Jennifer Aniston recently revealed she once rejected an offer to join Saturday Night Live before her breakout role on Friends. The 56-year-old actress discussed her "moralistic" reasons for turning down the iconic sketch comedy show.
Aniston candidly shared her perspective during an upcoming episode of Dax Shepard’s "Armchair Expert" podcast. She admitted to having a "very confusing" recollection of the event.
"I always thought it was ‘the big c**‘," Aniston stated, reflecting on her initial impression of SNL*. She emphasized her memory of the details was not entirely clear.
She recalled a meeting with SNL creator Lorne Michaels in New York. There, she encountered Adam Sandler and David Spade in an outer room.
Aniston confirmed she knew Sandler well before Friends. She attributed their acquaintance to Sandler’s friendship with Charlie Schlatter, who starred in the TV adaptation of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
Her main concern about SNL revolved around gender dynamics. Aniston questioned how women were treated on the show, describing it as "a very male-dominated program."
"I don’t know why I had this moralistic attitude," she explained. She expressed a desire for the show to have been more like the era of Gilda Radner.
Despite her initial refusal, Aniston eventually hosted Saturday Night Live twice. She took on hosting duties in 1999 and again in 2004.
Aniston previously discussed her early conversation with Lorne Michaels in 2021 with The Hollywood Reporter. She recounted telling him, "I hear that women aren’t respected on this show."
She also told The Howard Stern Show in 2019 that she was a "silly young girl" at the time. Aniston described the program as a "boys’ club" but also acknowledged her youthful audacity in confronting Michaels.
Saturday Night Live continues to air on NBC on Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET.