Zoey Deutch has worked with major stars before, but sharing a scene with Jennifer Aniston still left her feeling more like a fan than a costar.
People reported that Deutch stars in the new comedy Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass, which includes a cameo from Aniston.
Entertainment Weekly reported that Deutch called the experience “incredibly surreal” and said every take from Aniston was brilliant.
Deutch Said Aniston Was “Warm and Lovely”
Deutch told People that she had met Aniston and spoken with her a few times before filming. She described the Friends alum as warm, lovely and funny, but said actually working with her was one of the most surreal and inspiring moments of her life.
“It’s like when you just see someone who’s the greatest of all time doing it, you’re like, ‘Goddammit,’” Deutch said.
The actress also joked that watching Aniston work made her feel almost useless in the scene. She said she was probably “the worst actor in the world” because she felt more like an audience member than a participant.
Aniston’s Cameo Drives the Movie’s Wild Premise
The comedy stars Deutch as Gail Daughtry, a bright, starry-eyed hairdresser from Kansas who is engaged to Tom, played by Michael Cassidy.
Their relationship falls apart after Tom acts on a celebrity hall-pass agreement that Gail did not think was serious. Aniston plays herself in the movie, and her cameo is the one that sends Gail’s life into a spiral.
After catching Tom with Aniston, Gail decides to even the score by trying to find her own celebrity pass: Jon Hamm.
Jon Hamm Plays the Other Celebrity Pass
Just Jared reported that Hamm is also part of the movie’s celebrity cameo setup. His role gives the film another meta-Hollywood layer as Gail heads to Los Angeles to track him down.
The movie leans into its ridiculous setup rather than treating it like a grounded romantic drama. People described the story as a “completely ridiculous Wizard of Oz-like adventure” with an R-rated edge.
The Associated Press also described the film as an absurd Hollywood trip built around celebrity culture, free-pass fantasies and a heightened version of Los Angeles.
Deutch Praised David Wain’s Comedy Style
Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass was directed by David Wain and co-written by Wain and Ken Marino.
Deutch said she had been a fan of Wain’s work for years and felt no one else could have written or made this specific kind of comedy.
She also said Wain is the kind of director whose instructions may not make sense immediately, but actors trust him because his world and vision are so specific.
The Role Adds to Deutch’s Busy Rom-Com Stretch
The Aniston scene is only one part of a busy run for Deutch. People noted that she also stars in Netflix’s Voicemails for Isabelle and the animated movie Minions & Monsters.
Entertainment Weekly also pointed to her broader romantic-comedy work in titles such as Set It Up, Something from Tiffany’s and The Threesome.