The one thing Jennifer Lawrence hates doing onscreen: “I have this theory directors hate me”
After taking a short break from Hollywood, it seems as though Jennifer Lawrence is returning to the business with a bang with the upcoming release of Die, My Love, directed by the elusive Lynne Ramsay.
Before this project, which is rumoured to be opening the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, Lawrence gained a globally renowned reputation for her work in the hit Hunger Games series as well as gritty independent projects such as Mother!, Winters Bone and Silver Linings Playbook, which earnt her an Oscar at just the age of 22. Since then, she has worked with directors like Adam McKay, Darren Aronofsky and the controversial David O Russell, garnering critical acclaim for her electric and deeply intuitive performances.
However, over the years, Lawrence has had many extremely challenging and demanding roles, with the actor discussing the emotional trauma she suffered after playing the lead role in Mother! and the stress of working with O Russell on American Hustle, in which the director came under fire for his abusive practices. But surprisingly, Lawrence revealed another professional experience that she found equally as tricky and infinitely more embarrassing.
Many of us would recoil when presented with the task of singing in public, with most people finding the prospect of even singing ‘happy birthday’ and uncomfortable thought. However, in the world of show business, actors are often required to get comfortable with deeply uncomfortable situations, whether it be scenes that require nudity, dancing, professional-level tennis or singing.
Lawrence has had to perfect many physical feats over the years, with the actor going through extensive physical training to prepare for the fight sequences and stunts in The Hunger Games. However, while this prospect seems daunting to audiences when watching her use a bow and arrow in the Hunger Games arena, the actor revealed that she has been more intimidated by professional experiences that require vocal warmups and recording her dulcet tones.
Whether it be in The Hunger Games, Joy or Silver Linings Playbook, Lawrence has had to sing in many different roles, showcasing a whole other aspect of her creative talents, despite her lack of confidence in her voice. As a result, the actor is now confident that she is repeatedly being asked to sing as some sort of karmic punishment or prank, with a comical number of roles requiring her to act on her musical talents.
When discussing this, Lawrence said, “You know I have this theory that directors hate me. I don’t know why. I hate it that have to keep doing it. It’s the weirdest thing. I’ve never once put it out there that I think I can sing or that I even enjoy singing,” Lawrence said. “Now it seems like I keep having to do it in every damn film!”
While Lawrence isn’t convinced by her own musical abilities, she is undoubtedly far better than she thinks, which is perhaps why directors keep leaning towards this form of expression for the actor. Perhaps the only way out is through, and even though Lawrence isn’t a fan of her singing voice, maybe it will become another part of show business that she slowly acclimatises to.
