Jennifer Aniston’s lesser-known Irish roots and the movie you probably didn't know she filmed there

Jennifer Aniston is much loved for her charisma and charm both on and off screen. While her personal life has been highly publicized, not many know that Jen has Irish roots .

Jennifer Joanna Aniston was born on February 11, 1969, in Sherman Oaks, California . Her parents were actors John Aniston and Nancy Dow. Her father is Greek and a native of Crete, while her mother was born in New York City .

One of Jennifer’s maternal great-grandfathers was an Italian immigrant, and her mother's other ancestry is Irish, and Scottish. Her maternal grandparents grew up in Maine, and were descendants of Scottish and Irish immigrants who are believed to have settled on the east coast in the Colonial period.

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Aniston has not been vocal about her Irish heritage , instead usually leaning more into her Greek side. She spent a year living in Greece as a child, and has said that she thanks her Greek genes for her youthful appearance.

She was raised in the Christian faith, and once told an Irish radio interviewer that she was baptized as a baby. She got her big break starring in the 1993 horror film, Leprechaun, which has said opened the door to Friends.

Jennifer does seem to enjoy a trip to the Emerald Isle and has been spotted visiting different counties on multiple occasions over the years. She explained to the Irish Sun in 2018, “The last time I was in Ireland was when I was making the movie Marley and Me and I just loved it there.”

Aniston starred alongside Eoin Wilson in the beloved family movie about a golden retriever. The Irish honeymoon scenes were shot in and around Ballynahinch Castle, Connemara, Co Galway , which both stars fell in love with. It is unclear whether Aniston made any efforts to trace her family lineage or visit any counties that she knew her ancestors came from.

Jennifer reportedly hosted an Irish-themed bridal shower where everything was green and white, after her best friend and Friends costar Courtney Cox got engaged to Snow Patrol singer, Johnny McDaid.

Aniston is also a somewhat unlikely fan of Irish comedy, particularly Irish comedian and social media star , Tadgh Fleming, who was mind blown when he noticed ‘Rachel from Friends’ had liked his video. In a 2016 interview with 2FM, the actress tried her hand at the Irish accent but missed the mark according to viewers. Aniston joked at the end of the interview that she was going to be speaking in an Irish accent all through lunch, saying, "Sorry guys, this is how it goes".

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