Soon after its release, Steven Spielberg's film E.T. became an international sensation. The film was so popular that, like many other successful franchises, it inspired a long list of knock-off and rip-off movies. Some of them were low-budget nothing projects like the notoriously awful Pod People. But others had the support of major Hollywood studios, even corporate sponsors banking on the film for product placement.One film that defines the latter was the movie Mac and Me, and believe it or not, while there were not many big names in the film, one extra in a parking lot scene went on to be one of the most famous women in film and television. Mac and Me was one of the first jobs that Jennifer Aniston landed before Friends. This is the story of how this god-awful film helped launched her amazing career.
8 What Is 'Mac and Me?'
The story is about a boy who hides an alien on the run from the U.S. government. As if that wasn't enough, MAC was short of Mysterious Alien Creature. (*Groans*) But it was also a tongue-in-cheek reference to McDonald's products like the Big Mac. Both Coca-Cola and McDonald's put up big money for this film and both play prominent roles in the plot. One character works at McDonald's, a major plot point unfolds in a McDonald's, and get this, Coca-Cola is what Mac and his family drink for hydration. (again, *groans). So, how does the star of Friends have to do with this abomination?
7 It Was One Of Jennifer Aniston's First Jobs
Not only was it one of her first jobs, but it was also the first movie she was ever in according to both her Wikipedia and IMDB pages. That's right, so the answer to the initial question, how did this movie start her career is quite literally this, it started her career. The film came out in 1988 and soon afterward in 1990 Aniston got a recurring role on a short-lived show titled Malloy. But her biggest role before landing Friends in 1994 was the 1993 horror Leprechaun.
6 Jennifer Aniston Is Only An Extra In The Film
If anyone is about to go stream or rent the movie to find Aniston, they might have a bit of a challenge ahead of them. Aniston has no lines of dialogue in the film, she was only an extra during a cutaway shot where the film's villains pull into a parking lot.
5 Jennifer Aniston Is Barely Recognizable Or Visible
Aniston's role is so small that she went uncredited, but rest assured she is in the film. And for what it's worth, "it might be a challenge to find Aniston" literally means it might be too hard for someone to find her. Her role is so small and her time on screen so short that finding her is like a game of Where's Waldo? Not only that, if one does manage to spot her they will not see the Rachel Green they came to love, but a young girl with very 80s hair. And for those wondering, in the shot in question Aniston is near the far right corner as the camera pans to the car pulling in.
4 How Does Jennifer Aniston Feel About 'Mac And Me'
There must be a quote about the movie from Aniston somewhere in some obscure interview, but the actress is rather quiet about her pre-Friends career. This is more likely out of modesty than anything else, Aniston is not known for talking about herself unless interviewed. In other words, it's hard to say how she feels about the movie or how she feels about the internet obsessing over her short appearance in the film, though considering her track record Aniston is probably a good sport about it.
3 Jennifer Aniston Is Quiet About The Film, But A 'Friends' Co-Star Is A Fan
While Aniston doesn't talk about the film, we do know for a fact that one Friends star gets a real kick out of the movie. Paul Rudd has used a clip from the movie to prank Conan O'Brien during every interview he has ever had with the former talk show host. Pudd still manages to get away with it, he got Conan to play the clip once again during a podcast interview, much to Conan's annoyance.
2 How Did 'Mac And Me' Do At The Box Office?
In case anyone was wondering, not great. The film had a $13 million budget, but it only made $6.4 million, meaning it barely made back half of its original budget. Gee, how could an unsubtle hijacking of a beloved children's movie full of blatant product placement not do well with audiences? Maybe they should have given Aniston a few lines, after all, we know now that she can act. The movie still makes the rounds on the internet among bad movie fans, and it was lampooned on the movie riffing television show Mystery Science Theater in 2018.
1 How It Helped Jennifer Aniston's Career
Again, it was her first film ever. Not only was it her first film, but it was also her first onscreen acting job. Friends started airing in 1994, meaning that in just 6 years Aniston went from being a faceless extra in a flop movie to an international television star. Hey, that's Hollywood for you.