Jennifer Aniston Slams Claims That She Didn’t Have Kids Because She’s a ‘Workaholic’—as She Finishes Work on Luxurious Montecito Mansion

Jennifer Aniston has candidly opened up about her desire to be a mom, while hitting out at critics who have accused her of prioritizing her busy work schedule over becoming a parent.

The "Friends" star, 56, laid bare her yearslong struggle to have children, which saw her endure several rounds of IVF, and why she became known as a "selfish workaholic" in a wide-ranging interview with Harper's Bazaar UK.

"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," she told the outlet.

Aniston noted that although her medical issues are "not anybody's business," she hasn't been able to shut the rumors out of her mind.

"But there comes a point when you can’t not hear it—the narrative about how I won’t have a baby, won’t have a family, because I’m selfish, a workaholic,” she added.

Aniston confessed that the rumors have taken a toll on her mental health, adding that she is "just a human being."

She added, “We’re all human beings. That’s why I thought, ‘What the hell?'”

The actress emphasized that she doesn't always feel the need to shut down headlines in the news cycle, but there are certain moments she thinks she needs to "right the wrong."

“The news cycle is so fast, it just goes away. Of course, there are times when I feel that sense of justice—when something has been said that isn’t true and I need to right the wrong," she explained.

“And then I think, ‘Do I really?’ My family knows my truth, my friends know my truth."

The Hollywood heavyweight also recalled her decision to share the news that she and her ex Brad Pitt wanted to have a family, and she even underwent in vitro fertilization while they were together. The couple began dating in 1998 and tied the knot in 2000. They ultimately called it quits in 2005.

In 2004, Aniston told The Guardian that she was ready to expand their family.

"It's time. It's time. You know, I think you can work with a baby, I think you can work pregnant, I think you can do all of it. So I'm just truly looking forward to slowing down," she told the outlet.

Reflecting on why she went public with her IVF journey, Aniston said that she hoped her own story would let other women going through similar experiences know that they were not alone.

“Because 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," she revealed.

The actress first opened up about her IVF struggle in 2022 while speaking to Allure.

“If it wasn’t for going through that, I would’ve never become who I was meant to be. That’s why I have such gratitude for all those s--tty things," she said at the time.

Although the world assumed she didn't want to become a mom, the actress revealed that she had been going "through IVF [and] drinking Chinese teas” to help her get pregnant.

“I was throwing everything at it. I would’ve given anything if someone had said to me, ‘Freeze your eggs. Do yourself a favor.’ You just don’t think it. So here I am today. The ship has sailed,” she said.

However, the A-lister said she can move on from her journey.

"There is no more, ‘Can I? Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.’ I don’t have to think about that anymore," she said.

After separating from Pitt, 61, Aniston tied the knot with actor Justin Theroux in 2015. They separated three years later.

She is now rumored to be in a romance with hypnotist Jim Curtis.

While Aniston has tried to keep much of her private life as guarded as possible, she has recently allowed fans into her routine at home, sharing several candid images of herself spending time with friends in her luxurious dwellings—or hanging around with her beloved dogs.

In July, she opened up her personal album in a post on Instagram, where she shared several shots of herself spending time with her celebrity pals, while wishing her 44.5 million followers a "happy Monday."

Among the A-listers featured in the images were Aniston's close friend—and former co-star—Courteney Cox, as well as "Will & Grace" actor Sean Hayes.

However, Aniston gave top billing to another very special member of her inner circle: her dog, Lord Chesterfield, who was featured in the very first photo in the carousel, alongside his beaming owner.

In the photo, the star was the epitome of cool and casual, wearing a black nightgown, beige robe, and a pair of sunglasses as she lounged on an outdoor couch with her pup, whom she rescued in October 2020.

Aniston is currently the proud owner of two California dwellings: a 10,200-square-foot midcentury modern property in Bel-Air, which she purchased for $20.1 million in 2012, and a Mediterranean-style farmhouse in Montecito, which she bought from fellow A-lister Oprah Winfrey for $10.5 million in 2021.

Images obtained by Realtor.com in March revealed that the actress was carrying out extensive renovations on her farmhouse property. Photos showed that the dwelling had undergone a stunning overhaul, which included the addition of a new pool area.

Photos of the property that were taken in June showed that work on the property had been completed, just in time for the summer—although Aniston has not yet revealed whether she plans to use the Montecito abode as a full-time residence or a weekend getaway.