Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston can personally relate to the artificial intelligence (AI) concerns that the television series The Morning Show explores in its fourth season. Both actors have had their real-life likenesses stolen and used in deepfake videos, a situation that Aniston’s character, journalist Alex Levy, faces. Deepfakes are synthetic media in which a person’s image is replaced by someone else’s using AI techniques, leading to impersonation, fraud, blackmail, and the spread of misinformation.

“There’s only so much you can do to try to catch all of it (deepfakes) because it’s happening at such a rapid speed and in such massive amounts—how do you control it all? I really love that we’re showing this in the show,” Aniston said in an interview.
“There has to be some rules or legislation around how AI is used because it is so dangerous and reckless,” the Friends star added.

Critics have widely praised Aniston’s performance as Alex Levy. Bethonie Butler (The Washington Post) wrote, “Jennifer Aniston is fantastic.” Meanwhile, Lucy Mangan (The Guardian) commented, “Aniston is flawless—wholly convincing as a woman both broken by and rightfully raging… a force to be reckoned with.” On Metacritic, reviews agree: “Jennifer Aniston is amazing… she gives a career‑high performance this season.”

In season four, The Morning Show, known for tackling timely political issues, explores how the news industry has changed since the last episode in 2023. The new season follows a group of journalists as they navigate the merger between two major fictional networks, UBN and UBA. Reese Witherspoon, also an executive producer, explained:

“We talk about the rise of the individual journalist, the rise of the individual voice… We deal with the manosphere, all the bro podcasters who have a strong influence over listeners, from medical advice to how to vote.”

Aniston’s sharp and powerful performance in these storylines has been highlighted by critics as well. The Guardian noted that she delivers a “role that is both strong and complex, keeping audiences glued to the screen.”

The show also reflects major cultural movements, from #MeToo and being “woke” to the anti-woke movement. Witherspoon said:

“We have a show that talks about the issues people are discussing right now, which makes it extremely topical.”

Thanks to the combination of Jennifer Aniston’s outstanding acting and the show’s relevance to contemporary issues, The Morning Show season four is both entertaining and socially resonant, reaffirming Aniston as one of television’s most accomplished actresses today.