Actress Jennifer Lawrence covers the May issue of Harper’s BAZAAR, on newsstands April 19.
Armed with an Oscar, an independent spirit, and sheer self-confidence, the powerful actress opens up on her Lenny Letter, feminism, Hollywood’s perception of a “normal body” and much more.
Here’s some:
On the reaction to the essay she wrote for Lenny Letter calling out the lack of equal pay for women in Hollywood:
“I had no idea it was going to blow up like that. And I obviously only absorbed the negative. I didn’t pay attention to the positive feedback. My parents get really upset. They do not like me speaking out about anything political because it’s hard to see your kid take criticism. But, really, people who criticized it are people who think women should not be paid the same as men. So I don’t really care what those people think…I try not to be too sensitive to the ‘poor rich girl’ jokes. I was saying my reality is absolutely fabulous, but it is not the reality of a lot of women in America. That’s what I’m talking about.”
On feminism:
“I don’t know why that word is so scary to people; it shouldn’t be, because it just means equality. If we are moving forward in a society, you are feeling stronger as a woman, and you want to be taken more seriously. You don’t have to take away the wonderful traits that come with being a woman: We are sensitive. We are pleasers. We’re empathetic. All those things that can keep you from asking for what you want or making mistakes.”
On body image in the film industry—and being the girl with the “normal body”:
“I would like us to make a new normal-body type. Everybody says, ‘We love that there is somebody with a normal body!’ And I’m like, ‘I don’t feel like I have a normal body.’ I do Pilates every day. I eat, but I work out a lot more than a normal person. I think we’ve gotten so used to underweight that when you are a normal weight it’s like, ‘Oh, my God, she’s curvy.’ Which is crazy. The bare minimum, just for me, would be to up the ante. At least so I don’t feel like the fattest one.”
On being a “people pleaser”:
“There’s nothing wrong with being a pleaser if you’re smart about it. As long as you are getting what’s fair. You know, I want my employers to be happy. I want to please anyone I’m working for as long as they pay me the appropriate amount. I’ll make them as happy as they want.”
www.harpersbazaar.com/jenniferlawrence
Pictured above: Jennifer wears a Jacket, top & skirt by Dior Haute Couture