Jennifer Lawrence

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0:48Apply today and earn a welcome offer of$1 ,500 cash back after you spend$50 ,000 in qualifying purchases on your new card within the first six months of card membership. Terms apply. Learn more at go.amex.graphite. How do you silence the part of your brain that says what I'm doing is really embarrassing and silly on set? I can't believe you just said that because that is something that I've had to get over for years. I think acting is very embarrassing and that's why I don't like rehearse and stuff because I'm afraid the camera guys are gonna be like, nerd! Can you believe that? Yeah, and now you just put it back in my...

1:23This is like when a friend visited me one time and she was like, I like finished doing a take and she was like, how do you know what to do with your hands? And I was like,. Prepare your ears, humans. Happy, Sad, Confused begins now. Hey guys, it's Josh. Welcome to another edition of Happy, Sad, Confused. Today on the show, a first time guest, the great Jennifer Lawrence talking all things from Hunger Games all the way up to her latest film, Die My Love. This is a special, special episode. Thanks, guys, as always, for tuning in, for listening or watching. However you're enjoying the podcast, I appreciate all of you.

2:04I'm so thrilled this episode happened at long last. Jennifer Lawrence has been on the list for a long while to do the pod. Having been at MTV for many, many years, when The Hunger Games came around and X-Men, I certainly spent a lot of time interviewing Jennifer Lawrence over the years, but we never had this kind of deep dive conversation She is one of a kind as an actor, but also just as a person to talk to If you've seen her on talk shows, etc You know how lively and fun and spontaneous and irreverent she can be and she has all of those things in this conversation I couldn't be more pleased with it.

2:43I know you guys are gonna dig it her new film. I should say an extraordinary piece of work. This comes from the great director Lynn Ramsey. It is Jennifer. It is Robert Pattinson. This is the portrait of a couple coming undone in the wake of having a child. It features remarkable performances, but truly led by Jennifer at the forefront as a woman really just coming undone, falling apart. And she gives everything of herself as a performer, and it is all up there on the screen, and it really is one of her best performances, and that's saying a lot for a four-time Oscar nominee. So check out Die My Love.

3:23It's on MUBI right now, so if you have a movie, check it out. If you don't have MUBI, get MUBI and then watch this film because it's fantastic. And Lynne Ramsey, if you don't know her as a filmmaker, look her up. Her filmography is impeccable, and she always delivers, and she does with this one. Other things to say, not much, except that this was recorded at the 92nd Street Y. This was a live event. This was a fun audience and it was just a really special night and I'm so so happy it came together As always if you want to get in on all the action of happy sad confused early access all that kind of fun stuff Patreon.com slash happy sad confused is where it's at you get discount codes for events like this one You get bonus materials get merch all the cool fun stuff So if you like what I do and you want to support what I do, please check out our patreon patreon.com slash happy sad confused And now without any further ado, I take you to the 92nd Street Y, a very fun evening, a lot of laughs for a film that's pretty serious.

4:20This is me and the one and only Jennifer Lawrence. Enjoy. Hi, everybody. How's it going? Welcome to the 92nd Street Y. My name's Josh Horowitz. I host a podcast called Happy, Sad, Confused, and you're inside of it, whether you knew it or not. Thank you for coming out tonight. I am so thrilled you're with us because this is a very special night. We have the one and only Jennifer Lawrence here. You know that, right? Okay. Just checking. I've been privileged enough to chat with Jennifer Lawrence a lot over the years, but she's never done the podcast before, so we figured we'd have this conversation in front of 600 of our closest friends.

4:58So thank you for being here again. I don't really need to give much of an introduction to Jennifer Lawrence, obviously. I think it was exactly 15 years ago where she received her first Oscar nomination for Winter's Bone. And I think, I speak for all of us, when we saw that film, we saw that performance, we literally saw a star being born on screen. And since then, whether it's the Hunger Games films, Causeway, I mean, Don't Look Up, so many amazing performances. She can truly, truly do it all. And now with this collaboration with the great Robert Pattinson, the great filmmaker Lynn Ramsey. She's getting some of the best reviews of her career.

5:37It's I, My Love is an exceptional piece of work, and we are so thrilled it has brought her to the 92nd Street Y for the very first time tonight. So without any further ado, give it up for Jennifer Lawrence, everybody. Here she is.

6:04We already got the awkward non-hug out of the way. Yeah, you've been interviewing me for like 30 years. I know, you were minus three. So I'm like, is it a hug? I guess it's just like a... Sup. Sup, Jennifer. Sup, Josh. Congratulations on this film. Thank you. You killed it. First of all, do you get nervous about these kinds of things at this point in your career? You've been on the Oscar stage many times. You've done all the award shows the talk shows is this kind of thing freak you out or no I'm I'm really tired which is helping but I Know I do have a I hate speaking in front of people. Oh gosh really gets gets my ticker going Here we go Well, this hopefully will put you at ease Kim Caramelli sent in a question for you.

6:54Oh my god. Yes Kim is a very close friend of Jennifer's and one of my best friends in the world She's Amy Schumer's little sister. And an amazing writer. I think you guys are cooking up something perhaps. You're working on some stuff. She would like to know which of your children is your favorite.

7:12God. Just kidding. You can think about it through the hour and get back to us at the end. Yeah, I will. I'll tell them when they're 18. Have you thought about at what age you will show Die My Love to your children? Oh, God. No. No, all my friends, or all actors that are parents, they all say that their kids don't. They never see your movie. You're like, yeah. They're going to be the only non-Hunger Games children out there. Yeah, totally. So are you, I'm curious actually what you were exposed to as a kid growing up in terms of film. Were you watching R-rated films or were your parents strict about that kind of a thing?

7:52I was a third kid. I was a mistake. So they didn't pay attention to what I was watching at all. I mean, I was born in the 90s, so John Hughes was a huge guy.

8:12And, yeah, I've always liked scary movies. I was super into Nip Tuck. Yeah, it was, yeah, R and John Hughes. Were there films that you feel like you saw way too early that made an imprint on you for good or for bad? I think Nip Tuck should not be watched by an 11-year-old. And that was just on normal TV. It wasn't even on HBO or anything, right? I had the DVDs, and I watched it on DVD, and I remember a girl is naked and has a saddle on her back, and I was like, huh. I didn't know that that was how sex is made. you tack her up yeah now you know that's the only way sex is made yeah and I'm like oh my god I'm going to see John Schaefer at this party but I don't have my saddle

9:04there's no good segue but let's do it die of my love here we go it's like I'm going between being nervous and being too comfortable perfect I'm going to try to strike the right balance we got this we got this the meds are going to kick in any minute now did you take propanolol? I took it all. I took everything backstage I could find. Oh. No. Nice of you to offer me something. Okay. So this film begins in some ways with a phrase I never thought I would utter, Martin Scorsese's book club. Did you guys know Martin Scorsese is part of a book club? He has a book club? Tell me more. What do I need to know?

9:40Well, I did end up asking him who's in the book club, and then I forgot. um so um someone named Fran anyway he emailed me and said I guess he like set up a zoom and and so I got on the zoom obviously you know it was like and he said that he had read this book and his book club and he thought that it would be a great movie that I should be in it um and so I read it immediately. My son, my firstborn was six weeks old. So I was in postpartum. I wasn't having like a terrible time, but, um, and I, and I read it and then I didn't quite, if you've read the book, it's not clear how it would be a movie because it's all kind of internal dialogue and it's changing landscapes a lot.

10:35It's not very linear. Um, so I was kind of like, what is he talking about but I didn't want to go back and say that so I sat with it for a while and then you know I it was just like it's poetry and so the the only filmmaker I mean the director that I think of when I think poetry is Lynn Ramsey she's just I've been a huge fan of her work for such a long time and that's that's her wheelhouse so we went out to her and she hadn't made a movie in like eight years. And she said yes. I like that in some ways this began as just not wanting to disappoint Martin Scorsese. Like, now I have to make the film.

11:14I have to figure out. Yeah, because I can't call back and be like, I don't get it. I don't, yeah. Maybe you should try someone else. Yeah. Do you have any other ideas, Martin? Yeah. I want this one. Talk to me a little bit about, I mean, are you the kind of actor that keeps like a secret or not so secret list of filmmakers that you want to work with? Yeah, for sure. She was on that list for a while. Oh yeah, big time. And are you chasing like a certain kind of experience? Olivier Assayer. Oh yeah, let's do it. Let's go down. Park Chan-woo, Christopher Nolan, PTA. Have you had, you must have had the Nolan meeting, the PTA meeting, those things.

11:50Rude. Wow. Tarantino's been chasing you. He wants you. I don't know about that that's true no he said that hateful eight the Jennifer Jason Lee part was originally written for you I believe I turned it down which I should not have done and I think once upon a time in Hollywood too didn't he want you well he did and then everybody was like she's not pretty enough to play Sharon Tate and then they didn't I know and then that's not true I'm pretty sure it is true or it's that thing where I've been telling this story this way for so long that I believe it. No, but I'm pretty sure that happened or he just never was considering me for the part and the internet just like went out of their way to call me ugly.

12:38The internet, I know the internet. It would never do that. No. Those sweetie pies? They should rename the internet just the sweetie pies.

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15:18So the Lynn Ramsey experience, now that you've had it, how would you define it? What does she do on set that elicits what we've seen in all her work, including this one? I mean, you know, it's not like that. It's not really, you know, it's not like it's this big show. She really kind of slowly builds the world for years, like sending scenes and us talking about the character. It's kind of like in the music, she plays music on set, which I've never had a director do that. And then she kind of steps back and she's really not, she's not like an over manager at all. It's more about just setting the mood, making the actors feel free.

16:01And then I think in editing, I think that's probably where she really comes alive. Right. For you, in addition to Lynn, it's also about, obviously, the cast. And as I understand it, you basically got all your first choices in this. I love what Rob Pattinson has done with his career, having covered him right from the beginning in Twilight and to see what he did post-Twilight and where he's at now is just remarkable. Yeah. He has really cool choices. Totally. I mean, from the beginning, right after he was doing Cronenberg work, right? Yeah. He was working with all the great filmmakers. Yeah. So talk to me, like, what did you, did you know Rob at all?

16:34Because famously you've said before you auditioned for Twilight, but I assume that wasn't with Rob in the room or was it? No, it was not. Yeah, I auditioned and didn't get that because I guess I was too ugly. We're not making that the theme of the evening. That's what you said. No. The Sweetie Pie said that. You just said that. And so I didn't know Rob. I mean, I've like met him just from, you know, like, hi, how are you? But I didn't know him, but I love him as an actor and have been wanting to work with him. And yeah, I think he makes really cool choices and just has a very cool career. And he said yes.

17:16And he was just, he brought so much, you know, he like in the book and kind of in the script, The husband was just so pathetic that there was like, she just bowled over him and it wasn't really interesting. And he really like kind of added this spine to his character and would push back, which was great for my performance. It gave me something to push back against, but also you could see why they were together. Yeah. Do you approach the actual work in the same way? Do you need to approach work in a similar way to your co-star on screen? Do you find that helpful or necessary? No, I don't normally share.

18:04Process, whatever we call it. Yeah. I mean, Rob had to cry, and I kept being like, oh, my God, do you remember? And I kept saying, it was like I was sabotaging him. On set, like right before. And I kept being like, stop doing that. But no, I don't know. Well, you do famous... But he has really bad memorization skills, so he has to prepare a lot. Oh, I see. And you, on the flip side, so this is famously, for those who don't know, your process is very unique. And I've talked to, like, Francis Lawrence about this and many people that have worked with you. It works for you not to have the lines drilled in until...

18:43Yeah, this is just, like, something I've, like, a lie I've been developing for a long time. No, it's not. Which is just like, it's my process. That's a nice way to put it. Yeah, it's just not being prepared. No. I mean, the proof's in the pudding. It works for you, clearly. I can memorize quite fast. And so it's not necessary for me to know my lines like a week before or something. Has it ever bit you in the ass? Yes. Yes, Silver Linings. Oh yeah, I know what you're going to say. Yeah, it's the recitation of all the stats, right? The stats, because normally you're following a train of thought.

19:26But in Silver Linings I had this long line that was like, you know, sports teams and 10 to 2 and like numbers. And I just didn't look at the call sheet for the next day, didn't know that we were shooting that scene. And then that day comes up, it's with Robert De Niro, which is like, you know, what a little shit like oh I'm gonna take time out of Robert De Niro's day so I memorized it and I did it on the first take perfectly and then fucked up every other take after that.

20:01He's worked with you since he obviously forgave and forget. Yeah and you know what I got away with it and that's why I continue this process. I mean it really taught me that I can get away with a lot more than I thought. Yeah You got an Oscar for that, so it worked. Yeah. I mean, you also, like, and you kind of alluded to this with Rob, is you can switch on and off very quickly, as I understand it, on set. Yeah. I have to. My attention span. I'm at the whim of it. Does that always, does that ever freak out an actor you're working with? I mean. Yeah. A lot of people don't like that. or like they are focused and don't wish to hang.

20:47Yeah. Engaged in the frivolity. Yeah. Or like afterwards they're kind of coming out of this state and I'm, you know, down to hang again. So I work on it, but I read, I bring my Kindle. And so when I'm working with those kinds of people, I just kind of, I, I read. right I'm like unless you're mocking the co-star about yeah to cry well it was like there was something that had happened I don't know it was one of the it was church giggles you know he was like crying because his dad in the movie had died and and it was really serious and I just kept thinking of this really funny thing and I couldn't not share you know is this as you approach like the first day of work on something like this.

21:39Do you get nervous? Do you get like imposter syndrome? Yeah. Every time I work, like I'm working in February and I'm just, I'm more familiar with the feeling, but it's every time before I do a movie, I believe that I cannot do this one. Like I've been able to do those other movies, but I don't know how I'm going to do this and I'm not going to be able to do it. And it's just, that's just my anxiety. It's true. No. I guess the good thing on this one is day one, you literally dove right in. What did you shoot on day one of this? The naked sex kind of tiger stuff. So you're committed. You're all in.

22:22Yeah. There's no going back. Yeah. It was actually easier that way because Rob and I did not know each other, which is kind of better, you know? Like in Hunger Games, me and Josh Hutcherson would have to kiss, and that's like imagine. You know? Imagine it. Okay. Give me a second. It's like weirder. And so, yeah. Doing it with a stranger is preferable. There's your PSA of the night. I asked Harrison Ford this once. How do you silence the part of your brain? Game dropper. Well. It's my job. How do you silence the part of your brain that says what I'm doing is really embarrassing and silly on set?

23:12I can't believe you just said that because that is something that I've had to get over for years. I think acting is very embarrassing and that's why I don't rehearse and stuff because I'm afraid the camera guys are going to be like, nerd, can you believe that? Yeah, and now you've just put it back in my... This is like when a friend visited me one time and I finished doing a take and she was like, how do you know what to do with your hands? Right. And I was like, fuck. It's the Talladega Nights thing. Yeah, that's the whole, yeah, that's right. Yeah. Yeah. So how do you silence that part of your brain when you're on set and you have to like, there's a lot of like stuff in this film that I would imagine in other contexts you would feel totally embarrassed to do.

23:56What? You're kind of being rude. Me? Like what is so embarrassing? No, I mean, like, again, you're in front of strangers, you're naked, you're crawling around, you're like... Oh, God, yeah, the tiger thing, that was embarrassing. Well, Lynn had us do interpretive dance lessons together before we started shooting. We got to Calgary, like, three weeks before we started shooting. Rob and I both embarrassed very easily. And that was mortifying. It was, I mean, I'm not, like, a good dancer. Rob's a worse dancer. and it was like, you know, like now blow like a tree and now, like it was just so embarrassing.

24:38And so I think by the time she was like, yeah, get naked, we were just kind of like, okay. I don't... At least it's not interpretive dance. Truly. Like at least it was a choreographed dance that we had both learned, you know. Does Rob hate dancing more than you hate singing? I bet it's equal. Yeah. You do sing a bit in this film. I can't get away from it. I know, that's what I'm saying. Yeah. The world wants you to sing. No, they don't. Have you ever auditioned for a musical? Have you ever? No. You would never. I'm not like lying about it that I hate to sing. There's auto-tune. They can do wonders in post.

25:21Yeah, they can. They did. So what does that say on the page? What's in the script? for that? It was actually, we were flipping burgers and I, like he was like grilling or something. And I think actually I proposed to him and then we were, you know, I don't know, not shooting yet. And, um, Lynn had like looked out at the field and looked at the light and the light was really beautiful. And she was like, crawl in the grass. I mean, And it was incredible. She was very free like that. This is like Terrence Malick territory. Yeah, totally. Right. Let's chase that butterfly for a few hours. Yeah. It's amazing.