Jennifer Lawrence opens up about an aspect of filmmaking that often makes actors uneasy, and her take is refreshingly honest.
During a live recording of Happy Sad Confused podcast, the Oscar winner shared why filming intimate scenes with someone she doesn’t know can actually feel easier than doing the same with a close friend.
Lawrence explained that acting in intimate scenes with strangers is “preferable”, in large part because it removes emotional awkwardness.
She pointed to her experience working with Robert Pattinson Die my lovecompared to kissing longtime friend and Hunger Games co-star Josh Hutcherson in later films of the franchise.
The difference, she said, was striking.
“It was actually easier that way because Rob and I didn’t know each other, which is kind of better, you know?” Lawrence said.
“As in The Hunger Gamesme and Josh Hutcherson were going to kiss and it’s like… Imagine that. You know, it’s weirder, and so yeah, doing it with a stranger is preferable.”
Lawrence and Pattinson filmed a scene together on their very first day Die my lovea psychodrama directed by Lynne Ramsay about a new mother struggling with psychosis.
Despite the vulnerability of the scene, Lawrence said the dynamic between her and Pattinson made the experience more enjoyable.
Although the production employed an intimacy coordinator, Lawrence has previously shared that she didn’t feel a strong need for one during filming.
Talking about Las Culturistas podcast, she emphasized how safe she felt with Pattinson on set.
“We didn’t have that [an intimacy coordinator]or maybe we did, but we didn’t really… I felt really comfortable with Rob,” she said.
She went on to praise his professionalism, noting, “He’s not pervy and very much in love [partner] Suki Waterhouse.”
According to Lawrence, their conversations were mostly about everyday life, including their children and relationships, which helped keep the boundaries clear.
“There was never any weirdness like, ‘Does he think I like him?'” she added, explaining that such discomfort is often what makes intimacy coordinators important.
Lawrence’s comments offer a candid look at how trust, context and emotional distance can shape an actor’s comfort level on set, especially in some of the most vulnerable moments in front of the camera.
