'Film helps us accept body positivity', says Aniston

The US actress stars in Dumplin' as a former beauty queen whose plus-sized daughter signs up to appear in her pageant.

Australian actress Danielle Macdonald appears as Aniston's daughter Willowdean, whose nickname gives the Netflix film its title, and it is based on the novel by Julie Murphy.

Former Friends star Aniston hopes the film's message of body positivity sparks a more accepting environment in Hollywood.

Speaking at the film's premiere in Los Angeles, she said: "I think it's wonderful. Hopefully it won't be a theme any more and the message will be made and there will be an acceptance of all shapes and sizes."

Dumplin' also has a soundtrack by country music superstar Dolly Parton.

On Thursday it was announced one of the tracks from the film, Girl In The Movies, had earned Parton a Golden Globe nomination for best original song.

Friendship

Parton and Aniston struck up a close friendship while working together on the film, which is directed by Anne Fletcher.

"I really liked Jen, I'd always loved watching her in the movies," said Parton.

"It was only when she took on this show and to produce it that they contacted me to see if I'd work on the music and allow them to use a lot of my music and I said sure.

"Then when I got to know her, I just loved her and we had a great opportunity to work together."

Parton worked on the Dumplin' soundtrack alongside Linda Perry and said she enjoyed working with "talented women".

"Working with Linda Perry has been a great joy. We wrote a lot of new songs for the movie and she produced the album," she said.

"I've had a great time working with all of these talented women."

Murphy wrote Dumplin' in 2015 and said she hopes it can help other women with their body image. The Texas-born writer said: "I just came into a time in my life when I said this is it, I only get one life and I'm going to live it."