Jennifer Lawrence

**Jennifer Shrader Lawrence** (born August 15, 1990) is an American actress. She Is best known for her roles as Katniss Everdeen In The Hunger Games Franchise, Tiffany in Silver Linings Playbook, Rosalyn Rosenfeld in American Hustle and Raven Darkhölme In the X-Men Movie Franchise.

She Portrays Katniss Everdeen In Songbirds, Snakes and a Mockingjay.

## Early life

Jennifer Shrader Lawrence was born on August 15, 1990, in Indian Hills, Kentucky, to Gary, a construction company owner, and Karen (née Koch), a summer camp manager. She has two older brothers, Ben and Blaine. Her mother raised her to be "tough" like her brothers, and would not allow her to play with other girls in preschool, as she deemed her "too rough" with them. Lawrence was educated at the Kammerer Middle School in Louisville. She did not enjoy her childhood due to hyperactivity and social anxiety, and considered herself a misfit among her peers. She has said that her anxieties vanished when performing on stage and that acting gave her a sense of accomplishment. Her school activities included cheerleading, softball, field hockey and basketball, which she played on a boys' team coached by her father.

Growing up, Lawrence was fond of horseback riding and frequently visited a local horse farm. She has an injured tailbone as a result of being thrown from a horse. When her father worked from home, she performed for him, often dressing up as a clown or ballerina. She had her first acting assignment at age nine, playing a prostitute in a church play based on the Book of Jonah. For the next few years, she continued taking parts in church plays and school musicals.

Lawrence was 14 and on a family vacation in New York City when she was spotted on the street by a talent scout, who arranged for her to audition for talent agents. Her mother was not keen on her pursuing an acting career, but she briefly moved her family to New York to let Lawrence read for roles. After her first cold reading, the agents said that hers was the best they had heard from someone so young; however, her mother convinced her that they were lying. Lawrence said her early experiences were difficult because she felt lonely and friendless. She signed with CESD Talent Agency, which convinced her parents to let her audition for roles in Los Angeles. While her mother encouraged her to go into modeling, she insisted on pursuing acting, which she considered a "natural fit" for her abilities, and turned down several modeling offers. She dropped out of school at 14 without receiving a General Educational Development (GED) or diploma. Lawrence has described herself as "self-educated" and said that her career was her priority. Between her acting jobs in the city, she made regular visits to Louisville, where she was an assistant nurse at her mother's camp.

## Career

Lawrence began her acting career with a minor role in the TV pilot *Company Town* (2006), which was never sold. She followed it with guest roles in several television shows, including *Monk* (2006) and *Medium* (2007). She received her first part as a series regular on the TBS sitcom *The Bill Engvall Show*, in which she played Lauren, the rebellious teenage daughter of a family living in suburban Louisville, Colorado. The series premiered in 2007 and ran for three seasons. Tom Shales of *The Washington Post* considered her a scene stealer in her part, and David Hinckley of the *New York Daily News* wrote that she was successful in "deliver[ing] the perpetual exasperation of teenage girls". In 2009 Lawrence won a Young Artist Award for Outstanding Young Performer in a TV Series for the role.

Lawrence made her film debut in the 2008 drama film *Garden Party*, in which she played a troubled teenager named Tiff. She then appeared in director Guillermo Arriaga's feature film debut *The Burning Plain* (2008), a drama narrated in a hyperlink format. She was cast as the teenage daughter of Kim Basinger's character, who discovers her mother's extramarital affair. She shared the role with Charlize Theron, who played the older version of her character. Mark Feeney of *The Boston Globe* described her role as "a thankless task", but Derek Elley of *Variety* praised her as the production's prime asset. Her performance earned her the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Emerging Actress at the 2008 Venice Film Festival. The same year, she appeared in the music video for the song "The Mess I Made" by Parachute. In 2008, she starred in Lori Petty's drama *The Poker House* as the oldest of three sisters living with a drug-abusing mother. Stephen Farber of *The Hollywood Reporter* opined that Lawrence "has a touching poise on camera that conveys the resilience of children". She won an Outstanding Performance Award at the Los Angeles Film Festival for her performance in the film.

Lawrence's breakthrough role came in Debra Granik's independent drama *Winter's Bone* (2010), based on the novel of the same name by Daniel Woodrell. The film featured her as 17-year-old Ree Dolly, a poverty-stricken teenage girl in the Ozark Mountains who cares for her mentally ill mother and younger siblings while searching for her missing father. She traveled to the Ozarks a week before filming began to live with the family on whom the story was based, and in preparation for the role, she learned to fight, skin squirrels, and chop wood. David Denby of *The New Yorker* asserted that the film "would be unimaginable with anyone less charismatic", and Peter Travers of *Rolling Stone* wrote that "her performance is more than acting; it's a gathering storm. Lawrence's eyes are a roadmap to what's tearing Ree apart." The production won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. The actress was awarded the National Board of Review Award for Breakthrough Performance, and received her first nominations for the Golden Globe Award, SAG Award and Academy Award for Best Actress, becoming the second-youngest Best Actress Oscar nominee at the time.

In 2011, Lawrence took on a supporting role in *Like Crazy*, a romantic drama about long-distance relationships, starring Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones. Kenneth Turan of the *Los Angeles Times* considered the film to be an "intensely wrought and immensely satisfying love story" and credited all three performers for "making their [characters'] yearning palpable". She then appeared again with Yelchin in Jodie Foster's *The Beaver*, alongside Foster and Mel Gibson. Filmed in 2009, the production was delayed due to controversy concerning Gibson and earned less than half of its $21 million budget.

After her dramatic role in *Winter's Bone*, Lawrence looked for something less serious, and found it with her first high-profile release—Matthew Vaughn's superhero film *X-Men: First Class* (2011)—a prequel to the *X-Men* film series. She portrayed the shapeshifting mutant Mystique, a role played by Rebecca Romijn in the earlier films. Vaughn cast Lawrence, as he thought that she would be able to portray the weakness and strength involved in the character's transformation. For the part, Lawrence lost weight and practiced yoga. For Mystique's blue form, she had to undergo eight hours of makeup, where latex pieces and body paint were applied to her otherwise nude body, as Romijn had done on the other films. This process required Lawrence to report to set at 2 a.m. She was intimidated in the role as she admired Romijn. Writing for *USA Today*, Claudia Puig considered the film to be a "classy re-boot" of the film series, and believed that her "high-spirited performance" empowered the film. With worldwide earnings of $350 million, *X-Men: First Class* became Lawrence's highest-grossing film at that point.

In 2012, Lawrence starred as Katniss Everdeen in *The Hunger Games*, an adaptation of the first book in author Suzanne Collins' *Hunger Games* trilogy. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, the series tells the story of the teenage heroine Everdeen as she joins rebel forces against a totalitarian government after winning a brutal televised annual event. Despite being an admirer of the books, Lawrence was initially hesitant to accept the part, because of the grand scale of the film. She agreed to the project after her mother convinced her to take the part. She practiced archery, rock and tree climbing, and hand-to-hand combat techniques, and other physically demanding activities for the role. While training for the part, she injured herself running into a wall. *The Hunger Games* garnered positive reviews, with Lawrence's portrayal of Everdeen being particularly praised; Roger Ebert described the film as "an effective entertainment," and found Lawrence to be "strong and convincing in the central role." Similarly, Todd McCarthy of *The Hollywood Reporter* called her an "ideal screen actress", believing that she had embodied the Everdeen of the novel, and added that she "anchors [the film] with impressive gravity and presence". With worldwide revenues of over $690 million, *The Hunger Games* became a top-grossing film featuring a female lead, making Lawrence the highest-grossing action heroine of all time. The film's success established her as a global star.

Later in 2012, Lawrence played Tiffany Maxwell, a troubled young widow, in David O. Russell's romantic comedy-drama *Silver Linings Playbook*. The film is an adaptation of Matthew Quick's novel of the same name, and follows her character as she finds companionship with Pat Solitano Jr. (played by Bradley Cooper), a man with bipolar disorder. Lawrence was drawn to her character's complex personality, explaining, "She was just kind of this mysterious enigma to me because she didn't really fit any basic kind of character profile. Somebody who is very forceful and bullheaded is normally very insecure, but she isn't." While Russell initially found her too young for the part, she convinced him to cast her via a Skype audition. She found herself challenged by Russell's spontaneity as a director, and described working on the project as the "best experience of [her] life". Richard Corliss of *Time* magazine wrote: "Just 21 when the movie was shot, Lawrence is that rare young actress who plays, who *is*, grown-up. Sullen and sultry, she lends a mature intelligence to any role." Peter Travers opined that Lawrence "is some kind of miracle. She's rude, dirty, funny, foulmouthed, sloppy, sexy, vibrant, and vulnerable, sometimes all in the same scene, even in the same breath." She won the Golden Globe, SAG Award and the Academy Award for Best Actress, becoming—at age 22—the second-youngest Best Actress Oscar winner. Her final film of the year was alongside Max Thieriot and Elisabeth Shue in Mark Tonderai's critically panned thriller *House at the End of the Street*.

In January 2013, Lawrence hosted an episode of the NBC late-night sketch comedy *Saturday Night Live*. *The Devil You Know*, a small-scale production that she had filmed for in 2005, was her first release of 2013. She then reprised the role of Everdeen in *The Hunger Games: Catching Fire*, the second installment in the *Hunger Games* series. While performing the film's underwater stunts, Lawrence suffered from an ear infection that resulted in a brief loss of hearing. Writing for *The Village Voice*, Stephanie Zacharek believed that the actress' portrayal of Everdeen made her an ideal role model, stating that "there's no sanctimony or pretense of false modesty in the way Lawrence plays her." With box office earnings of $865 million, *Catching Fire* remains her highest-grossing film.

In the same year, Lawrence took on a supporting role in David O. Russell's ensemble black comedy crime *American Hustle* as Rosalyn Rosenfeld, the neurotic wife of con man Irving Rosenfeld (played by Christian Bale). Inspired by the FBI's Abscam sting operation, the film is set against the backdrop of political corruption in 1970s New Jersey. She did little research for the role, and based her performance on knowledge of the era from films and television shows she had watched. Geoffrey Macnab of *The Independent* found Lawrence to be "brilliant", "funny and acerbic" in her part, and highlighted an improvised scene in which she aggressively kisses her husband's mistress (played by Amy Adams) on the lips. For her performance, she won the Golden Globe and BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress, and received her third Screen Actors Guild Award and Academy Award nominations, her first in the supporting category. This made her the youngest actor to accrue three Oscar nominations.

Lawrence played Serena Pemberton in Susanne Bier's depression-era drama *Serena* (2014), based on the novel of the same name by Ron Rash. In the film, she and her husband George (played by Bradley Cooper) become involved in criminal activities after realizing that they cannot bear children. The project was filmed in 2012, and was released in 2014 to poor reviews. Lawrence then reprised the role of Mystique in *X-Men: Days of Future Past*, which served as a sequel to both *X-Men: The Last Stand* (2006) and *X-Men: First Class* (2011). The film received positive reviews and grossed $748.1 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing film in the *X-Men* series to that point. Justin Chang of *Variety* praised her look in the film but thought she had little to do but "glower, snarl and let the f/x artists do their thing".

Lawrence's next two releases were the final installments of *The Hunger Games* film series, *Mockingjay – Part 1* (2014) and *Part 2* (2015). For the soundtrack of the former film, she recorded the song "The Hanging Tree", which charted on multiple international singles charts. In a review of the final installment in the series, Manohla Dargis of *The New York Times* drew similarities between Everdeen's journey as a rebel leader and Lawrence's rise to stardom, stating that the actress "now inhabits the role as effortlessly as breathing, partly because, like all great stars, she seems to be playing a version of her 'real' self." Both films grossed over $650 million worldwide.

Lawrence worked with David O. Russell for the third time on the biopic *Joy* (2015), in which she played the eponymous character, a troubled single mother who becomes a successful businesswoman after inventing the Miracle Mop. During production in Boston, the press reported on a disagreement between Lawrence and Russell that resulted in a "screaming match". She said their friendship made it easier for them to disagree, because people fight when they really love each other. The film was not as well-received as their previous collaborations, but Lawrence's performance was unanimously praised; critic Richard Roeper found it to be her best work since *Winter's Bone*, terming it "a wonderfully layered performance that carries the film through its rough spots and sometime dubious detours." She won her third Golden Globe for it, and was nominated for another Academy Award for Best Actress, becoming the youngest actor in history to accrue four Oscar nominations.

Lawrence began 2016 by providing the narration for *A Beautiful Planet*, a documentary film that explores Earth from the International Space Station. She played Mystique for the third time in *X-Men: Apocalypse* (2016). The film received mixed reviews, with a consensus that it was overfilled with action that detracted from the story's themes and the cast's performances. Helen O'Hara of *Empire* deemed it a letdown from the previous installments of the series and criticized Lawrence for making her character too grim. Despite this, she was awarded Favorite Movie Actress at the 43rd People's Choice Awards. Lawrence was paid $20 million to star in the science fiction romance *Passengers* (2016), and received top billing over co-star Chris Pratt. The film featured Pratt and Lawrence as two individuals who wake up ninety years too soon from an induced hibernation on a spaceship bound for a new planet. She felt nervous performing her first sex scene and kissing a married man (Pratt) onscreen; she drank alcohol to prepare herself for filming those scenes. *Passengers* was met with underwhelming reviews, much to the surprise of its cast and crew, but Lawrence initially defended the film by calling it a "tainted, complicated love story." She later expressed regret over starring in the film.

Darren Aronofsky's psychological horror film *mother!* was Lawrence's sole release of 2017. She played a young wife who experiences trauma when her home is invaded by unexpected guests. Lawrence spent three months rehearsing the film in a warehouse in Brooklyn, despite her reluctance to rehearsals in her previous assignments. The intense role proved grueling for her; she was put on supplemental oxygen when she hyperventilated one day, and also dislocated a rib. *Mother!* polarized audiences and prompted mass walkouts. The film was better received by critics; Walter Addiego of the *San Francisco Chronicle* labeled it "assaultive" and a "deliberate test of audience endurance", and credited Lawrence for "never allow[ing] herself to be reduced simply to a howling victim."

The following year, she starred as Dominika Egorova, a Russian spy who makes contact with a mysterious CIA agent (played by Joel Edgerton), in Francis Lawrence's espionage thriller *Red Sparrow*, based on Jason Matthews' novel of the same name. In preparation for the part, she learned to speak in a Russian accent and trained in ballet for four months. Having been the victim of a nude photo hack, the actress found herself challenged by the sexuality in her role but said that performing the nude scenes made her feel empowered. Eric Kohn of IndieWire disliked the film's denouement, but praised the performances of Lawrence and Charlotte Rampling, remarking that "the considerable talent on display is [the film's] constant saving grace." In 2019, Lawrence made her fourth and final appearance as Mystique, in the superhero film *Dark Phoenix*, which emerged as a critical and box-office failure.

Following roles in a series of mixed reviewed films, Lawrence took a small break from acting. She felt unsatisfied with her films, wanted to avoid media scrutiny, and focused on domestic activities during this period. Wanting to work with director Adam McKay since she was 19, Lawrence returned in 2021 in his film *Don't Look Up* for Netflix for a reported fee of $25 million. A "slapstick apocalypse", the film had her and costar Leonardo DiCaprio play two astronomers attempting to warn humanity about an extinction-level asteroid. For the role, Lawrence received a red dye job and an undercut; in an interview with *Vogue*, she said that she extensively researched the typical look of aspiring astrophysicists. Reviews for the film were mixed, but critics mostly praised the performances of Lawrence and DiCaprio, who were described as "powerhouse" by Ian Sandwell of Digital Spy and "a delight to watch" by Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV. Lawrence earned a fifth Golden Globe nomination for the film. It broke the record for the most views, 152 million hours in a single week in Netflix history, and ranks as the platform's second most-watched film within 28 days of release.

Lawrence starred in Lila Neugebauer's independent drama *Causeway* (2022), playing a soldier suffering from a brain injury. She also produced the film under her company Excellent Cadaver, which she had formed in 2018. After starring in several big-budget films, she was drawn to the "slow melody of a character-driven story". Comparing it to her work in *Winter's Bone*, Allison Wilmore of *Vulture* opined that the film "is a welcome reminder of how compelling Lawrence can be, as well as a promising indication that she's willing to seek out smaller projects and work with emerging directors".

Under Excellent Cadaver, Lawrence produced *Bread and Roses* (2023), a documentary film from director Sahra Mani about Afghan women under Taliban rule. Lawrence currently stars in and produce the comedy film *No Hard Feelings*, directed by Gene Stupnitsky.

## Awards

Lawrence won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in *Silver Linings Playbook* (2012). She has won three Golden Globe Awards; Best Actress – Comedy or Musical for *Silver Linings Playbook* (2012) and *Joy* (2015), and Best Supporting Actress for *American Hustle* (2013). She also won a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for *American Hustle*. Her other accolades include seven MTV Movie Awards (five for *The Hunger Games* series, two for *Silver Linings Playbook*), six People's Choice Awards (three for *The Hunger Games*, three for the *X-Men* series), a Satellite Award for *Silver Linings Playbook*, and a Saturn Award for *The Hunger Games.*

## Trivia

* Jennifer has been married to Cooke Maroney since 2019, and have one child together named Cy.