Jennifer Lawrence Responds To Backlash From Recent Comments
Jennifer Lawrence, in a recent interview with Viola Davis hosted by Variety, claimed that she was the first female action lead. Now, courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter, Lawrence is trying to clarify her comments, claiming that she misspoke when talking to a living legend. During the initial interview, the X-Men star said “I remember when I was doing Hunger Games, nobody had ever put a woman in the lead of an action movie, because it wouldn’t work, we were told.”
In attempting to walk back that statement, Jennifer Lawrence said today “That’s certainly not what I meant to say at all. I know that I am not the only woman who has ever led an action film.” Which is a good statement to make, as Linda Hamilton, Sigourney Weaver, and Pam Grier are just a few of the actress that led action films before she was even born. Lawrence continued with some context for her statement, “And I meant that with Viola — to blow past these old myths that you hear about … about the chatter that you would hear around that kind of thing.”
Jennifer Lawrence did have a good quote in the interview, stating “It just makes me so happy every single time I see a movie come out that just blows through every single one of those beliefs and proves that it is just a lie to keep certain people out of the movies, to keep certain people in the same positions that they’ve always been in. It’s just amazing to watch it happen and watch you at the helm.” Barrier breaking movies, such as Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman, Michael B. Jordan’s Creed, and yes, Viola Davis in The Woman King, have made millions of dollars at the box office, but every movie shattering boundaries is today, built upon the shoulders of giants.
Viola Davis echoed the good part of Jennifer Lawrence’s point by pointing out “When have I ever seen anything like The Woman King? Not just with me in it, but with anyone who looks like me in it?” Davis’ quote referred to her mindset at the time of filming the movie, which pre-dates Black Panther: Wakanda Forever dominating at the box office with a predominantly black female cast. One black female action movie would be unique, but two within a few months of one another, is a barrier being shattered.
As an amusing aside to close out her explanation, Jennifer Lawrence explained that she felt the need to correct her latest misquote and not some others, because the other ones were ridiculous. The star cited an early incident, “One time I was quoted saying that Donald Trump was responsible for hurricanes. I felt that one was ridiculous, that it was so stupid I didn’t need to comment. ”
