The Friends star might now be worth a reported $320 million, but her early life looked very different.
Born in Sherman Oaks, California, Aniston grew up in New York City surrounded by crumbling buildings and dangerous streets.
She has opened up about her tough New York childhood during a sit-down with Dax Shepard.
On Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, the actress described her childhood as gritty, unusual, and sometimes frightening.
“There Was A Sniper In One Of The Abandoned Buildings”
When Shepard asked what her childhood in New York was like, Aniston gave a shocking description.
“We lived in this building on 92nd in Columbus,” she recalled.
“But the block between Columbus and Amsterdam and then Amsterdam Broadway, that was all abandoned buildings.”
Aniston then revealed how dangerous it could get: “I was on a bus by myself at 11. Can you imagine? Just by yourself, throw your key in your sneaker and ‘see ya mom’.”
Even more shocking, she said: “I had to sometimes walk around the block because there was a sniper in one of the abandoned buildings.”
She admitted that this bizarre reality was “just normal” at the time.
Mugged On The Streets But “Didn’t Feel Fear”
As Aniston grew older, the threats became even more personal.
“As I got older I was mugged,” she said. “I was mugged a couple of times.”
Despite these scary encounters, Aniston insisted she never let fear control her.
She explained that she still regularly walked home alone late at night.
“I didn’t feel fear,” she stressed, adding she even returned home at midnight on her own.
Her stories paint a picture of resilience, growing up tough in an unpredictable environment.
Childhood Trauma Impacted Her Adult Relationships
This isn’t the first time the actress has spoken about her early years.
She has also discussed the breakdown of her parents’ marriage, which left lasting scars.
Her mom and dad, Nancy Dow and John Aniston, divorced while she was young, shaping her view of relationships.
“I think that it comes from growing up in a household that was destabilized and felt unsafe,” she told WSJ in 2023.
She continued: “Watching adults being unkind to each other, and witnessing certain things about human behaviour that made me think: I don’t want to do that.”
“I don’t want to be like that, I don’t want to experience this feeling I’m having in my body right now. I don’t want anyone else that I ever come in contact with ever to feel that.”
Life And Love Today
Aniston’s adult life has been closely followed by fans worldwide.
She has been married twice — first to Brad Pitt and then to Justin Theroux.
Now 56, she is dating Jim Curtis, a hypnotist, author, and life coach.
The pair have been linked since July this year, and fans are eager to see where it leads.
From growing up near abandoned buildings and muggings to Hollywood success, Aniston’s story proves she’s tougher than many realize.
Featured image credit: Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
