In her new movie, “The Switch,” Jennifer Aniston plays a woman who decides to take her fate into her own hands. Approaching 40 and without a husband, her character, Kassie, feels her biological clock ticking and decides to find a sperm donor so that she can have a child.
While promoting the film, which opens Friday, Aniston has made it clear she supports her character’s choice — a sentiment that has enraged right-wing pundit Bill O’Reilly.
On the red carpet at the film's premiere in Hollywood on Monday night, the actress seemed proud to be part of a movie that is inspiring debate about the so-called traditional family structure.
"It’s about defining family in today’s society, I think," she told us. “Because it’s not — society sort of has us believing it's this one option. And I think that’s being more and more seen today in terms of how we’re opening up our minds and our hearts to couples of all sorts."
Costar Jason Bateman seemed less interested in talking about O’Reilly, saying only ...
... of the talk show host's comments: “I wouldn’t know what to say about that. He’s hard to understand for me."In "The Switch," Bateman plays Wally, Kassie's perennial best friend, who in somewhat of a drunken stupor may have accidentally "hijacked her pregnancy." Audiences get to see the "Arrested Development" star as a romantic leading man — a prospect that excites directors Josh Gordon and Will Speck.
"He's amazing," Gordon said. "We’ve been huge fans for years, and to watch him really kind of come into his own in this movie is — it's exciting."
For our full report from the red carpet — including interviews with Aniston, Bateman, the directors and Patrick Wilson — check out the video above, and click the picture of Aniston to launch a photo gallery from the premiere. Also up soon on Ministry of Gossip: Coverage of the premiere's after-party.
— Amy Kaufman
Photo: Jennifer Aniston is escorted into the premiere of "The Switch" at the ArcLight Hollywood. Credit: Mario Anzuoni / Reuters.
Related dispatches -- with photo galleries -- from the Ministry of Gossip:
'Lottery Ticket' premiere: Bow Wow for the win, with Brandon T. Jackson, Ice Cube, Keith David
'Eat Pray Love' premiere: Julia Roberts, Javier Bardem in New York
'Takers' Hollywood premiere: Chris Brown, Hayden Christensen, T.I. and more
'The Expendables' premiere puts some Stallone-style action back in Hollywood
'The Other Guys' premiere: Eva Mendes, Mark Wahlberg, Will Ferrell -- and Brooke Shields?