Santa Barbara film festival to honor ‘Cake’ star Jennifer Aniston

Call it icing: Jennifer Aniston, who has earned multiple best-actress nominations this award season for her performance in the independent drama “Cake,” is set to receive the the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Montecito Award.

First bestowed in 2005, the annual award recognizes “a performer who has given a series of classic and standout performances throughout his or her career and whose style has made a major contribution to film.”

Aniston has garnered fine notices as well as nominations for SAG, Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice awards for her role in “Cake,” the Daniel Barnz-directed film about an accident victim grieving the loss of her child who drives away her friends, husband and chronic-pain support group. Aniston is widely regarded as a potential Oscar contender as well (nominations will be announced Jan. 15).

Though Aniston is best known for her comedic work, including 10 seasons on the hit NBC sitcom “Friends” and movies like “The Break-Up,” “We’re the Millers” and “Horrible Bosses,” she has shown her dramatic range in projects such as “Cake” and “The Good Girl.”

“Once in a while a performer who we thought we knew gets outside of his or her comfort zone and shows us the unexpected,” SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling said in a statement. “When that happens it is cause for celebration.”

The 30th annual festival runs Jan. 27 to Feb. 7. Aniston will be honored Jan. 30.

Follow @ogettell for movie news