Jennifer Aniston Slams The Hollywood Career Over Motherhood Narrative

Jennifer Aniston is done staying silent about the widespread speculations about her personal affairs, particularly her reproductive life.

Before the Hollywood veteran came clean about her IVF struggles, she frequently made headlines for pregnancy speculations and sparked scrutiny for not embracing motherhood like her peers.

The narrative took a cruel turn, with some blaming the actress for her failed marriage to actor Brad Pitt. Jennifer Aniston was accused of prioritizing her career over motherhood, a claim she vehemently slammed in a new interview.

Aniston got vulnerable about her motherhood challenges while speaking to Harper's Bazaar UK, revealing she stayed silent for the longest time because her reproductive choices weren't "anybody's business." However, it was time to clear the air and put an end to the hurtful narrative.

"They didn't know my story, or what I'd been going through over the past 20 years to try to pursue a family, because I don't go out there and tell them my medical woes," Aniston said about the media's scrutiny.

She recalled how many painted her as "selfish" and "a workaholic" for allegedly choosing fame over children. Although she kept quiet as her name was dragged through the mud, Aniston confessed that she was hurt by the widespread speculations.

Aniston stated that there came a point when she could no longer ignore the noise; however, she chose to address the matter for a greater cause.

Aniston first came clean about her fertility struggles in a 2022 interview, revealing that she had tried to start a family years ago by undergoing IVF treatments privately. She reflected on her decision to come clean in her recent interview, claiming it stemmed from her solidarity with other women.

"I knew a lot of women at the time who were trying to have kids, who were dealing with IVF. So it did feel like it was not only for myself, but for any women who were struggling with the same issue," Aniston explained. She added that she was glad the "circle of shame" she experienced in the past was less powerful today.

Aniston's fertility struggles did a number on her, as she underwent IVF treatments while focusing on holistic habits to increase her chances of success. She told Allure in 2022 that she would have given anything to have someone advise her to freeze her eggs before it was too late.

Aniston has faced more challenges besides her motherhood struggles, as her life has been far from rosy since childhood. According to Nicki Swift, she did not enjoy the nepo baby life despite both of her parents being entertainers.

The actress, born to the late actors John Aniston and Nancy Dow, once claimed she grew up in a destabilized household that felt unsafe. From a young age, she witnessed the cruelty of man, noting the things she saw made her vow not to become an adult like the people around her.

Although she managed to achieve undeniable success as an actress, her late father tried to push her down another path. He did not want his daughter to join the entertainment business, as he had, and hoped she would become a lawyer. Despite his wishes, Aniston rebelled and proved she made the right choice.

Aniston's father wasn't the only person she clashed with; she also had a fraught relationship with her late mother. Dow allegedly traumatized her daughter by constantly criticizing her looks throughout her childhood.

The late actress took things further amid the height of Aniston's fame by releasing a tell-all book depicting their complicated relationship. The aftermath saw the mother and daughter estranged for years before reconciling a year before Dow died in 2016.

Aniston's father, who separated from Dow in 1980, died in 2022. Because she witnessed firsthand the tumultuous end of a union, Aniston confessed that her parents' divorce negatively impacted her future relationships. Both of her marriages to Pitt and Justin Theroux similarly ended in divorce.

Although Aniston did not have the best experience growing up with her parents, she learned some valuable lessons, particularly from her mother. PEOPLE reported in June that she reflected on the positive habits Dow had drilled into her as a child.

She revealed her love for healthy living was something her mother taught her from a young age, noting that she wasn't allowed to have anything sugary. Instead, Dow gave her "spelt bread" and instilled in her the importance of hydration.

Aniston claimed she loved drinking water and even reminded her friends to stay hydrated. Besides caring for her body from the inside, Dow also taught her daughter about the importance of skincare. Aniston credited her late mother as the one who taught her to use face and eye creams.

Will Jennifer Aniston's confessions about her fertility struggles stop the speculations?