Jennifer Aniston landed the lead role of a lifetime with the potentially award-winning Independent Film, 'Cake'. In an interview with NPR, the actress revealed the life-changing experiences she went through while preparing for her character.

While acting as a character that suffers from chronic pain, Jennifer said, "I was so grateful for my body at the end of the day."

The woman Jennifer plays, named Claire, is a victim of chronic pain. Unlike the rest of her chronic pain support group, Claire's physical torment leads to volatile bursts of anger. To understand the sufferers' mental and emotional duress, Aniston interviewed men and women suffering from chronic pain.

"It is so unimaginable," Aniston said, "Pretty much every single part of her body was hurt, injured... Every week I would have some form of body work, just to make sure, you know, my body didn't kind of lock into any of that permanently."

Aniston admits that the role and the film drew her in from the beginning. Claire is a bitter, angry, complex woman whose character is created by layer upon layer of trauma and loss. "As the story unfolds," Aniston reveals, "You slowly start to discover bits of information as to what happened and why she is in this state."

However, after 'Cake', Aniston probably won't be taking on another dramatic role like this for a while.

"After doing Cake," the actress shared, "I feel like I scratched an itch that's been needing to be scratched."

On that note, Jennifer Aniston will be recognized with the Montecito Award for her acting at the 30^th Santa Barbara International Film Festival.