Jennifer Lawrence is one of the premiere A-list actors working in the industry right now. She is known for being funny as well as having impeccable acting skills that can mesmerize anyone watching her. However, like any professional and good actor, she too had roles that were too heavy for her. As a result, she had to pay a price for them.
The Oscar-winning actress once narrated the tale of a film that left her feeling anxious, and as a result, she withdrew from society. But that wasn’t the only instance where she felt she couldn’t shake off the character when the director called cut. The same happened again in the franchise that made her a star.
Jennifer Lawrence’s First Film Completely Mentally Destroyed Her
In an interview with Filmmaker, Jennifer Lawrence narrated how the first film she ever did shattered her mentally. In 2008, the actress starred in The Poker House, directed by Lori Petty, co-starring Chloe Grace Moretz and Selma Blair. Lawrence said regarding her experience:
“With The Poker House, I was 16 and it was my first movie. Now fortunately I know how to leave the character when I leave work. In fact, it leaves me after [the director] calls cut. But with that [film] I just felt I had to take all of it on, and it did take a toll on me.”
The film was about a young girl who looked after her two younger sisters when they were trapped in a dangerous place. The Hunger Games actress revealed that since she couldn’t shed that character herself, so she got professional help. She said, “My friend knows a therapist and I just talked to her for a little while. I just needed someone to talk to.” But this wasn’t the only film that gutted Lawrence’s mental health.
How The Hunger Games Disoriented Jennifer Lawrence
The first Hunger Games film was made on a budget of $78 million and grossed around $694 million. From then on, there was no looking back for the franchise. It ended up earning around $3 billion over the course of 4 films. As expected with any popular franchise, the fame of its leads skyrocketed.
Jennifer Lawrence, who played Katniss Everdeen, was at the receiving end of most of the adulation. While the franchise did catapult her into stardom, fame, and money, Lawrence found it all difficult to handle after some time. Variety once reported her saying:
“I think I lost a sense of control. Between The Hunger Games coming out and winning the Oscar [for 2012’s Silver Linings Playbook], I became such a commodity that I felt like every decision was a big, big group decision. When I reflect now, I can’t think of those following years, [because there was] just a loss of control.”
However, it has been a decade since her rise to fame and the actress has settled down a lot in the meantime. She has become more in control of her craft as well as her emotions regarding fame and fortune. Thus, becoming a true blue professional Hollywood actress.
The Hunger Games is streaming on Netflix, and The Poker House is available on Starz.
Source: The Filmmaker and Variety
