Anna Faris is an actress who’s appeared in some of the most iconic comedies of the past three decades. She’s also been one of the most outspoken celebrities in regard to her love for all things Cannabis, helping to normalize the conversation around the plant’s role in everyday life.
Looking over her filmography, the list is impressive – from “Brokeback Mountain” to “Lost in Translation” to “Mama’s Boy,” not to mention the “Scary Movie” franchise, Faris has appeared in over 40 feature films and countless television episodes. She’s an instantly recognizable comedian, with platinum good looks. Because of her physical beauty, she’s often been typecast into roles that are stereotypical for a good-looking blonde actress (a Playboy bunny, cheerleader, the ‘hot’ girl).
But with Faris, beauty is not skin deep, as she’s one of the more talented physical comedians of the past three decades. Perhaps that’s why the 2007 film “Smiley Face” is such a cult classic for those of us who like to consume Cannabis. It’s yet another great edition to the stoner-comedy genre that may have flown below folk’s radar due to its limited theater release and relatively low financial success at the box office. In it, Faris plays an out-of-work actress that mistakenly consumes an entire batch of cupcakes with homemade canna-butter infused into the mix. Hilarity ensues.
Faris’ acting in the film is top-notch physical comedy rivaling roles from some of the greatest in the genre. It is still widely considered to be her best comedic role. In it, she eschews the role of the blonde beauty and instead plays a vulnerable, sometimes unlikeable and flawed person baked out of their mind on homemade edibles. The film is the prototype of the female stoner comedy genre (see: Broad City) that has become a staple of many women-driven comedies today. While the film wasn’t a box-office success, it did catch the attention of many who are Cannabis enthusiasts. In fact, during the same year, High Times awarded her their (somewhat sexist) award for “Stonette of the Year” – for which the trophy was a bong that Faris later admitted to smoking out of occasionally.
Two years later, Faris’ role in the Jody Hill-directed, Seth Rogan-starring blockbuster comedy “Observe and Report” would further solidify her role as a comedic genius. Again, Faris breaks the traditional conception of an attractive actress with self-deprecating humor, and through her role turns the worn Hollywood trope of the infallible blonde ‘damsel in distress’ on its head.
Faris continues to star in comedy roles for feature films (her latest, a remake of the ‘80s classic “Overboard,” turns the movie’s original premise on its head). If you haven’t seen “Smiley Face,” though, this author highly recommends having an edible and experiencing the many laughs that a comedian who knows their craft can bring to a role that celebrates our favorite plant.