlatter, Brandon Douglas, and Ami Dolenz, during a promotional shoot for the show.

Aniston briefly dated her Ferris Bueller co-star, Schlatter, during the early ‘90s. The two were photographed out on a date at Spago, Wolfgang Puck’s celeb-loved Beverly Hills restaurant.

Besides Ferris Bueller, Aniston also appeared in the TV movie Camp Cucamonga and seven episodes of Molloy, a comedy series that also starred Mayim Bialik.

In 1992, the young actress had her first-ever movie role in Leprechaun, a horror-comedy fantasy flick. During a 2021 video interview with InStyle, Aniston shared that she was afraid the film would negatively affect her acting career.

A year later, she acted in an episode of Burke’s Law, a television series that aired on CBS.

In 1994, Aniston starred in yet another short-lived sitcom, Muddling Through, as Madeline Drego, the daughter of Stephanie Hodge’s character Connie Drego, an ex-convict who returns to her family.

Later that year, Aniston landed the role of a lifetime as Rachel Green in the television series Friends. However, Aniston almost didn’t star in the iconic show. During an interview on SiriusXM’s Gayle King in the House, Aniston shared that her other series during the time, Muddling Through, was set to be renewed for a few more episodes. After hearing this, the Friends producers started auditioning other actresses as a backup.

Aniston was catapulted to superstardom after Friends began airing in 1994 due to the excellent dynamics that she and the whole ensemble cast shared right off the bat. Here, she’s pictured attending one of NBC’s press tour parties in 1995.

The actress appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 1995 to promote Friends. The musical guest that night was James Ingram.

Aniston and her Friends co-star, David Schwimmer, attended the Hollywood premiere of Before Sunrise amid their Friends fame. The movie, which was a buzzy mid-’90s romance drama directed by Richard Linklater, stars Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy.

Aniston attended the 21st Annual People’s Choice Awards in Universal City with her Friends co-stars. The group won the Favorite New Television Comedy Series award that night.

A year later, Aniston starred in Picture Perfect along with Kevin Bacon. Here, she’s pictured between scenes during a location shoot in New York City with her then-boyfriend, Tate Donovan.

Aniston also went to the 1996 Golden Globe Awards with her Friends co-stars, and looks fabulous alongside Lisa Kudrow. The show was nominated for Best Musical/Comedy Series, but lost to Cybill.