After captivating audiences for a decade as Rachel Green on Friends, Jennifer Aniston didn’t fade into the background like many sitcom stars might have. Instead, she took that momentum and channeled it into a multifaceted career that spanned genres, platforms, and audience demographics. From romantic comedies to dramatic roles and eventually a powerful return to television, Aniston’s post-Friends journey has been one of reinvention and resilience. But in a recent interview, she shocked fans by revealing the project she considers her most successful—not in terms of box office numbers or awards, but in personal and professional fulfillment. And it wasn’t what many expected.

Following the 2004 finale of Friends, Aniston hit the ground running. Her first major film post-Rachel was Rumor Has It in 2005, quickly followed by The Break-Up, which paired her with Vince Vaughn and solidified her as a rom-com staple. Over the next few years, she starred in a string of popular comedies including Marley & Me, He’s Just Not That Into You, The Switch, and Just Go With It, often drawing audiences with her trademark mix of charm, comedic timing, and vulnerability. While she was regularly labeled the queen of romantic comedies, Aniston never allowed herself to be pigeonholed.

She began taking on more challenging and diverse roles, dipping into pure comedy with Horrible Bosses and its sequel, as well as Wanderlust and We’re the Millers, which pushed her comedic sensibilities into more outrageous and daring territory. But in 2014, she made a dramatic pivot with Cake, a raw, introspective film that showcased her acting range like never before. Her portrayal of Claire, a woman struggling with chronic pain and grief, earned her nominations for a Golden Globe and a SAG Award. Though Cake wasn’t a commercial hit, it was widely considered a turning point in her career—a declaration that Jennifer Aniston was far more than Rachel Green.

Her ventures into producing also began to take shape around this time. She executive produced The Yellow Birds, Dumplin’, and Murder Mystery, all of which were released through streaming platforms and signaled her adaptability to an evolving entertainment industry. She reunited with Adam Sandler for Murder Mystery, a Netflix original that became one of the platform’s most-watched titles in its first month. Still, none of these projects would be the one she’d later describe as her proudest success.

That title, surprisingly, went to The Morning Show, her 2019 return to television. The Apple TV+ series, in which she plays Alex Levy, a veteran morning news anchor caught in the fallout of her co-host’s #MeToo scandal, was an ambitious and emotionally layered drama. Starring opposite Reese Witherspoon and Steve Carell, Aniston didn’t just act—she also served as executive producer, a role that allowed her to shape the tone and vision of the series from the ground up.

In a recent interview, Aniston reflected on her career and shocked fans when she said, “The Morning Show is the most important project I’ve ever done. It’s the one I’m most proud of.” For audiences who had watched her soar through box office hits and adored her as the quirky girl-next-door, this revelation was unexpected. But her reasoning made perfect sense. “It pushed me,” she explained. “Emotionally, intellectually, professionally. It was the first time I felt like I was finally using everything I’ve learned—about acting, about storytelling, about being a woman in this business.”

Indeed, The Morning Show gave Aniston the space to portray a character with nuance and depth, grappling with power, fear, ethics, and identity in the face of public scandal. Her performance earned her a Screen Actors Guild Award and widespread acclaim. It was the kind of role that demanded more than comedic timing or on-screen charisma—it required introspection, rage, compassion, and vulnerability. And it was her moment to prove she wasn’t just part of an ensemble—she could carry a dramatic series on her own.

Looking at Aniston’s journey, it becomes clear why The Morning Show stands out to her. While Friends made her a household name, and her many films established her as a reliable box office draw, it was The Morning Show that gave her full creative control, serious dramatic respect, and a platform to tell stories that matter in today’s cultural climate. It was beyond what many fans would have expected from the actress once best known for coffee shop jokes and sitcom romances.

Jennifer Aniston’s career has been anything but predictable. And as she continues to evolve and surprise audiences, she proves that the best may still be ahead of her. Her idea of success has shifted from box office numbers to impact, challenge, and authenticity—and that’s perhaps the most Rachel Green thing of all.