Los Angeles - In "The Object of My Affection", Jennifer Aniston, television's Rachel of "Friends", plays Nina Borowski, a deeply troubled young woman who falls very hard and fast for George Hanson, a charming, handsome but gay young man, played by Paul Rudd, best known to film audiences as Alicia Silverstone's stepbrother in "Clueless". While in Beverly Hills recently, both Aniston and Rudd took time separately on a Saturday afternoon to discuss the film and the impression it will soon make with audiences around the world.

"First of all, many people (one assumes the Bible belt folk among other uncultured and uncivilized) will be shocked to see Rachel pregnant, without a husband and in love with a gay guy. Once they get over those three things, I am sure they will warm to the story," says Aniston in a soft spoken voice in a suite at The Four Seasons. Tens of millions watch "Friends' each Thursday night and see Aniston as a young lady trying to make it in the Big Apple with companions and roommates constantly surrounding her with support and advice.

In "Object..." Nina is by herself, making decisions on her own and ultimately ones that don't seem too bright to the ordinary Joe. Why would any girl in her right mind drop everything, including a boyfriend and the father of her expected child for a gay man? "I fell for the story as soon as I read it," Aniston adds, "It made total sense to me. Playing Nina was something I really wanted to do. There are so many love stories made into movies but this one was special, Unrequited love stories are always the best kind and most exciting."

"People experience what Nina experiences everyday. Many deep friendships turn into sexual attractions", she adds, "They are the reason for many marriages and romances. This is just a case that seems destined to crumble from the very start. A woman in love with a gay man." Aniston even admits having fallen in love with a cute gay boy in high school. "I never told him, but I did want to go out with him." As director Nicholas Hytner mentioned, Aniston agrees, "that everyone involved in the making of the film were concerned that the portrayals of each character were honest."

As any television actor would be, especially one in a hugely successful show, Aniston had some concerns about playing a character completely opposite from one people have come to relate to. "I wondered at first, 'If I branch out, what will people think?' But taking chances is part of any job. One needs to stay true to themselves and choose what drives them. I certainly don't want to branch out too far and confuse my fans altogether. I think I will wait a while to play a psycho killer with a shaved head," she says with an evil grin.

"I actually feel lucky. I know that without having the role on "Friends" I wouldn't even have gotten movie offers, let alone one as great as Nina," says Aniston, who is tight lipped about the season finale of "Friends".

Aniston who was born in California but lived in Greece as a youngster is the child of a soap opera actor and says she knew she wanted to become an actressthe first time she went to a play, "Children of A Lesser God". "I remember weeping at the play and thinking to myself, 'I want to be on stage and be able to touch people the same way I was touched.'"

Paul Rudd, twenty-nine, who walked into the room a little later and right out again because he had to pee, admitted when he came back, that though he is straight it was "not a big deal to play a gay character."

Playing George, the guy who is manipulated by the queen of manipulators, Nina, was "enjoyable" says Rudd who grew up in Kansas City a place where he as an Eastern European Jew felt different amongst all the other farm boys.

" I know that the story is a very common one. People fall in love with people who don't feel the same about them everyday. This time it just happens to be a woman in love with a man who is gay and a woman who is determined to make him feel the same way about her at any consequence."

While many actors spend weeks preparing for a role, trying to get inside a character Rudd's take on his role in this film was simple. "I certainly didn't need to do research to play a gay character. If I was playing someone who had been in prison for years, I wouldn't spend six months in jail to get a feeling for what it's like."

Playing George did require him to kiss another boy (newcomer Amo Gulinello, a hot ticket) in the film, as well as Jennifer Aniston. When asked who the better kisser was, he quickly uttered, "I wouldn't be a gentleman if I said, would I?."

Though laid back and down to earth, Rudd who was unshaven and dressed in a blue and white plaid shirt and blue jeans the day we met, was not shy about his feelings about the character he played. "I felt no responsibility to promote a gay character. I felt the responsibility to create a great character. Gayness is so NOT what he is all about. He is a person and that is how George is depicted on screen."

Though he and Aniston had done a lot of research for their roles on an emotional level, they both did take some lessons in ballroom dancing since it is an integral part of the book and the film. "I am a terrible dancer to begin with, so the lesson were necessary," Rudd adds.

After Rudd works with Nicholas Hytner again this summer on Broadway in "Twelfth Night" he will be working on a few other films. If one cannot wait for those other films, and wants to see the adorable Rudd in something immediately, one may want to rent "Overnight Delivery" a completely forgettable film that is just now being released in time to capture in on Rudd's impending fame. This may become a trend. The same thing happened a few weeks ago when "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 4" starring Matthew McConaughey and Rene Zellewegger was released.