Jennifer Aniston Watch

Management is the one of Jen’s upcoming movies about which perhaps the least is known. During filming, set pictures were few and far between, and despite extensive searching, I still have not found out the name of Jen’s character! What is known is that in this film, Jen plays a traveling saleswoman whose one-night stand with a motel manager (another nameless wonder) leads to a more persistent pursuit, as he then follows her in her travels. All this, despite the fact that that she is otherwise involved with yogurt mogul Jango, played by Woody Harrelson.

This gentleman, who may either be a hopeless romantic or just hopeless, is played by Steve Zahn, a versatile actor who got his start on the stage, first in his local theater in Minnesota and then in New York City. The Harvard alum went on to play memorable roles in Reality Bites (a personal favorite of mine), That Thing You Do!, and Saving Silverman. He has actually shared the screen with Jen twice prior to their most recent endeavor; not only did he make a hilarious turn on Friends as Phoebe’s secret husband (maybe it was Jen’s neat bird-in-a-pot trick that piqued his interest), but he also appeared in The Object Of My Affection as George’s brother Frank.

Steve has been a busy man lately. In addition to Management, he has also recently wrapped upcoming releases Calvin Marshall and Night Train and is currently filming A Perfect Getaway. We will see plenty from him in coming months, and I am very much looking forward to that!

There’s a first time for everything, and someone with a career as successful and varied as Jen’s has certainly had some unique experiences. Whether in front of the camera or behind it, Jen has made some interesting choices, and she is poised to surprise many with her future projects. Here, then, is a sampling of some of Jen’s “first times”:

First film Leprechaun was Jen’s very first big-screen venture, and one that she has long seemed eager to move on from. The campy horror flick is noted as a prime example of Jen’s pre-Friends work, and while it is regarded by many as something of a novelty, any viewer can see the young talent that would soon find a more fitting home on Friends.

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While Jen doesn’t have any children in real life, judging by her onscreen roles, she’d be a natural. She has often played the part of a mother or expectant mother, and always brings warmth and realism to the part. Here is a sampling of such roles (some may be spoilerish):

Friends At the end of season 7, it was revealed that Rachel was expecting, and a season later, she and Ross welcomed Emma. The remainder of the series saw Rachel juggling the demands of parenting with work, love, and life.

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Many of Jen’s films, both past and rumored for the future, are based upon prior works of fiction. This presents a unique challenge, as many who have read a given book already have imagined the characters in their own way, and it is quite difficult for all involved with the film to satisfy such expectations. When done well, though, adaptations hold up brilliantly on their own. Here are a few that Jen either has been a part of, or may possibly do in the future:

The Object Of My Affection This film is based upon Stephen MacCauley’s 1987 novel about Nina Borowski, a feminist social worker whose closest friendship is with George, her gay roommate. Complications ensue when Nina becomes pregnant by her boyfriend, but wants to raise the child with George. Jen was an ideal choice for the role, as the combination of warmth and independence that is evident in Nina comes naturally to her, and she suits the bohemian look that is often brought up as one of Nina’s quirks. She and costar Paul Rudd also had the opportunity to show off some fancy footwork years before Dancing With The Stars made it commonplace. The script did not delve into Nina’s politics as much as the novel did, but through the perfect pairing of Jen and Paul in the leads, the film captured the heart of the story.

Derailed Many doubted Jen’s ability to convincingly play troubled beauty Lucinda Harris in this adaptation of James Siegel’s hit thriller (for more on thrillers, see Fiction Scribe’s interview with crime fiction author Elsa Neal). As Jen had made her name in comedy, she did not seem like an obvious choice for the dramatic role; furthermore, in the novel Lucinda is described as a dark brunette, and coming off of production for Rumor Has It, Jen did not quite look the part. However, Jen committed to the role, not only having her hair cut and dyed to match Lucinda’s, but diving right into the deep end with some harrowing scenes that would challenge an actress of any genre. She brought a deeper humanity to the role than the stereotype of the femme fatale would indicate, and in doing so she not only fulfilled but surpassed the original idea of the character.

Rumored adaptations

Wanted As I mentioned last week, it seems that Jen is signed to play framed Texas police officer Diane Wellman in an adaptation of Kim Wozencraft’s Wanted. This production has seen many delays, but I would like to remain hopeful that it will happen, as I am certain that Jen will shine in the part.

Grace and Grit Jen and her production partners are also rumored to be in talks with Ken Wilber’s Integral Institute about a film adaptation of his nonfiction work Grace and Grit, about his wife Treya’s struggle with breast cancer and her spiritual journey. It is unclear whether Jen will star in the film or work behind the scenes, but it does seem that either way, she will have an active voice in nurturing the concept. This book is a favorite of mine, and an adaptation will do wonders in expanding the audience for Wilber’s philosophy.

Adaptations, fiction, nonfiction, Jennifer Aniston, Object of My Affection, Derailed, Wanted, Grace and Grit, Ken Wilber, Kim Wozencraft, James Siegel, Stephen MacCauley