Interview: Jennifer Aniston on playing second fiddle to 22 dogs

Mar 13 2009 By Roz Laws

JENNIFER Aniston can’t help looking a little smug as she talks about the success of her latest film.

Marley & Me opened in America on Christmas Day, the same date as The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button – which just happened to star her ex-husband, Brad Pitt.

While Benjamin Button garnered 13 Oscar nominations, it was the tale of a cute labrador which triumphed when it came to takings.

Marley & Me smashed box office records on the way to the number one spot, taking $50 million over the holiday weekend and trouncing films starring Pitt, Ben Stiller, Tom Cruise, Jim Carrey and Will Smith.

And Jennifer must be thinking of Benjamin Button when she says: “The fact Marley & Me did as well as it did against big, high concept, beautiful movies is a sign of what people are hungry for – a simple story about a family and the journey they go on over 15 years.

“It’s such an accessible story and people are ready for that – to laugh really hard and cry really hard and to feel something.”

Jennifer says she thinks Marley & Me is the ideal film to lift our mood in a recession.

It’s not as if she has trouble finding work, but she admits the credit crunch has hit the film industry.

“They aren’t making as many movies – they are certainly cutting back. And it’s a lot harder for independent films to get released. Studios that would buy six to eight films at festivals are now maybe buying two.

“But I hope that people will go to see more movies in a recession – it takes their mind off stuff.”

It may be a grey day in London, but Jennifer looks every inch a golden girl with her tanned skin, caramel locks and gold jewellery. She’s in the forefront of fashion with a black jumpsuit and harem pants, though she seems uncomfortable in the strapless top, which she keeps hoicking up to avoid a “wardrobe malfunction”.