[NEWS] Six Reasons Why Jennifer Could Win the Oscar for 'Cake'

Left: 'Cake' film poster Right: 87th Annual Academy awards

Once considered a long shot for an Oscar nomination, Jennifer Aniston has now received the holy trifecta - nominations for Best Lead Actress of the Year from the Screen Actors Guild awards to the Golden Globes and the Critic's Choice awards. An Academy award nomination seems more and more likely. It's all the more impressive that Aniston has received such attention for a small independent film. In 'Cake', she plays Claire Simmons, a woman who suffers from chronic pain and becomes obsessed with learning more about a member of her support group who committed suicide. Aniston has never been given such a meaty role on the big screen, and she rewards the filmmakers' gamble with a beautiful, heartfelt performance. She has made a lot of progress as a actress in a short time in the race and will likely continue. There are so many factors that go into Academy voting that surprisingly have little to do with the acting at hand.

Here's the list of reasons why Jennifer just might end up taking home the gold on Oscar night:

1.) THE CAMPAIGN

(2014) Jennifer promoting her film 'Cake' at multiple screens and premieres.

Nobody is working harder than Aniston to get word out about the small film. Shes's been coast-to-coast for screenings, interviews and events, and she is always smart, passionate and charming about it.

2.) VOTERS LOVE AN UNDERDOG

(2013) Jennifer at the 85th Annual Oscars red carpet event.

Right now, there is no bigger underdog in the category than Aniston, and there's something exciting about the idea of her winning. Too often, people complain about the predictability in Oscar choices - how the awards feel over before they're ever announced, but unlike years where films such as (2010) "The King's Speech" and (2012) "Argo" emerged as early frontrunners and went on to win, and this year has proven to be one of the most difficult to predict in a long time.

3.) VOTERS REALLY LOVE A TRANSFORMATION

Left: Jennifer looking fab as usual and Right: Jen's make-under for her role as Claire Simmons in 'Cake'.

Much has been made up the fact that Jennifer wore little to no make-up for 'Cake', other than prosthetic scars. She also dresses down in frumpy clothing and sports unwashed hair. She's still 'Jennifer Aniston', so suffice it to say she still looks better than most people on an average day - but, it's the kind of vanity-free performance the Academy loves.

4.) THE COMPETITION

Left: 'Still Alice' film poster and Right: Julianne Moore at 'Still Alice' premiere.

Since the start of the awards season, the perceived frontrunner for Best Lead Actress of the Year has been Julianne Moore for her role as Alice a professor diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 'Still Alice'. While Moore's work is stellar as always, most of the talk is about how four-time nominee is overdue, but there is little doubt that Moore will be back in the race, and this isn't perceived as her last opportunity to win. Other names like 'Wild's Reese Witherspoon, aside from 'Gone Girl's Rosamund Pike, and 'The Theory of Everything's Felicity Jones who are considered fairly new, the nomination will be their reward. In short, there doesn't appear to be a passionate fanbase for any particular actress. Which makes Aniston burst into the race last-minute, cast against type in a small movie, and a compelling narrative to get behind.

5.) PUBLIC SENTIMENT

Left: Angelina Jolie at 'Unbroken' premiere and Right: Jennifer at 'Cake' premiere.

It's easy to imagine people rallying behind Jennifer - particularly in a year where Angelina Jolie's 'Unbroken' is suppose to be a big player. As one Academy member put it after 'Unbroken' was snubbed at the Globes, "I can't believe the HFPA (Hollywood Foreign Press Association) missed out on an opportunity to get them all (Brad, Angelina & Jennifer) in the same room."

6.) THE PERFORMANCE ITSELF

Jennifer on set of 'Cake' as Claire Simmons.

Aniston is fantastic in "Cake", which should be the most obvious as well as important reason why she's worthy of being a nominee. Being a meaty role with so many facets - she nails every scene. In lesser hands, her character Claire could have been exceedingly unsympathetic, shrill or pitiful. Instead, Jennifer played all shades of a complex woman that inhabits her grief so fully we understand and even forgive her character Claire. For every moment where her character's anger drives someone away, there's a sweet, simple scene such as the one in which Claire gives her housekeeper a gentle ego boost. For those of you who dismiss Jen as a mere television star don't realize just how difficult her work on the beloved sitcom "Friends" could be - and how easy she made it look, and for those of you who write Jennifer off as a star, not an actress, forget that some people can be both.

UPDATE: February 22, 2015 she may have been snubbed of her Oscar nomination, but she's a gracious loser and she's a winner in our book.