Actress Jennifer Aniston Arrives At Season Premiere Of HBO's 'The Leftovers' In New York
Actress Jennifer Aniston arrives at the season premiere of HBO's "The Leftovers" in New York June 23, 2014. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

Jennifer Aniston was forced to combat her phobia of going underwater while filming her movie "Cake." A childhood accident could explain this fear, the actress shared.

Jennifer Aniston explained why she could not be seen frolicking in beaches or pools. At the special screening of "Cake," the engaged actress admitted her real fear of going underwater. This made filming "Cake" challenging because of a water therapy scene. She shared that the scene had to be filmed around 30 times, and it was the "hardest day of her life."

She also explained how she got this phobia. "I was a kid and I was riding this tricycle around a swimming pool and I drove my tricycle into the swimming pool and I didn't let go and my brother tried to [help me]," Aniston said. "So I can't go underwater and no one will believe me. I honestly can't."

Still, Aniston loved filming the movie. It was a role that nobody had seen her starred in after all. In "Cake," she is a woman who is suffering from chronic pain after a horrible accident and therefore dependent on prescription painkillers. This is why her character had to undergo water therapy, to have some relief.

In the past, Aniston was always slated to star in light, romantic comedies, so it came as a surprise that she also did well on a very heavy drama film. She said her role in this is one that she had been dying to play for years. She said she had been waiting for years for someone to believe that she could do such a role.

She personally knew she could carry a dramatic role such as this but she said she also knew not a lot of people would give it to her for fear that she would not be able to deliver. She shared that she had to wait for a brave being that would take a risk for her. Thankfully, someone did, and the response to her performance was "thrilling," the actress shared. Her performance not only landed her a nomination for a Golden Globe on Sunday, but she reportedly also has a fighting chance to be nominated for best actress when the Oscar nominations are presented on Jan. 15.

For questions/comments regarding the article, contact the writer at a.dee@ibtimes.com.au.