Despite how good she is at them, Jennifer Aniston is moving away from the raunchy comedies like Office Christmas Party for her next role. Deadline reports she'll take a role in Dumplin', a music-driven adaptation of Julie Murphy's YA novel. No idea if Aniston will bust out a tune, but the film is being described as in the vein of Pitch Perfect and Bring It On. Not sure any movie can achieve those heights, but I welcome the attempt.
On board to direct is Anne Fletcher (Hot Pursuit), working from a script by Aniston's longtime friend Kristin Hahn. The story follows an overweight but self-confident Texas teen named Willowdean, nicknamed "Dumplin", who loves Dolly Parton. To spite her mom Rosie (Aniston), a former pageant queen, she enters a local beauty pageant and convinces other social misfits to do the same. Along the way Dumplin' and her mom find new respect for one another.
The film will shoot this summer and will be Aniston's latest indie effort. She found some of her best critical reviews in the indie drama, Cake, back in 2014.
