Some say she's lucky. Others say she's under rated. Those who peg her as ordinary have missed that Jennifer Aniston, 33, is beautifully complex. Her eyes are stunning aqua-blue and her famed head of sun-kissed hair frames a small, softly tanned face. Inside, as I found when I met with Aniston in L.A., she's discovering a wonderful personal journey of growth and fulfilment. Even with her marriage to Brad Pitt in 2000, which threw her into the larger, more scrutinizing spotlight of being the honey of one of Hollywood's hottest heartthrobs, Aniston is relaxed and open. Late summer's The Good Girl (20th Century Fox) received rave reviews for the comedian and, as the Friends cast usually head off toward more familiar film territory--comedy--post-season finale, Aniston seems to exude a natural talent for drama. Perhaps the fact that she is bicoastal in nature--born in laid-back California but raised in 24/7 New York--gives her the dual capabilities of juggling drama and comedy. Or maybe it's just in her blood: her father is Greek-American soap actor John Aniston (originally Anastassakis), her infamous/estranged mother, Nancy, is a former model, actor and photographer, her half-brother, John Melick, is an assistant director and her godfather was none other than "who loves ya, baby?" Telly Savalas of Kojak fame. And, after nine years on Friends, Aniston feels it's time to move on.

Dagmar Dunlevy: In The Good Girl, you play an average, drab-looking woman. What's it like for you to see yourself like that up on the wide screen?

Jennifer Aniston: I don't usually have an easy time of watching anything I've done, In The Good Girl, it was a good sign to me that I was able to make it through (watching) without cringing. I'm proud of it. And it didn't bother me seeing my relaxed-seat jeans at all. [Smiling]

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DD: What's your position on nudity and love scenes?

JA: [The Good Girl] was my first time ever. I was a movie virgin. It was really painless and it lasted about 10 minutes. It was awkward, of course. It's never a comfortable thing, even just having a make-out scene with someone. We had our chastity pillow between us. All the protection in the world...your underwear. I mean, we were pretty much as naked as we had to be, but not naked. I think that if it's not gratuitous and if it serves the story, love scenes can be beautiful. In Full Frontal, there one of the most beautiful love scenes I've seen in a long time.

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DD: Did you discuss the nude scenes with Brad before you shot them?

JA: No. Just like, "Oh, God. I've got that tomorrow. It's scary." "Oh, don't worry." [Brad assured her]

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DD: Films like The Good Girl and Tadpole are only recent ventures into the older woman/younger man territory. Why is there still an uncomfortable feeling attached to the topic?

JA: Because I think it's taboo. Women don't do that. That's what the men do, right? That's the cliche, I guess. It's also a formula that Hollywood's been very comfort able with. I love that this is being explored. Women get better as they get older, truthfully. And I think youth is wasted on the young [laughing].Young Jake [Gyllenhaal from The Good Girl] was saying how men's sexual peaks happen at that time and women's sexual peaks happen at that time.

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DD: The Good Girl also touched on how heading in one direction can change the entire course of a life. What decisions determined where you are today?

JA: Well, there was my decision to extend my vacation and not go back to New York, I kept extending my vacation for about three months. I was doing a job when I got Friends. I had two other jobs and they weren't going to let me go to do Friends. I remember doing a photo shoot with the cast and having to stand out of some photos just in case this other show got picked up. I went and fought and sat with the producer and basically begged for him to just let me out of this show that was called Muddling Through. I remember having a girlfriend call me and say, "I'm auditioning for your part on Friends because I heard you're getting replaced. Could you help me with the audition?" And I was, like, "God! No! Not yet. Let's just wait till all the nails are in the coffin." And then [decision] about Friends and moving on was a big one, too, and will be a big one,

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DD: Another good decision had to be to accept a blind date with Brad Pitt.

JA: [Smiling] Well, it wasn't exactly a blind date. Our managers, our friends [set that up]. And, of course, that was a great decision.

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DD: That first date, was there some magic chemistry?

JA: Yes!

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DD: Was he wondering if it was love at first sight?

JA: Yes.

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DD: You knew that it was?

JA: We had a good idea. We had a good feeling, but you always have... you never know. But there was something, definitely something different.

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DD: How do you like Brad with all that hair on his face? Do you enjoy kissing him?

JA: [Laughs] Well, I just love kissing him! The beard is just it's a necessary evil. It's gotten a lot softer because it's grown past that point where it stabs you.

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DD: What do you enjoy doing most together?

JA: To just sit at home and work in the same room together. We paint, although I haven't done that in a while. We'll read scripts or we'll read books or watch movies. Quiet dinners. Game night with our friends.

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DD: And what about horseback riding?

JA: [That] has happened once and I made an absolute fool of myself and I will never get on a horse again. No, I will be getting on a horse again, but I won't be wearing flip-flops.

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DD: What happened?

JA: Brad, of course, can get on a horse and do everything. And I felt the need to show everybody when they asked me to come horseback riding--even though it had been 15, 20 years since I'd been on one. They gave me a horse whose leg had just healed after being broken. He had a very bad twitch when he came toward water. He would start to do a side step. It was insane. So we took this trail that had little dips and this creek and every time he saw the water, he would charge it, do a side step, charge into and Christ...! Oh, there was a camel ride, too, but that was even more ridiculous. I end up being the comic relief, ultimately. There's nothing graceful about me and animals. [Laughs]

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DD: It must be nearly impossible for you and Brad to go out in public. Do you ever wish for the days when you were anonymous and did what you wanted to?

JA: Of course. I'm very thankful for what I have, but I would love to have a vacation where we're not...[but] you have to set a precedent. We have laws that are supposed to protect us from those things. It's unfortunate, and one of those icky parts of what we do [being in the public eye]. Growing up in New York and being mugged as many times as I have, I get scared when there's somebody following me and I don't know if they're going to be friendly or a psycho fan. You don't know. So that's the unfortunate thing, that I get just terrified.

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DD: Do you go out in disguise?

JA: Do you mean wigs and stuff? No. I haven't tried that. Hats and glasses. The [fans] have radar.

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DD: And what about the Internet rumours that have you doing a cameo in the Guy Ritchie/Madonna film Swept Away?

JA: This is funny because I've been asked about it several times. But no, I've never worked with Madonna or Guy Ritchie. I'm credited? Is this a goof? I hope I'm good in the movie! [Laughs] But, no, I don't know anything about it.

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DD: Do you have a vested interest in changing things?

JA: Yes. I think it's very important to be aware, keep your eyes open and know what's going on. At the same time, I'm also a creature of habit. But change, when it's necessary, is always a good thing. I'm amazed--the biggest commitment I've ever had is Friends. Longest thing I've stuck to.

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DD: When you gave birth on Friends and they put the baby in your arms, it was reported that you really did burst out in tears.

JA: That moment [when I cried] was real, yes. I cried because there was a 20-day-old infant with jelly smeared on its face. That was truly the most disturbing thing to me. It had to be done and this little angel was so good and didn't cry until, of course, cold jelly is being smeared all over his face. That's where that came from. I'm an emotional per son. My husband calls me a leaker. That reality of the scene of Ross and Rachel and here's a baby...I'm a sucker for that. I just got sucked into it and it moved me.

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DD: Any clues as to where the show will go this season?

JA: I don't know. You got me.

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DD: And what about having your own kids?

JA: Well, we definitely want to and at some point, probably in the next year or two, we will go down that road.

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DD: Brad has always expressed an interest in landscaping and he wanted to be an architect. [He and his eastern-inspired gar den appeared in an issue of House & Garden last year.] What do you think about his taste?

JA: I love his taste. He's more modern and streamlined about the future and I'm more Old World and classic. We kind of merged them together--a nice combo. [Smiles] He likes the structure and I like to fill it up. I do the inside and he does the outside.

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DD: Do you ever disagree?

JA: Sure! We fight it out. Whoever's standing wins! [Laughs]

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DD: Everybody can use a dose of self- improvement and reflection. What do you and your husband do to bring out the best in each other?

JA: My self-help stuff is as simple as sitting and watching the sunset or taking a hike. Carving time out of my day to really do those things for myself and connect with nature. And reading. I'm always loving to read books on the self. I find it fascinating. As far as Brad and myself, we're just good mirrors for each other. We're honest with each other and we do, I feel, bring out the best in one another. We're also not shy to say when we're not bringing out the best in each other. It's all very give-and-take in that way.

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DD: What has kept you so grounded and sincere?

JA: I really do think you have to have a solid sense of who you are. I live for my chosen family, so to speak, because I've known them for 12 years--since I moved here--and I think if you're at all unstable, you could buy into all of this stuff of the business. It can breed such awful behaviour and entitlement and terrible stuff I've witnessed and I've met people who I wished I'd never met. But that comes with everything, I think. Power can be very seductive and this business is very seductive.

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DD: So you weren't seduced by the Hollywood myth?

JA: I was seduced. I wanted to work. I actually never really thought I would truly make it, considering my acting teachers were always telling me that I'm a disgrace to the theatre. [Laughing] In the two years that I lived in New York after school and I was waitressing and auditioning, I got maybe two jobs. I got a Bob's Big Boy commercial, then a part in a play. I couldn't even get close to Broadway. I was always off-off-off-Broadway, but I was still happy. Then, I moved to California and I got a job. I didn't have many expectations. I didn't think I was destined for greatness. I was just kind of destined for happiness.