On December 8, 2021, at The Hollywood Reporter’s 2021 Power 100 Women in Entertainment event, Jennifer Aniston was honored with the prestigious Sherry Lansing Leadership Award. The event, presented by Lifetime, took place at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles, where the iconic Friends star accepted the award with humility and grace.
In her speech to the star-studded audience, Aniston expressed her profound appreciation for the award, describing it as the “honor of the highest magnitude.” She took a moment to reflect on her journey, sharing a heartfelt anecdote about her early struggles as a 19-year-old waitress in New York, auditioning for countless off-Broadway shows. She humorously mentioned that if someone had told her back then that she would one day receive the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award, she would have questioned, “Who’s Sherry Lansing?”
Jennifer Aniston’s speech was not only a personal reflection but also a heartfelt tribute to Sherry Lansing, the trailblazing Hollywood pioneer. She praised Lansing as the first woman to lead a major studio, recognizing her for a string of box office hits and Academy Award-winning films. Aniston emphasized that Lansing’s trailblazing achievements had paved the way for women in the industry, granting them the voices and platforms they have today. 
Moreover, she commended Lansing for her kindness and generosity, highlighting the remarkable character that accompanied her groundbreaking success. The presentation of the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award to Jennifer Aniston symbolized the passing of the torch from one influential woman to another, celebrating the progress and achievements of women in entertainment while acknowledging the legacy of trailblazers like Sherry Lansing.