Jennifer Lawrence: «I’m lucky that I can act»

She says from the doorway that “how hungry she is,” and begins to study the menu with concentration: “They say there is nothing better than feeling slim. Nonsense, the world is full of such wonderful things — french fries, for example, or lasagna! In appearance, Jennifer Lawrence is quite an ordinary American girl. Talkative, laughing, with active facial expressions and a boyish hoarseness in her voice. She is dressed by Hollywood standards, perhaps even rustic, and her own manner of communication does not betray a world-class star in her. But the people at the neighboring tables, when she appears, immediately begin to whisper animatedly, and one enthusiastic young lady even tries to stealthily photograph my interlocutor on the phone. And this is not surprising: by the age of 23, Lawrence managed to become one of the most sought-after and highly paid actresses in America. Film fans know her for her poignant roles in dark auteur films, the general public for big-budget studio blockbusters like The Hunger Games and X-Men. On the Internet, videos of Jennifer’s famous fall at the Oscars and a selection of her witty comments in interviews are equally popular. She acts with famous actors and goes to receptions accompanied by her parents. Introducing the new Miss Dior handbag collection and walking around New York in a stretched Topshop T-shirt. So different and at the same time so recognizable… What face will she show me?

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Determination

But surely there have been failures?

D. L .: Of course, there have been — but the difficulties only irritate me even more. When I first auditioned for Winter’s Bone, they told me I was too pretty for the role. But I was determined to convince them and went to New York for the director, Debra Granik. She showed up right after a night flight, with red eyes, dirty hair — and she apparently decided that I would not leave her behind. The act is just in the spirit of my heroine.

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How is your relationship with directors in general? They say that David O. Russell, for example, can bring actors to white heat with his exactingness.

D. L .: Well, first of all, they lie. David is the sweetest person and a pleasure to work with. And secondly, the director must be demanding, he is the boss! I don’t like it when actors walk around on tiptoe, fearing an emotional breakdown. I played sports as a child and got used to being told directly when something didn’t work out for me. In addition, the actors sometimes become too capricious, forgetting that their work is not more important than that of the rest of the crew members. The only difference is that your face is on the screen.

The power of imagination

You once mentioned that you never studied acting. Was it a conscious decision?

D. L .: No, it’s not that I was fundamentally against studying. It’s just that the parents said from the very beginning that they were not going to pay for any courses. Now I think it’s even good to work at the level of instincts. I never prepare for a role, I memorize the text of today’s scene and that’s it. It seems to me that the best school for an actor is observation of others. One day a frustrated friend came to me. So, I remember, I consoled her, and I myself tried to remember how she moved her hands. Then she copied her movements in one of the films.

But what if you have to play something that you have never encountered in real life? Excuse me, you are still so young, and most of your heroines have such a difficult and unusual fate …

D. L .: And I have imagination! Of course, I’m not close to the situation when you are raped by your mother’s pimp («Poker House»), but I can vividly imagine what it’s like. I don’t choose heroines who look like me. I would not want to watch a movie about myself — I’m wildly boring.

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Changes

At the same time, in your interviews, you said that you doubted whether to take on the role of Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games. And you can’t call her boring at all — a kind of futuristic Jeanne d’Arc. So what’s the reason? Frightened by the responsibility associated with the status of the idol of youth?

D. L .: Well, fortunately I don’t have any secret vices, so there’s nothing to be afraid of. It was just clear that this decision would dramatically change my life. And I liked it the way it is! I have always dreamed of becoming a minivan mother with a normal family. It somehow does not fit well with filming in a big-budget epic. I couldn’t make up my mind, but suddenly my mother shamed me: “You always say that you are acting in independent films, because you don’t care about the scope of the project. And in this film you like everything except the scale. So you’re being hypocritical?» In the end, I agreed and so far, oddly enough, I do not regret it.

And yet, after this role, worldwide fame fell upon you. How did it feel to you, what does it feel like to be in the center of everyone’s attention?

D. L .: Hard is not the right word. Since that moment, I’ve been talking to the press so much that I’m afraid to turn into a person who only talks about himself. In Hollywood, for such cases, it would be time to open a «Club of Anonymous Celebrities.» On the other hand, every profession has its drawbacks. For example, doctors have to work late. And the actors — to sacrifice the right to privacy. In fact, I still try to compensate for this — now I just sit at home more. And to be honest, this pastime suits me quite well — lying around all day in your pajamas in front of the TV, buzz! At parties, I always start to miss my couch and regret the missed shows. And at 11 pm I’m already grumbling like an old woman: when will these children finally calm down ?!

You won an Oscar at 22. Doesn’t it bother you that the peak of your career came so early?

D. L .: For some reason I get asked this all the time. But at the end of the day, an Oscar is like a promotion. Just imagine, when, say, a manager is promoted, he doesn’t think: “Oh, this is too fast, I’d rather be on errands.” Well, yes, quickly, but I’m still grateful. With all this tumultuous development, I just didn’t have time to doubt myself, and this is what most young people go through, and I know that it is rarely pleasant. I don’t feel like I need to prove anything to anyone — I just do my job and enjoy it. Many of my friends are now graduating from university and have no idea what they want to do or if they can even find a job. I’m lucky that I can play. Other than that, I can’t do anything. Well, except for archery and skinning squirrels, but this would hardly be useful to me somewhere other than cinema.

In the heat

And where did you learn how to skin squirrels?

D. L .: Well, in a special American academy for skinning game. Just kidding, I was actually taught by a hunter for a role in Winter’s Bone. And in this film, I had to chop wood. Of course, I said that I can, but it turned out to be not so easy. The director said: «Nothing, we will invite an understudy.» Which in my language sounded like «Baby, you failed.» I am ashamed to admit that I have a terribly strong competitive instinct — it’s just some kind of obsession. So I immediately grabbed an ax — and let’s chop. They decided that it was urgent to shoot before I ran out of fuse.

Well, in The Hunger Games, this competitiveness as a character trait was probably very useful to you? I heard you had to go through some serious physical training.

D. L .: Oh yes, for several months I was running, climbing, wrestling, yoga, archery … It seemed to me that I was already a real tough fighter, and I could not wait to do all sorts of difficult things myself. It was not there: most of them were left to understudies anyway! And for me, the most exhausting was the usual run. I’m already clumsy in my life, and here, can you imagine, you have to run up the mountain in the heat for a dozen takes in a row, and even at the same time manage not to shoot yourself in the eye with an arrow! Although, you know, walking down the red carpet in those uncomfortable evening dresses and high heels is a task cleaner than any stunt trick. Some say that at the Oscars I tripped on purpose to get attention. Ha, have you seen my dress? They would try to climb the slippery steps in it and not fall.

But your Oscar speech turned out to be very touching. In general, performances at ceremonies and talk shows have created a reputation for you as one of the most direct personalities in Hollywood.

D. L .: Yes, what immediacy is there, I just can’t learn how to shut up in time. When I’m nervous, I look like a frightened chihuahua, who is shaking all over and is about to pee. Yes, I’m going to let you know about it right now. And when I meet someone at parties that I have always admired, I generally lose the rest of my common sense. Once I was sitting at the same table with Tilda Swinton — she was very nice and tried to have a conversation with me, and I just mumbled: «I love you so much, I love you so much.» Like a fool, honestly.

But I wonder which of the celebrities at the meeting made the strongest impression on you?

D. L .: Itself did not expect, but it was Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. I was right next to them at the Golden Globes — and you know, it really shook me. They should be appointed king and queen of America. I personally would gladly pay them taxes.