Jennifer Aniston embraces 'lonely girl' image

Jennifer Aniston says she doesn't mind being seen as a "lonely girl".

The actress - who has had failed relationships with Brad Pitt, Vince Vaughn, Paul Sculfor and John Mayer - insists she is happy, but can understand why her personal life attracts so much negative attention.

She told Elle magazine: "I'm not going to ignore the pink elephant in the living room. It's fine. I can take it. I am supportive of anybody who is in a place that's not their strongest but is ready to push forward.

"If I'm the emblem for 'this is what it looks like to be the lonely girl
getting on with her life,' so be it. I can make fun of myself. And I'll
bring it up as long as the world is bringing it up."

The former Friends star also revealed she has used humour to cope with personal heartbreak.

She said: "My parents made each other laugh like nobody's business. I put a lot of value in that at a very young age.

"I remember being seven and asking my mum if I was as pretty as my best
friend Monique. And with all the love in the world, my mum looked at me and said, 'Oh, honey, you're so funny.' So, she doesn't lie to me - she answers the question by not answering and instead tells me what she thinks is my greatest strength."

However, some events in her life - including when her father John Aniston left the family home when she was a child - proved too difficult to handle.

Recalling one of her most traumatic experiences, Jennifer said: "My dad
walking out and not seeing him for a year and not knowing where he was. I was trying to understand, 'Where did that person go?"

- BANG! SHOWBIZ