The past year has seen a wealth of much-publicized change in the life and career of Jennifer Aniston, ShoWest's Female Star of the Year honoree. The curtain came down on her NBC comedy series "Friends" after 10 celebrated seasons and an Emmy and Golden Globe for her role as Rachel Green. Then in January, the announcement that she was separating from Brad Pitt after four years of marriage lit up a subsequent tabloid feeding frenzy. To say the least, her post-"Friends" life has been a decided challenge, motivating the actress to take some time off to regroup and reassess. Aniston and her estranged hubby continue to be partners in their Plan B Entertainment production company that has Warner Bros. Pictures' "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," directed by Tim Burton, due this summer and the upcoming Martin Scorsese crime thriller "The Departed," starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg, in preproduction, among other projects in various stages of development. Then there is her own big-screen career, which has included rave notices for 2002's "The Good Girl," 2003's "Bruce Almighty" and 2004's "Along Came Polly." This year, the 36-year-old Aniston has her own slate of new releases, including the Rob Reiner-helmed Warners' project "Rumor Has It," co-starring Kevin Costner and Shirley MacLaine, and the Miramax thriller "Derailed" opposite Clive Owen. Aniston spoke recently with Ray Richmond for The Hollywood Reporter about the importance of time away from the showbiz grind and why she's looking forward to the future.

The Hollywood Reporter: You have two films coming out this year and a third, "Friends With Money," scheduled for 2006. Is that your way of taking time off?
Jennifer Aniston: No really, I haven't been busy aside from a little bit of acting and a few things I'm working on for Plan B. Otherwise, I've honestly been really careful to make an effort to stop and smell the roses. With all of the rain we've had lately in L.A., there has been a bunch of 'em.

THR: Still, your last movie came out more than a year ago, and you wrapped "Friends" almost exactly a year ago. With that in mind, what do you think was the driving force in your being named Female Star of the Year?
Aniston: To be honest, I've been wracking my brain trying to figure that out myself. When I found out they were honoring me with this award, I was like, "You are? Are you sure you didn't go down one name too far on the call sheet or something?" But I don't want to sound too neurotic and unworthy. I'm always really critical of myself and my work -- too much, I'm sure. But I'm very happy to be getting this award, so I'll just work on being thankful. It will definitely inspire me to work harder.

THR: When you're working, that is.
Aniston: Exactly. And that will hopefully be soon. But it's just an amazing luxury to be able to pick and choose and do it on my own time. It's wonderful.

THR: Does it ever feel weird not to have the "Friends" set to go to every day anymore?
Aniston: Absolutely. It was so much a part of my life for a decade. You can't help but feel a kind of void. I mean, that was the greatest job I ever had and maybe ever will have. The hours were great, the people were great, the work was always top-notch -- you can't really beat that. But you know, you can't stay in that comfort zone forever. You've got to move it and switch it up and see what happens.

THR: Are you still in touch with your co-stars?
Aniston: All the time. I just saw Courteney (Cox) last night. I've spoken to all five of them in the past month. They've all been great lately. That bond we all had together -- it wasn't phony; that was real, and it's forever.

THR: How are you doing personally these days?
Aniston: Well, anybody who hasn't been living under a rock knows what has been happening. But I'm really good. I'm blessed. I feel like I'm right where I'm supposed to be and happy to be right here. There's always farther to go and more to do and mountains to climb; that's what I look forward to.

THR: Do you ever worry that by building downtime into your work life as you have lately, you're at risk of dropping below the radar -- particularly after all of those years of being in America's living rooms every Thursday night?
Aniston: You know, if I fade out that quickly, I shouldn't be in this business to begin with. I've just decided that I refuse to be a workaholic. When I do work, I love it and do it as hard as I can. I'm still not over just how lucky I am to have had the jobs I've gotten. As actors, we get to play house and pretend and make people feel good. I mean, I would have been OK with just being a waitress who goes on auditions on the side, you know? So, everything beyond that is just a nice cherry on top.

THR: But I don't imagine you have any intention of going back and waiting tables, huh?
Aniston: Not right now, not that there's anything wrong with that. I just don't think that's part of the master plan.

THR: What's in that master plan? Anything you can discuss?
Aniston: Nothing really that specific. I have a couple of toes in the water, like five projects in the works that may or may not happen. I'm still not in that category of women whom things just kind of come easily to. But it's all good. I've finally realized that doing what makes me happy is the most important thing and all that I really owe to myself.