10 Times Comedic Actors Went Against Type (And Totally Pulled It Off)

Jennifer Aniston made a name for herself thanks to her era-defining role as Rachel Greene in the sit-com Friends, a role she played for ten years. Though she's never fully been able to remove herself from the popularity of Friends or her role in it, she has had some big hits since the show came to an end.

Mostly sticking to the rom-com genre, Aniston best shined in films like Along Came Polly, The Break-Up, The Bounty Hunter and Just Go With It, before steering massively clear of her comedy roots with her starring role in the drama film Cake.

Portraying Claire Bennett, a severely depressed woman suffering from chronic pain following the death of her son, Aniston anchors the high-stakes emotion of the film and its deep and effective tackling of themes such as depression, family, death and suicide.

The film itself received mixed reviews, but Aniston received only praise, and it's easy to see why. A complete performance, moving and heartbreaking from start to finish, she received a number of big accolades and proved without a shadow of a doubt to be more than just a cast member of Friends and a rom-com staple.