Jennifer Aniston Shows Acting Chops In ‘Cake’ Clip [Video]
Jennifer Aniston is generating quite a bit of buzz for her stripped-down portrayal of a woman with chronic pain in Cake. After the film’s debut at the Toronto International Film Festival, many commentators said it may be time for the iconic television actress to finally win an Oscar. The stills of Aniston, usually the height of girl-next-door glamor, without makeup are startling. The entire transformation, including a lack of fashionable clothing, blonde highlights, or foundation, allow Aniston to completely become her character.
Aniston told Vanity Fair the physical changes were “liberating,” and during her role preparations she studied the character’s condition and spoke with doctors and people living with illness. She also stopped her regular workout routine.
“I was pretty much going home, going to sleep… I didn’t do anything physically… I pretty much let myself fall apart physically and that was really important for me.”
Entertainment Weekly describes Aniston’s character as a woman who becomes interested in the suicide of a woman in her support group, played by Anna Kendrick. The site also shares a clip from Cake during which Aniston’s character and a friend attempt to buy pharmaceuticals in Mexico without a prescription. Take a look.
Cake is not the only film on Aniston’s plate. Deadline reports another Aniston vehicle, the Peter Bogdonavich-directed She’s Funny That Way, debuted at the Venice Film Festival while many stars were at TIFF. Deadline describes the film as a screwball comedy that also stars Owen Wilson, Will Forte, Cybill Shepherd, and Tatum O’Neal. At the time of Deadline‘s publication on September 12, the film was still looking for a buyer, but one was expected soon.
Meanwhile, Aniston also spoke about her personal life and romance with Justin Theroux at TIFF.
“My life is a happy life. It’s a choice. Justin is probably one of the funniest human beings that I’ve ever encountered. I have the great fortune to laugh a lot. We laugh a lot.”
She also made a connection between her character and the every day lives of women, who do not always glam it up as Hollywood image-makers may have the world believe.
“As women, we do feel that we have to live up to an expectation whether it is on camera or going to the market or whatever it is. The truth of the matter is that that is not always the way it is. We don’t always have our high heels on. We don’t always have our hair and makeup on. And this character is basically someone who had just given up, just on even waking up sometimes.”
Cake is directed by Daniel Barnz.
[Jennifer Aniston Image: J. Countess/Getty]
