Jennifer Aniston turned down a role in Serendipity. Photo / Getty Images
Jennifer Aniston turned down an iconic role in a 2001 movie, the director has revealed.
According to Peter Chelsom, she turned down the main role in 2001's Serendipity.
"I distinctly remember Jennifer Aniston coming in to meet us," he told Insider. By then, she was rocketing to fame on the hit show Friends.
"I remember when she came in, she said, 'I do a romantic comedy once a week,' her being on Friends at the time.
"So, she clearly had other things on her plate and it was her decision not to do it.
"She had come to meet with me in good faith without an offer, but we definitely would have made her an offer if she wanted to make it."
The role of Sara ultimately went to Kate Beckinsale, who starred alongside John Cusack in the classic romantic movie. The film follows Jonathan (Cusack) and Sara (Beckinsale) who fall in love during one evening.
But it's not an instant happy-ever-after, when Sara takes the fast-paced romance as a bad sign and decides to part ways with Jonathan.
Despite turning down the role in the 2001 film, Aniston went on to star in several hit romantic comedies, including Along Came Polly, Marley & Me, He's Just Not That Into You, and The Break-Up.
The 52-year-old actress currently plays morning television presenter Alex Levy in The Morning Show, which screens on Apple TV +.
She says filming for the second season took an emotional toll on her.
"As someone who usually lives with a skip in their step and a smile on their face — I was screamed out and cried out and emoted out by the end," she told the New York Times.
"It took weeks for my eyes to de-puff from all the emotions."
Broadcaster has written a new book about the joys of getting older.