5 Times Jennifer Aniston Almost Bared All And Didn't Care What People Thought

Jennifer Aniston is a rare gem in Hollywood — always so unapologetically herself and never letting anyone else dim her shine. Growing up, however, it wasn't always this way for the A-list star, as she, too, struggled with self-doubt and low self-esteem. "When I was younger, I think I took a lot for granted and would beat myself up over things that were unnecessary," Aniston told HuffPost in 2015. "Now it's like, whatever state I'm in, whatever shape my body's in [works for me].I think you just have to really appreciate that this is what's beautiful, this is you!"

Part of it comes with age. Entering her 30s and now 50s has empowered Aniston to be a lot more confident and happier in her own skin. "Once you figure out who you are and what you love about yourself, I think it all kind of falls into place eventually," she said in a previous chat with Diane Sawyer. Her decades in the spotlight have also taught the Hollywood royalty to live life on her own terms, without worrying too much about how others perceive her. "I don't think you can control that at the end of the day," she told WWD in 2010. "You can't stunt what you do to please or not please the public. ... So why stop doing what makes you happy?" 

She's stuck with that philosophy ever since. With that in mind, here are five instances where Aniston almost bared it all and didn't care what anyone else had to say about her.

Jennifer Aniston wasn't afraid to bare it all — literally — on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine in 1996. In a move that surprised many, the actor stripped down naked for the photo shoot, which had her lying on her stomach on a bed and showing off her perky backside. Captured by Mark Seliger, the cover marked a first for Aniston, who was known for her wholesome, girl-next-door persona as the affable Rachel Green on the hit sitcom "Friends." Reflecting on the cover many years later, Aniston joked about being the first celebrity ever to strut her stuff on a magazine cover during an interview with "Extra."

"I was an original, alright? Sorry, Kim K," she quipped, referring to Kim Kardashian's viral 2014 shoot with Paper magazine. "[But] that was just innocent," she then said of her Rolling Stone feature, noting that, unlike Kardashian's, "There's nothing aggressive about that!"

Similarly, Jennifer Aniston sparked quite the buzz when she became GQ's first-ever Woman of the Year on the 10th edition of their annual Men of the Year issue in 2005. The honor came not long after she finalized her divorce from Brad Pitt, and Aniston made headlines by posing topless on the GQ cover, shot by photographer Peggy Sirota. She was sitting on a bed and leaning over with her arm covering her chest, her hair cascading down her back as she sported minimal makeup and just Levi's shorts. 

"I was kind of truthfully blown away by it," the actor gushed while speaking to Reuters about the groundbreaking shoot. "I feel great! I was very happy and very flattered," she also exclaimed.

One of the most controversial celebrity magazine covers to cause a stir was Jennifer Aniston's spicy 2009 GQ feature, in which she posed completely naked. Shot by Michael Thompson, the "Murder Mystery" star wore nothing but a blue, red, and white striped tie slung around her neck. Her hands were carefully positioned to conceal her chest as she sat with her legs crossed to cover the rest. "I wasn't trying to make any statement," she said when talking about the bombshell cover at the premiere of her film "Marley & Me" (via Digital Spy). She also admitted that the image was digitally altered during a guest appearance on "The View," noting there was an entire concept behind it. "It was going to be in various stages of undress," explained Aniston. "There was going to be me in a gown and men in tuxedos. And then it would be me wearing the man's shirt. And he would have no shirt on. And then they were supposed to get naked! Somehow I don't know what happened!"

From the #FourthofJuly archive: Jennifer Aniston—GQ, 2009 https://t.co/zJMZAMptGN pic.twitter.com/HOBoZNnluH

— GQ Magazine (@GQMagazine) July 3, 2016

Regardless, the cover was a hit, with reports claiming that even Prince Harry had the heart eyes for Aniston after that issue was published.

Jennifer Aniston once again stripped down her June/July 2019 spread for Harper's Bazaar. She had her arm strategically placed across her chest while wearing black leather shorts from Hermes, styled only with thighs and a pair of high heels. Speaking to Tig Notaro, Aniston opened up about going topless in front of the camera. "There was a version of an outfit that we did without a top, but I'm covering my breasticles. There's nothing offensive out there for anyone unless they think breasts themselves are offensive," she argued. 

She went on to discuss how liberating it felt, saying she didn't hesitate to flaunt her body during the photo shoot. "I think our bodies are beautiful, and I think celebrating them and being comfortable in them — no matter what age you are — is important," stressed Aniston. "There shouldn't be any kind of shame or discomfort around it."

Proving she still got it at 53, Jennifer Aniston set tongues wagging when she posed in a teeny tiny bikini on the cover of Allure magazine in 2019. Photographed by Zoey Grossman, the Emmy-winning star dared to show some a lot of skin in her Chanel micro-top, which barely covered her chest.

Introducing our December cover star, #JenniferAniston.
She has spent most of her adult life in the spotlight, with all its glare. At 53, she opens up about her path to leaving regrets and some deeply personal pain behind. https://t.co/2x254s1EWk pic.twitter.com/Z4WMUTrDDt

— Allure (@Allure_magazine) November 9, 2022

There were also shots of Aniston posing topless with her back facing the camera as she sported a Gucci thong. "If I can be the first 80-year-old to go out there successfully in a bikini, then I'll take that on," the actor previously told People in 2016 (via Allure). "I don't think anybody needs to rein in anything because of an age." She went on, "That is absolute BS. To each his own! Everybody needs to stay in his own backyard." Tell 'em, Jen!