Jennifer Aniston will receive the Montecito Award for her role in “Cake” at this year’s Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
The 45-year-old actress has won glowing reviews in the Daniel Barnz directed film. Aniston has already been nominated for a SAG Award, Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice Movie Award. In “Cake” she plays Claire Simmons, who becomes fascinated by the suicide of a woman in her chronic-pain support group.
Aniston is joining an exclusive group. Other recipients of the Montecito Award include Daniel Day-Lewis, Geoffrey Rush, Julianne Moore, Kate Winslet, Javier Bardem, Naomi Watts, Annette Bening and Oprah Winfrey.
The festival says it was created in “recognition of a performer who has given a series of classic and standout performances throughout his or her career and whose style has made a major contribution to film”.
SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling made a statement.
“Once in a while a performer who we thought we knew gets outside of his or her comfort zone and shows us the unexpected. When that happens it is cause for celebration – and this is why the 2015 Montecito Award is bestowed upon Ms. Aniston”.
Aniston will receive the Montecito Award at Santa Barbara’s historic Arlington Theatre on Jan. 30. The festival runs Jan. 27 through Feb. 7.
The former “Friends” star recently opened up to People about the making of “Cake.”
“We were a little teeny, weensy movie made for four dollars and we poured our hearts into it and everyone worked so hard, so that this is happening on top of that, it’s just like a huge giant juicy cherry on top,” Aniston said.
Asked about diverting from her usual girl next door roles she replied, “A little part of me saying, ‘I told you so?’ Maybe a teensy one.”
A big fan of Aniston is Selena Gomez. She posted a photo via Instagram at the “Cake” premiere party in Hollywood on December 5.
She wrote: “I have not only been following her career as a fan since I was 8 and now get to watch her completely transform in her new movie CAKE, I have gotten to have real conversations with such a real heart, made my entire year. #cake #goseeit.”
It’s about time Aniston gets recognition for her acting abilities. Aniston getting The Montecito Award is a huge honor. Good luck to her in getting an Oscar nomination too.