Oscars 2015: Jennifer Aniston set to join Best Actress race for new movie Cake

Producers have moved the film's release date forward to qualify for an Oscar

Jennifer Aniston could earn her first Oscar nomination (Reuters)

Jennifer Aniston could stand to earn her first Oscar nomination this year.

The actress’ performance in dark comedy Cake received positive reviews at the Toronto Film Festival, and now the film’s producers have decided to release the movie before the end of the year to stand a chance of qualifying for an Oscar.

Aniston has never been nominated for an Oscar before, but her performance received a standing ovation when Cake premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September.

Reviews described her as giving a “diverting” and “sturdy and honest” performance.

The film sees the actress play a depressed woman struggling with chronic pain, who uses prescription pills to help numb her feelings.

Director Daniel Barnz said he knew Aniston would be perfect for the role, calling her “mega talented”.

“When my life and producing partner Ben Barnz and I first read Cake just 14 months ago, we knew we had to go to Jennifer Aniston.

“It was the most obvious un-obvious choice – she’s mega-talented, but we’ve never seen the whole range of her extraordinary comic and dramatic abilities showcased in one role,” he told Deadline.

The film will be released for one week at the end of December in the US, before rolling out nationwide in January.

Its release date in the UK has yet to be confirmed.

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