Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston attends a special screening of her new film, "Cake," on November 23, 2014 in West Hollywood, Calif.
The Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning actress, best known for the long-running sitcom "Friends," is executive producer and star of a new comedy-drama about a subject rarely examined on screen: chronic pain.
By CBSNews.com senior producer David Morgan
"Cake"
Left: Jennifer Aniston and Chris Messina in "Cake."
Aniston plays a woman suffering from chronic pain. She's out of friends, addicted to painkillers, and suicidal.
Aniston told CBS News' Lee Cowan, "I was really ready to just disappear and really go into the depths of a character."
"So where did all that come from?" Cowan asked.
"In me? Well, I'm pretty on the edge. I mean, I can cry at a Pampers commercial!" she laughed. "We collect our experiences and our own losses to varying degrees, our own pain, and you just access it."
Portrait
Jennifer Aniston told CBS News' Lee Cowan that the acting bug bit her at a very young age, despite the wishes of her father - himself an actor and star of the soap opera, "Days of Our Lives."
"He didn't want my heart to be broken. He just felt it was such a hard business and there was so much disappointment and so much rejection, and he just didn't want that for me."
Maybe, Aniston said, pursuing acting was her form of rebellion against her parents' wishes: "'Oh, yeah? I'm going to do that then. I'm going to try to be an actress.'"
She was accepted into Manhattan's LaGuardia High School, a prestigious school of performing arts, and before long was auditioning for stage roles.
Old Stomping Ground
Aniston returned with CBS News' Lee Cowan to the Jackson Hole restaurant on Manhattan's Upper West Side, where she once worked for two-and-a-half years. "I was the hostess. And then I was allowed to become a waitress, which maybe was not the best idea," she laughed.
"I was a little klutzy. I spilled a burger on someone once. It was not my best moment! It was an Alpine Burger which was huge. It was a lot of mushrooms, Swiss cheese."
"But the fact that you still remember spilling a burger on somebody--" said Cowan.
"You'll just never forget. That scars you for life!"
"Ferris Bueller"
When she turned 20, Aniston moved to Los Angeles, where her life in TV began. Her first sit-com was called "Molloy." It only lasted one season, as did her next role on "Ferris Beuller" (left), playing the sister of the title character.
"You were getting all these pilots, though, that just never seemed to go past a couple of episodes," said Cowan.
"Didn't matter to me," Aniston said. "I mean, I was just working. I was excited to be working."
"Friends"
And then, of course, came "Friends," starring Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green, a role that made her famous.
The show, which co-starred Courtney Cox, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow and Matt LeBlanc, ran on NBC for 10 seasons, earning 63 Emmy nominations and six Emmy Awards. It's been a staple of syndication ever since.
"Friends"
Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer are shown in a scene from the NBC series, "Friends."
"Friends"
Cast members from the television comedy "Friends" - Matthew Perry, Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer - pose with their award at the 26th People's Choice Awards in Pasadena, Calif., January 9, 2000.
"Friends"
"Friends" star Jennifer Aniston holds her Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series, at the 54th Annual Emmy Awards, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on September 22, 2002.
"Friends"
Actors Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow pose backstage at the 29th Annual People's Choice Awards at the Pasadena Civic Center January 12, 2003 in Pasadena, Calif.
"The Object of My Affection"
Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd starred in "The Object of My Affection," a 1998 romantic comedy about the domestic relationship between a single, pregnant social worker and a gay man.
Jennifer and Brad
Actor Brad Pitt arrives at the premiere of his film, "Fight Club," with Jennifer Aniston in Los Angeles, Calif., October 6, 1999.
The two, who married in 2000, were among the most-photographed couples in Hollywood.
Paparazzi
Photographers wait for actor Brad Pitt and his wife, actress Jennifer Aniston, to exit a furniture store on October 12, 2002 in Beverly Hills, California.
Police had to escort the couple safely out of the store back to their car.
Jennifer and Brad
Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt attend the 56th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, at the Shrine Auditorium September 19, 2004 in Los Angeles, Calif.
The following year, Aniston and Pitt were divorced.
"Rock Star"
In the dark comedy "The Good Girl" (2002), Jennifer Aniston is a married woman who begins a relationship with a co-worker (Jake Gyllenhaal).
"The Good Girl"
In the dark comedy "The Good Girl" (2002), Jennifer Aniston is a married woman who begins a relationship with a co-worker (Jake Gyllenhaal).
"Bruce Almighty"
Jim Carrey is a TV reporter who becomes God for a week, and Jennifer Aniston is, for a week, God's girlfriend, in the 2003 comedy, "Bruce Almighty."
"Along Came Polly"
Jennifer Aniston plays a free-spirit who is dangerously attractive to the meek-ish Ben Stiller in "Along Came Polly" (2004).
"Along Came Polly"
Jennifer Aniston and Ben Stiller arrive at the U.K. premiere of "Along Came Polly" at the Empire Leicester Square on February 18, 2004 in London.
"Derailed"
In the 2005 thriller "Derailed," Jennifer Aniston is a woman who becomes entangled in an affair, blackmail plot and murder involving her lover (Clive Owen, left), and an extortionist (Vincent Cassel).
"Rumor Has It"
Jennifer Aniston arrives at the premiere of "Rumor Has It" at Grauman's Chinese Theater on December 15, 2005 in Hollywood, Calif.
Academy Awards Party
Jennifer Aniston arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party at Mortons on March 5, 2006 in West Hollywood, Calif.
"Friends With Money"
Written and directed by Nicole Holofcener ("Enough Said"), "Friends With Money" starred (from left) Joan Cusack, Catherine Keener, Jennifer Aniston and Frances McDormand, about the friendship of four women of different financial means.
"The Break-up"
The 2006 comedy "The Break-up," about a couple's downhill relationship, starred Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughan, who became a couple at the time of shooting - and who broke up after the film's release.
"Marley & Me"
They say never act with animals or little children, but Jennifer Aniston starred opposite an adorable puppy in the film version of the bestselling memoir, "Marley & Me."
"He's Just Not That Into You"
The ensemble romantic-comedy "He's Just Not That Into You" (2009) featured Jennifer Aniston and Ben Affleck as a couple who split up after seven years when he refuses to get married.
"Horrible Bosses"
In Seth Gordon's black comedy "Horrible Bosses" (2011), Jennifer Aniston played a randy, raunchy dentist who sexually harasses her assistant (Charlie Day).
Toronto International Film Festival
Adriana Barraza, Jennifer Aniston, Anna Kendrick and Sam Worthington pose at the "Cake" press conference during the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival, September 9, 2014 in Toronto, Canada.
"Wanderlust"
The comedy "Wanderlust" (2012) reteamed Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd as a couple who partake of a trial run at the commune life.
"We're the Millers"
A drug dealer (Jason Sudeikis) hires a stripper (Jennifer Aniston), a thief (Emma Roberts) and his young neighbor (Will Poulter) to masquerade as a family traveling in an RV, in order to smuggle two tons of pot across the border, in "We're the Millers" (2012).
Justin and Jennifer
Actors Justin Theroux and Jennifer Aniston attend the 26th American Cinematheque Award Gala honoring Ben Stiller at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on November 15, 2012 in Beverly Hills, Calif.
"Life of Crime"
Based on the novel, "The Switch," by Elmore Leonard, "Life of Crime" stars Jennifer Aniston as a wealthy businessman's wife who is abducted in a kidnapping plot gone awry. The film co-starred John Hawkes, Will Forte, Tim Robbins, Yaslin Bey and Isla Fisher.
Academy Awards
Actress Jennifer Aniston arrives at the Oscars at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 24, 2013 in Hollywood, California.
"Horrible Bosses 2"
Jennifer Aniston recreated her role of Dr. Julia Harris in the sequel, "Horrible Bosses 2."
Justin and Jennifer
Actor Justin Theroux and actress-executive producer Jennifer Aniston attend the "Cake" cocktail reception at West Bar on September 8, 2014 in Toronto, Canada. The couple has been engaged for two years, but no wedding plans have been announced.
Toronto International Film Festival
Actress-executive producer Jennifer Aniston attends the premiere of "Cake" at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival, at The Elgin in Toronto, Canada, September 8, 2014.