What’s better than a new Jennifer Lawrence interview? A new J-Law interview conducted by OPRAH! I like how Oprah Winfrey is trying to make “The Oprah Interview” into a thing, like it’s something she’s always been famous for. Don’t get me wrong, I miss Oprah’s daytime show too, and I enjoy her long-form TV interviews on OWN, but let’s not kid ourselves: Oprah is not the best interviewer in the world. She rarely calls out celebrities when they’re full of sh-t, and there are many times when Oprah will try to out-full-of-sh-t the celebrity she’s speaking to. Anyway, this interview is long and epic and it’s worth your time – go here to read. J-Law is campaigning for that Oscar (for ‘mother!’) and she’s really pouring out her soul. Some highlights:
Whether she was disappointed by the bad reviews for ‘mother!’: “I read Twitter, and I was looking for bad mother! things. It was horrible. It was really bad. I loved this so much, and it just broke my heart, especially for Darren [Aronofsky, the film’s writer-director and Lawrence’s ex] because he loved this person. And any time you’re in a relationship, their pain is your pain.
How she chooses her next project: “It’s chemistry. It’s like meeting a boyfriend. Red Sparrow [March] was sexual, and I haven’t done anything sexy or sexual. I’ve been afraid of that since 2014, when I got my pictures hacked. I just thought, “I’ll never do that again. I’ll never share that part of myself ever since it got shared against my will.” And then when I said yes to Red Sparrow, I felt I was taking something back.On the Harvey Weinstein stories: “I don’t know a woman who hasn’t been touched by some sort of abuse. I’m sad by the women’s stories, but I’m excited by the change that’s going to come from it. The rule book is being rewritten right now. People are terrified. I mean, specifically, men using their power to abuse women. But I was abused by a woman on a movie. There was a general consensus on [that] movie that I was fat, and so it wasn’t just the woman. Everybody agreed that I was fat. And she had to be the mouthpiece.
Whether she felt it was her responsibility to say something about Weinstein: “There was this moment when all of this broke out and everybody was silent, and then all of a sudden, every actress’ Twitter was blowing up with, “You need to come forward and you need to say something and you need to condemn!” Which is true: We do have a responsibility to say something; we’ve all worked with him, but everybody needed a moment. Just speaking for myself, I had known him since I was 20, and he had only ever been nice to me — except for the moments that he wasn’t, and then I called him an a–hole, and we moved on. He was paternal to me. So I needed a moment to process everything because I thought I knew this guy, and then he’s being accused of rape. We all knew he was a dog, we knew that he was a — A tough guy, a brute, a tough guy to negotiate with. I didn’t know that he was a rapist. And it’s so widespread, the abuse, from so many different people — it’s directors, it’s producers — that I think everybody needed to [process it]. Everybody needs to deal with this in their own way; everybody needs to heal.
She’s never met Trump, but would she want to? “I think so. I’ve got a pretty good speech. And it ends with a martini to the face. I have something to say for all of them. I watch different characters on the news, and I’m like, “You just wait.”
Three people she would invite to a dinner party: “Scott Disick [from Keeping Up With the Kardashians], Luann from Real Housewives of NewYork, Bethenny Frankel. And I’m not proud of that, but that’s what comes from my heart.
Would you like to meet Trump? I would not, because I know myself well enough to know that I wouldn’t be able to control myself. I would go for his little piggie eyes with my long-ass nails. And then I would be tased or shot by Secret Service agents and then there would be no more gossip. Sad! As for who she would invite to a dinner party… that’s an awful f–king list. I get that she loves trashy reality shows, but if you’re going to pick your ideal reality show dinner companions, I would at least go for Khloe Kardashian, Lisa Vanderpump and maybe… Mike from American Pickers (OMFG I love American Pickers).
There’s also a lengthy discussion about what she could have done, as a young actress, when she experienced abuse, and what she thinks about doing now as a power-player and advocate for young women. She apparently thinks a lot about forming a commission full of A-listers, and young actors can basically go to the commission of A-listers and tell them when they’re being abused by a producer or director or whomever, and the A-Lister Commission will take care of it. Honestly, it’s not the worst f–king idea. Strange times call for strange solutions.
Photos courtesy of Miller Mobley for The Hollywood Reporter.
Queen of Hollywood
Hahahahaha stop this.
She looks like sh!t.
Your comment is disgusting
If that’s what shit looks like than I’d love to look like shit too..
I don’t think so.
so many better actresses are considered Hollywood royalty and not by blood.
She was Hollywood’s sweetheart, but with her string of flops?? who knows anymore. Seems like her only true boxoffice successes since hunger games was one of those little comic movies…and it wasn’t very good.
She’s been nominated for three Oscars since Hunger Games, winning one, and only two out of her last twelve films have lost money (Joy and Mother) – some flop.
@Sophia
Queen of the trailer park, more like it. She has trashy tastes in almost everything.
classism is so passe
Oh please
I really like what she is saying here and I was so disappointed when she got so much shit for saying he was paternal to her before.
Once again, she was not in a position to challenge him any more than she obviously already did. I believe her when she says that she called him on it when he was an asshole. Honestly, how many of us dare do even that much toward a man who has power over us or our career?
I’m done putting the responsiblity to handle these abusive men on the shoulders of their victim pool. Every single asshole who facilitated the pay-offs, who drew up the contracts, who took money to defend these fuckers in the boardrooms are 1000x more responsible than a 26 year old woman who gets paid to act.
Agreed. I was so disappointed in the readers and commenters who were saying she was a victim and she was lying or probably didn’t know what abuse was. Harvey went after women on their climb up the ladder, not the ones who were already on top. Lawrence was pretty much established. She had Hunger Games as well as an Oscar nom.
And yes he went after AJ and Paltrow but they were not household names at that time.
That was not really what I meant and I think it really doesn’t matter when or why he went after certain actresses. Fact is, he didn’t do anything to HER and I see no reason to attack for simply stating that fact.
Saying ‘he was paternal to me’ does not mean ‘I don’t believe the women’. That was my point. It was like she was actually held responsible for him NOT going after her in a weird way?
And this is probably why she continues to talk about him. Because for whatever reason people have decided to not believe her. Because her success couldnt have been any other reason, right?
Baron, I think you misunderstood me. I was agreeing with you
+1 I was disappointed in that thread as well. And there were people even stating that she was flat out lying. Her experience with Weinstein doesn’t negate what his victims experienced and to attempt to call a woman a list for NOT having been abused is just as crappy as calling a woman a liar if she was. You either believe women or you dont.
“I’m done putting the responsiblity to handle these abusive men on the shoulders of their victim pool”
I don’t know or care whether she, personally, was victimized or not. Based on the sheer number of reports that have come out, it seems like pretty much EVERYBODY in Hollywood knew what Weinstein was up to (maybe not full-on rape, but unwanted advances and propositions). They KNEW he was abusing his position in Hollywood. My beef is with the people who continued to work with his and support his career, because THAT (supporting his position of power) is how he was able to keep abusing women. I am not “blaming his victims,” I am blaming everyone who continued to support his career, including the male actors. The ONE THING any of them could have done to help the situation is simply not work with him or support his movies.
What’s up with her face??? Is this from bad Photoshop or freshly tweaked?
I can see what you mean it has to bad photoshop because I can’t see her getting a facelift this early in her life. But this is hollyweird who knows
Ot but women do facelifts in their 20s cos some jerks said that it will slow down ageing. The fact that we start to age at early 40s somehow is lost in hw. People live longer and they age later.
And omg i remembered one hw dermatologist saying that if you don’t start with rethinol in your 20s you are an idiot… he is male.
Her face looks so odd in the second picture…
OD’d on Botox. Apparently it affected her brain as well.
she got the kris jenner special.
She looks like she’s had the same “japanese potatoes” procedure that Olivia Munn did.
These stupid people seriously need to sit down and do a little reading about “abuse”. “Abuse” on the scale that Weinstein was doling out is nothing like having someone say you are a little too “fat” for a character in a movie.
Except she made her strip naked in front of people as well. That’s an abuse of power, harassment and it’s disgusting what happened. Saying that you can’t call something abuse because it’s not as huge of a deal as another person’s abuse is absolutely insane.
+1 well said.
Plus, wasn’t she also underage when that happened?
If you are casting for a role and the character’s physical description is very specific then you may be asked to either wear a bikini or be nude, especially if nude scenes are intended. Usually this information is detailed in a call sheet or at the very least the agent who is sending you to the audition would have informed you prior to. This is for men and women. You may think it is disgusting, but take a look at your TV; most of the people you see onscreen get their for one specific reason: their looks.
This is how the modeling industry works as well and if you are afraid of being asked to be nude in front of people then I’d suggest that you’d find a different industry as that won’t change. Also, most models, male and female, are minors. I’m just stating how it has been and is. I’m not saying I agree.
What I do find appalling in her anecdote, however, was her detailing of the supposed mental games or commentary that the casting directors/producers directed towards her. Insults have no place in a working environment. .
Abuse comes in many forms, the fact that you’re limiting it to one kind of abuse is really bad. Maybe to you calling someone fat in a professional context is not terrible, but you don’t know that person’s story, you don’t know if they’ve dealt with eating disorders of have a big self esteem issue. You’re humilliating someone in front of others just because you have the power to, and that’s called abuse.
Come back to me when you’ve actually been abused, and then tell me being called fat is abuse. Ridiculous, hurtful, and dangerous perspective.
Well said Mina and Erinn.
She’s mentioned this before. It affected her greatly, and is definitely abusive behavior. It may not be the same, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t legitimate.
Yes, Hella, your perspective is ridiculous, hurtful, and dangerous. I’m glad you realize that.
Abuse takes all forms. Verbal, emotional, physical… and before you get all huffy, I HAVE been sexually assaulted. It is harrowing. But I have also been called stupid, belittled in front of my fellow residents, called names… and while it isn’t the SAME pain as sexual assault, it is still hurtful and it is still an abuse of power.
I’m glad that I didn’t see Trump while in Palm Beach. If I had, I’d probably be in jail for throwing a pumpkin pie into his pumpkin orange face and poking his eyes out with my short fingernails
I have seen him and spoken to him. He was nice and charming but that years ago and it wasn’t like we became besties. He is very oh this young lady doesn’t have a drink and blah blah loads of flattery. He doesn’t act like his reputation, but in brief social situations in front of people, he respects he wouldn’t. It was Poison Ivy I spent more time around, but that was because of other people. She is the same.
What is creepy about him is he introduces you to someone and acts like you have known each other for years and adds things he knows about your family. It is like he is mentally writing a file on you.
He has always been considered a sleazy mob-connected bloviator who lies and is weird about his daughter and is an absurd, vulgar crook. He was a fun dinner party story or something you told people to make them laugh.
People from all walks of life have DT stories.
Interesting. I’ve read that he can be charming and magnanimous/back-slapping when he wants to. It makes sense, and narcissists can be totally charming and generous when they feel like they own the room.
that wouldn’t have happened
Maybe it’s my fatigue at the sheer number of stories or the fact that I’m cynical but I mostly shrugged at this interview. JLaw no longer intrigues me in general and I guess I’m tired of people explaining what they did or did not know. I think it’s because I no longer believe a lot of those stories and maybe it’s because I know these people are campaigning for Oscars. It just colors my entire view of these interviews. I felt the same way about the Matt/George interview.
I don’t know I’m tired. I don’t want to hear from JLaw or Matt Damon. I want to hear from the survivors (Gretchen, Terry) because we know Hollywood cast them out in the cold for the most part. I want to hear from the victims of color who are largely absent and not getting half the exposure or support they need. I want them at the forefront of their story not the people scrambling after the fact.
Nicole – I’m 100% with you.
You can even tell there is a part of her that is still protective of him. She refers to him just as a rapist but doesn’t really express any feelings as such to the actual horrible things he did and the orchestrated way in which he did those things over and over and over again.
To keep acting shocked is really grating. You knew! Just say you heard some things, nothing direct but it sounded so unreal…blah, blah.
It is not her responsibility to out him but to keep acting more shocked and sad for him than seem honestly remorseful about the disgustingly vile things he did to those women just makes me sick to see her face.
I mean can you imagine being trapped in a hotel room with the ugliest, giant size troll throwing himself on top of you or forcing his huge self through your doorway only to find that the worst is yet to come? Uuugghhh!!!!!
@OOOHH!
Actually she spoke about this in the interview
“Has there been a woman’s or a man’s story that stood out for you among all the stories of harassment?
No. They are all horrible, and not one is more horrifying than the next. But being able to hear when the woman wore the microphone and Harvey was telling her to watch him shower — I felt sick in my bones for an entire day. I was just sick. I was just like, “I can’t,” after hearing that. And that’s why it’s so important to talk about abuse, all of the different forms of abuse, because he didn’t lay a finger on her, and I felt chilled to my bones. Imagine having a man who is that powerful telling you to do something [and] you’re saying no. [He’s] threatening you, saying, “Don’t embarrass me. We’re at this hotel.”
Maybe if you read the interview before commenting it would be better
She actually does. As the comment above mentions she talks about how awful all the stories are.
I’m just fatigued about not hearing the survivors stories. Those are the people I worry and care about. Not saying she should be silent when asked but cmon these magazines could be profiling the people that had their worlds turned upside down by abusers.
I’m just cynical and I don’t think anything will change.
@Nicole Yet you write comments on every post about her. If you’re so tired of her maybe you should comment on anything else.
Hey Juliette I comment on most (if not all) articles on CB. I comment on all trump stories but I loathe him with every fiber of my being. Maybe you should stop monitoring my commenting if it bothers you so much.
In the meantime you can have several seats.
@Nicole
I’m not monitoring your comments LOL I only said an opinion. I honestly don’t waste my time in commenting who I don’t like ( Trump is a different story because it affects all of us)
You had an opinion on my posting so…
Why is everyone being such a royale B today???
I am too Nicole. For some reason, it irritates me when she keeps talking about him. I don’t know why. Maybe because she is doing it more than others? I have no idea.
What’s she supposed to do? She’s doing a lot of press at the moment. If she refuses to talk about Weinstein she’ll be dragged for that.
I just love her. I do. She may not always say the right things (who does??) but she speaks her mind and seems true to herself. I do side-eye her dinner guests list, but she’s self-aware enough to know it’s ridiculous.
She was insulted deeply by calling fat. In my opinion abuse is something different.
She was forced to undress and do a nude lineup in front of everyone where they then told her “look at the others and lose weight”. This is abuse as well as disgusting
That is abuse, 100%.
To be exact, she never said that at the audition they told her to compare herself with other women. What she stated was that she ‘thought’ or ‘felt’ that the casting call with other women was intended to make her feel fat.
Also, casting calls usually are quite specific as to how you are supposed to show up looking and also if you will need to be nude or wear a swimsuit. Depends on what the casting directors/producers decide which actor best physically suits the character. Standard practice. Hollywood and acting is a rough business and most of the difficulty is not actually with the craft of acting , it’s finding the work and competing with others.
There’s a reason why your favorites stars look so attractive. It’s what the employers demand and what consumers spend their money on.
“During this time a female producer had me do a nude line-up with about five women who were much, much, thinner than me. We are stood side-by-side with only tape on covering our privates,” she added. “After that degrading and humiliating line-up, the female producer told me I should use the naked photos of myself as inspiration for my diet.”
Pretty sure she did, Brian. After lining her up with a bunch of women who (not coincidentally, I’m sure) were much thinner, the woman told her that the photos of this should be inspiration for a diet. So yes, she felt that it was intended to make her feel fat – but when someone is following that up with ‘that’s inspiration for your diet!’ it’s pretty clear that was the intention.
The director then told her it’s alright because she’s “f–kable”. Think about that. He didn’t tell her she’s beautiful or physically right for the part. He told her everything’s cool only because he saw her as an object in which to stick his pathetic D. That’s sexual harassment. That’s demeaning. She suffered that.
i always read articles about JLAW on this site with a bit of trepidation, based on how batshit the comments get about what she knew and did not know, speculated by middle america–so reductive.
nothing more to add except ditto on the never being able to meet orange il duce.
“I always read articles about JLAW on this site with a bit of trepidation, based on how batshit the comments get about what she knew or didn’t know, speculated by middle America- so reductive.”
Same. Let’s see how long things stay civilized today.
I like my brain popcorn as much anyone but if you can pick any 3 people on earth to have dinner with and you pick 3 reality show personalities/stars/celebs (none of these words are right) then it doesn’t say great things about you. You could pick people who’ve accomplished something, seen or done interesting things, are funny, are intelligent, have fought through things you could never imagine. Seriously if grasping fame whores with no sense of shame or privacy is your gold class company it’s time to take a good hard look at yourself.
I always been meh on JL. I think I’ve seen maybe 2 of her films and they were both on long haul flights and viewed through a Valium & whisky haze so I had no opinion on her acting. She seemed to polarise people but I never got the love or hate. This one quote is enough for me to safely assume she has the personality and wit of a block of cement.
I realize that being called fat is unpleasant and is a form of psychological abuse but somehow in the context of stories of rape and physical assault it sort of sounds a bit out of place. This kind of talk when everything is trown and mixed together is not going to help change things. It shifts the conversation towards sesitivity and political correctness and abise is not about that. I would take a public insult a day over rape or sexual assault of any other woman. Really there is so much shit people say to each other and I am not saying that’s ok but please do not make this moment about your sensitivity
It stems from the same mindset, though. The idea of women as sexual objects. Her point is that the toxicity pervades the entire culture. Keep in mind, too, that the “fat” comment followed up her commentary on the sex crime that was committed against her – the theft and distribution of personal images used to degrade and embarrass her.
She was made to strip naked and stand in a lineup with other actresses. THAT is abusive.
No one is really a winner in the suffering olympics. Doing rankings is unnecessary.
I think he was grooming her. Jen needs someone to sit her down and explain her admiration and excusing of terrible men isnt a good look. She doesnt do it here but his behaviour apart from assault and rape was still mentioned by her. Also David O Russel. And Aronofsky.
Also please Jennifer not Scott Disick. Just no. On the other hand I have to admit I find her reality show love still better than the prentiousness of her ex boyfriend or Portman.
Nothing really wrong with the interview but I have the feeling the industry and media want to push her as a “leader” among Hollywood women. That’s a terrible idea. She’s overall pretty shallow and vapid (that’s your dinner party answer? You admit that?); and that’s fine. I just don’t think she’s equipped for the heavier and more important fight to come. I wish her well but the leaders of the change will be found elsewhere.
She has been a leader though.
Even when she was just starting out and promoting Winters Bone, she was regularly talking about how terrible and exploitative the audition process is for young women. She’s been banging that drum since day 1.
When the nude photos leaked she was out in front calling it what it was, a sex crime, something no actress affected by a leak had ever done. She changed the conversation there overnight.
When the issue of equal pay came up, she immediately stood up and started talking and writing about it, while dozens of older, more established actresses dodged the question.
She’s never been afraid to talk about feminism either.
And those are not the actions of a ‘cool girl’.
She comes off better here than the Sandler interview. It’s easy to say that people like her only saw what they want to, but I’m not going to hold her accountable by proxy for Weinstein’s actions. I feel like too often that’s used as an excuse to shift the burden away from the actual abuser and too often is directed at women more than the men who primarily benefit from the system.
That’s a god awful idea
What if the A listers are the abusers themselves?
What if someone the Alisters are fond of or depends for good career are implicated
A commission full of people from different levels of importance and differenr sub branches of the industry would be a better idea
It would be best to have someone from the outside. Independently paid and monitored. If you are in the industry you will have a bias.
Also what if an A-List actress is starring in a movie with lets say an old director that abused a child but that role is likely to get her on Oscar (totally crazy scenario, right?) Who will she choose? We know there are actors and actresses who have chosen their careers over other peoples life.
Also what If they loose their A-list status?
The status protects them but does not qualify them in any way.
The better way if it isnt from an independent third party would be the unions and/or agencies.
I think as someone else mentioned and I also remember reading, the fat comment was coupled by a more “public” shaming of her having to strip down in front of people. I feel like it’s connected for essentially the same reasons. Because it’s always about sexualizing women, her body wasn’t thin enough to be desirable and hence she was shamed. I also think that it has weighed (no pun intended) on her throughout the years.
Uh, why doesn’t she invite these people to dinner? They would totally accept!
Quickly too. lol
Honestly, I really don’t care what her thoughts or opinions are on Harvey. I care about what Lupita Nyongo’s are, among others who have much less power than Jennifer.
I’m tired of people stating only some people can speak about abuse! Don’t tell me some abuse is less than other. As former survivor myself I become enraged when others speak about abuse victims. You have no right to judge!
I like her and I think she gets way too much hate. She seems relatively smart, witty at least, and kind.
I’m tired of hearing about her and the same 5 actresses in Hollywood. I have absolutely no interest in the Oscars or award season. These people, try as they might, are so out of touch. With everything that is going on in the world- and even in our own homes- do people really want the whole pomp of Oscar season? I know some people value “escapism” but I disagree. I want to see more actresses, who haven’t been given enough chances, have an opportunity to share their stories and get interviewed. I am so sick of her, and Chastain, Emma etc… I just cannot anymore.
Come to any restaurant in West Hollywood if you want to hear those stories. Those are the people whose names you’d never know. A lot of my friends out here are actors , or rather aspiring actors. It’s a devilish game and some people abuse themselves and others just to get what they see as success. I could tell you stories….
A speech and throwing a glass of Martini to his face? Uno, he wouldn’t care, dos, that’s really unclassy and pathetic, tres, she’s be probably thrown in jail – that’s assault, right? That says a lot about HER.
As for who she’d invite to dinner, that says a lot about HER too.
As long as she continues to talk about David O. Russell like he’s Zeus, her words on abuse will always ring hollow. She’s like Lena Dunham – she’s willing to give a pass to her pals.
I like this interview with her and what she says makes sense to me. Her example about the public shaming (being fat-shamed whilst naked in front of producers etc) reminded me of a story Portia De Rossi told in her book. Portia was only a 12 year old model and was asked to drop her pants in front of a panel (and again, a woman commented on her ”saggy butt”). I think that industry is so toxic and both women and men are emotionally abusive in it. Jennifer is just regaling a story true to her life, it’s certainly not at ”Weinstein/rape” level but it still speaks to the toxicity of the industry and the power imbalance (she was probably a minor also when it happened, as she started acting pretty young). For Portia that one experience triggered her decade-long struggle with anorexia. She had some other traumas in her life and was only 12, but emotional abuse is also very damaging to young people – especially the vulnerable ones. And emotional abuse can really set you up for other forms of abuse. The commission Jennifer describes is not a bad idea! At least it would be a start.
I read this entire interview on my commute yesterday and I laughed out loud a number of times. I really do think that JLaw is exactly how she acts. I think that she is entirely what you see is what you get and I find that refreshing. Personally, I find her smart, witty, funny as hell and a sweet person. Do I think though that she’s the greatest actress of her generation or whether she should have received the Oscars for the movies she did, not especially (the Winter’s Bone nomination was 100% legit, she was fantastic in that) but that’s okay. It’s nice to have someone so refreshing sometimes.
This woman is very young and has much to learn. She’s a mess.
She looks really gorgeous.
Does she still have her Dior contract? Because that cover shot looks very Dior-y
Horrible picture…. her face looks completely numb. Other than that….
lol, The Oprah interview is a thing: it’s Oprah ffs. Pretty sure people remember the 90s.
“She apparently thinks a lot about forming a commission full of A-listers, and young actors can basically go to the commission of A-listers and tell them when they’re being abused by a producer or director or whomever, and the A-Lister Commission will take care of it.”
The problem is that lots of the abusers are those A-listers.
I just finished watching the movie mother. I came directly back to this article after watching it.
Upon finishing that fart fest film my opinion stands as this: Anyone involved in the making of mother in any way shape or form should never work again. Ever. It was that bad.
I’ve watched the original The Hills Have Eyes, Pootie Tang, every American Horror Story including the hotel series that prominently featured an eyebrow less Lady Gaga and I witnessed a real life kidnapping and none of those things ever made me feel like curing the ensuing stress headache by driving a screwdriver through my temple as much as the movie mother did. That is all.