What Jennifer Lawrence Really Thought About Joy, Passengers, and 10 More of Her Roles

With four Oscar nominations, two blockbuster franchises, and her singular place in the cultural firmament, it can seem at times as if Jennifer Lawrence has always been a movie star. But her near-decade rise to prominence took a fascinating path and featured a wide array of roles. While speaking to Vanity Fair’s Krista Smith for our March cover story, the 27-year-old Lawrence revisited and assessed many of them—from her sitcom start on The Bill Engvall Show to her most recent turn in Red Sparrow—with her trademark candor.

The Bill Engvall Show

“My stomach looks fucking good. I’m 16, this is my first real job, I have a steady paycheck, I’m learning everything technical about acting, where to stand, blocking, cameras, and honestly at this point I thought, ‘Maybe I’ll just be able to be on sitcoms for the rest of my life.’ ”

The Poker House

“This was my first real movie, and I thought every time the director was excited about something I did right, that it was like a one-trick pony kind of thing.”

Winter’s Bone

“Winter’s Bone was the first time I really got confidence and craft—and I hate using the word ‘craft’ because it sounds so douchey. But that was when I really started knowing what I was doing.”

The Beaver

“When I look at this, all I see is [co-star] Anton [Yelchin, who died in 2016]—because we lived in the same apartment building across hallways from each other—and [director] Jodie Foster. It was the first time I ever had somebody really impactful in my life.”

X-Men

“I signed onto X-Men thinking that it was only one movie, it turned out to be three. All of the people on that movie were amazing, I met [Michael] Fassbender and Nick [Hoult] on X-Men. We lived in London, and I fell in love with Nick, and those are some of the best years of my life.”

Hunger Games

“That was life changing, that was just career changing. But look at my face! [With each movie, I’m] turning more and more into my dad.”

Silver Linings Playbook

“That girl is clueless as to what is about to happen.”

American Hustle

“American Hustle was still to this day the most fun experience I’ve ever had on a movie because that character was fucking the greatest character to be. She was my favorite.”

Joy

“Joy was immensely stressful. Overwhelming, but overall, an evergreen, I think.”

Passengers

“Chris Pratt is the funniest person in the entire world. I have my own personal feelings about how the film turned out, so I have mixed feelings about seeing that picture.”

Mother!

“I have no mixed feelings. That was the most solid, great decision. . . [I’m] proud of myself for making that decision.”

Red Sparrow

“If only I had eaten less kielbasa sausage, like, if only I just had the wherewithal. Come on, Jen, not so much sausage.”

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