Jennifer Lawrence on the funniest script she’s ever read
Known for her starring role in the hugely popular Hunger Games franchise and working with top-tier directors such as David O. Russell and Adam McKay, Jennifer Lawrence is one of the most well-known and successful actors of her generation.
Fans of hers were distraught when the actor announced that she was considering a break from acting, but Lawrence has recently revealed that it was the script for her new film, No Hard Feelings, that convinced her to continue working. She also clarified that the idea for the movie came from a genuine Craigslist advert.
Speaking at the London premiere for the new movie, the Silver Linings Playbook actor explained how there was no “specific genre” in mind when searching for her next project but that she knew she wanted to “do something that resonates”. She had previously made it public that she seriously considered giving acting a break. However, when the script for No Hard Feelings found its way to her, she described Gene Stupnitsky and John Phillips’ screenplay as “the funniest I’d ever read in my life”.
Also directed by Stupnitsky, the film follows a financially struggling woman named Maddie who agrees to date the teenage son of a wealthy family in exchange for much-needed cash. The inspiration for the story? A 2013 advert that was posted on Craiglist, which Lawrence and the director “cracked up” over.
On working with Stupnitsky, Lawrence explained how their previous friendship helped attract her to the production. “This was just a blast because Gene and I have been friends for a really long time.” The actor then detailed the film’s origin and how she first heard about the idea in 2018.
“We got dinner maybe five years ago and he showed me the Craigslist ad, and we just cracked up at who would post the ad – and also who would respond,” she said. After her meet-up with the writer/director, several years would pass before Lawrence came across the idea again, this time in the form of a completed screenplay. “Four years later, I got the script, and it couldn’t have been funnier.”
No Hard Feelings gets a theatrical release on June 21st. Watch the trailer for Lawrence’s new comedy below.
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