W Blanco/AKM-GSIJennifer Aniston's latest role is certainly of the no-frills variety.
Photographed on the set of the drama Cake, Aniston was wearing no makeup (or at least the kind of makeup that makes it look like an actress is wearing no makeup) except for a huge scar across her right cheek, there for her role as a woman in a support group for people who suffer from chronic pain.
Aniston's character, Claire, delves into the life of a member of her group (Anna Kendrick) who commits suicide and ends up developing a relationship with the late woman's husband, played by Sam Worthington. And the cake of the title isn't just proverbial—it's an actual offering baked by Claire for the widower.
It would appear that the scar is one of the lingering visible reminders of whatever accident or trauma that Claire went through to cause her such pain, while the nature of the role explains the plain clothing that Aniston has been spotted wearing on set for the past week.
Aniston is also serving as an executive producer on the movie, being directed by Daniel Barnz with a script from Patrick Tobin.
Chris Messina plays Claire's ex-husband and Felicity Huffman is the leader of the support group. William H. Macy, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Britt Robertson and Lucy Walters also star.
"Of the zillions of Jennifer Aniston fans, I might be the biggest one of all," Barnz said in a statement released in February when Cake was announced as part of a five-picture deal under the new production shingle Cinelou Films. "I've especially loved her more dramatic performances, and I can't wait to watch her tackle a role that has such a brilliantly funny voice and so much raw pain."
The film was shooting on location in a Los Angeles cemetery last week.