This has been the case since she was awarded in Venice for her work in Lejos de la tierra quemada two years before her first Oscar nomination for Winter's Bone. She would go on to receive three more nominations, including the infamous stumble on the stairs on her way to her first statuette for her performance in the controversial Silver Linings Playbook. She was only 22 at the time. Now, 13 years later and with blockbusters like the Hunger Games franchise under her belt, Jennifer Lawrence, as mentioned, is back. And she returns with one of those raw roles that, due to its exposure and boldness, critics describe as "bold" at the very least. Rarely is such an adjective applied to an actor, even if they bare their soul on screen, but when it comes to a woman... Is there perhaps a double standard, one that is both sexist and paternalistic? "I couldn't say," she cautiously responds during a press conference at the San Sebastian Festival. And she continues: "Although, indeed, the language used to describe men and women is different. But, make no mistake, I'm not offended, it's just different." And that's where she leaves it for now.
Die My Love is the title of her comeback film. The movie, directed by the always visceral Lynne Ramsay, is an adaptation of the novel by Argentine writer Ariana Harwicz, Matate, amor (note that the verb is spelled without an accent and the phrase has an imperative comma in the middle). It's a screen translation of the book that leaves no prisoners or casualties. Everything laid bare. Pure emotional and carnal anguish. It tells the story of a couple who, after moving to the countryside to start a new life away from the city, decide to have a child. What follows is a crisis, a crisis related to postpartum depression, anguish, emptiness, fear, and, why not, also love, an infinite love that cannot be contained in the actress's body or on the screen. We had already mentioned that we were witnessing a true comeback. "There comes a point in life where it doesn't make sense to leave your family unless you believe you're doing it for a very good reason," she says, to make it clear that a) she doesn't need money and b) the one speaking, in addition to being the lead actress, is also a producer.
The film comes into Jennifer Lawrence's life at a moment that can't be described as just any moment. The central theme of the movie is motherhood, at a time when she herself recently became a mother for the second time. "Being a mother," she comments to connect the dots between reality and fiction, "expanded my heart. I never thought I could feel so much love and fear at the same time. Undoubtedly, motherhood entails a huge personal sacrifice both personally and professionally, but the reward is incredible. Also, being selfish, for an actress who works with emotions, it offers an endless source of inspiration, a true wellspring of feelings." Pause. "On the other hand, it's always good to compare perspectives. The mother I am is different from the mother I portray on screen, but there is something in common that makes the experience of interacting with my character very enriching and, why not, also very fun. I wondered what I would do in her situation, and the answers that emerged were very unsettling."
"The female gaze is not so different from the male gaze. We are all attracted to something that is beautiful, sexual, and powerful"
Lawrence is convinced that cinema serves a purpose. "I believe that art challenges society, demands that it resist norms, questions things. So I think that it is an intrinsic part of being an artist to challenge the status quo," she asserts firmly. Let's say that the one speaking is the Lawrence of Mother!, the Lawrence of Don't Look Up, and the Lawrence of Causeway, not the Lawrence of Red Sparrow, X-Men, or the aforementioned Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games. She is indeed the Lawrence who is preparing for her next film with Martin Scorsese (What Happens At Night) and the Lawrence who, when no one expected it, surprised the audience in the San Sebastian press room with one of those statements that defy the recent trend of stars avoiding controversy. "I'm terrified. It mortifies me. What is happening [in Gaza] is nothing short of genocide, and it is unacceptable. I am scared for my children, for all our children... What saddens me is the lack of respect prevailing in the current American political discourse. There is no integrity, politicians lie, there is no empathy. And everyone must remember that if you decide to ignore what is happening elsewhere in the world, it won't be long before it happens in your own backyard," she said.
Not surprisingly, the one who speaks out has not hesitated from the very beginning, and probably from her privileged position, to stand out in every single one of the movements that have shaken Hollywood and its surroundings in recent years. "There is still much to be done and much change still needed. There is still a significant gender pay gap between men and women. But I believe the MeToo movement changed the world. Society and women for so long normalized things that simply are not normal, at the most basic level, in how we expect to be treated. It also changed in that the world is opening up more for us to tell our stories. But yes, there is still a long way to go," she says to make her stance, her ideology, and even her way of being in the world clear. And she continues: "Since women have been allowed to have a seat at the table and doors have been opened for them, the creative world is expanding. For everyone. Women have a different life experience, and that benefits us all... That doesn't mean the perspective is different. The female gaze is not so different from the male gaze. We are all attracted to what is beautiful, sexual, and powerful."
"I'm concerned that what celebrities say is being used to divert attention and not talk about deportations"
Die My Love is, in fact, everything that Lawrence describes. It is a beautiful, powerful, and unashamedly sexual film. "It is essentially an honest film, and that required honesty in everything, including sex... But the truth, despite the appearance of intensity, is that I had a great time during filming. My character suffers, but I didn't. I was in my second trimester of my second pregnancy, so I had those hormones that make you feel good after three months of feeling very unwell every day. I had more energy than ever and had a great time. In the end, it was such an exhausting job that I rarely remember sleeping so deeply and so well," she recalls to lighten the drama. And having said that, she pauses and seems to correct herself: "I believe that recently, we have finally started to see mothers as human beings. Ariana's book is a good example of that. Working and raising children is extremely exhausting. It is very hard work. The process of childbirth and postpartum takes a toll on the body and mind, and I no longer believe we have to pretend it's easy. Yes, definitely, we should be able to say, 'I'm struggling' without anyone immediately thinking you're a bad mother."
Lawrence says she feels blessed. "I feel very fortunate. I worked very hard throughout my twenties and enjoyed incredible opportunities that now allow me to live relaxed and enjoy the artistic process more intensely, which is what matters. Fortunately, I no longer worry about my reputation or building a career. My only concern at this moment is not to be away from my children too much and to work on what I love. To leave home, I need a very good reason," she concludes. Jennifer Lawrence has indeed returned, she has returned once again.