At Least Aniston Wins Raves as Exec Producer of “The Switch”

"The Switch" is tanking at the box office, but few can find fault with the film's executive producer, Jennifer Aniston.

Some had problems with the way she flicks her hair as an actress. Or that she couldn't bring in the American audience (the film made a paltry  $8.4 million on its opening weekend).

But industry sources loved her role in the ever-curious role of the film's executive producer.

"A lot of executive producer credits are sort of vanity and bulls---," co-director Will Speck tells PopcornBiz. "But Jen dug in and gave on this film. She stepped up and owned this film alongside of us."

In fact, Aniston won industry plaudits in a prominent Hollywood trade mag for backing her film even in light of a perceived support withdrawal from the distributor Disney. The Hollywood Reporter relayed a story about Aniston confronting a Disney marketing head to get a little more studio love.

Aniston was "ferocious and tireless on behalf of the movie and is to be greatly admired for that," a source told THR.

Indeed, when pressed about the always mysterious role of EP (what do they do, anyway?), co-director Josh Gordon told us that Aniston provided things "we can't discuss."

"There are things you are fighting for in a movie," he says. "It was always helpful having her on the phone when you are making those plays."

When further pressed, the films directors say Aniston was very low-key on the low-budget film and very much the non-diva. She didn't have an entourage or require big-ticket items, she brought cupcakes for the crew, she allowed the film's child actor to do his scenes before she did hers. Little things, but you get the picture.

"You have a different role when you are just an actor," says Gordon. "She was executive producer. She was part of the team."

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