Oscar-winning actress Jennifer lawrence talks about her experience of doing water stunts, being attacked by monkeys and being trained in archery by an Olympian for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
How was it reuniting with Josh Hutcherson and liam Hemsworth for The Hunger Games: Catching FireIJ
It was amazing and fun. Josh and liam are my two best friends in the entire world and what were the chances that they, of all people, would get cast. It surprises me how lucky I can get.
What did it feel like to revisit your character for the second timeIJ
Katniss is the same character but in completely new circumstances. She has changed. She’s a character that I love, with a story and message that I’m passionate about. There was less preparation this time because I knew that I’ve done this before. It was like going back to high school. We had a lot of the same people, and obviously Josh (Hutcherson) and liam (Hemsworth) were there. Normally, when I do a movie, I’m meeting people for the first time, so it was just amazing to be able to have the same group of people. It was so much fun.
How was it working with a new director, Francis lawrenceIJ
Gary Ross and Francis lawrence are very different, but each of them were perfect for their respective movies. Francis is a visionary and he’s good with actors. Gary is too, as well as being good with the script. I adore Francis, it’s so much fun to work with him and he’s a great man. The environment on set was good and calm. You don’t need to get nervous about anything. The only thing he does is twirl a pencil, when he does that you know he’s stressed. But he’s done a wonderful job, he came in to this project with a great knowledge of the books and the characters. He’s a good listener.
How was it working with Sam ClaflinIJ Did you guys bond immediatelyIJ
Sam has this sweet and wonderful charm to him. When you put Finnick’s sarcastic words in Sam’s mouth they still come out dripping with charm and that’s a really hard thing to pull off, yet Sam does it. I couldn’t see anybody else playing Finnick because he was so amazing.
What is it about Hunger Games that resonates with so many people around the worldIJ
I think there are a lot of things. Katniss is a refreshing heroine. There are not a lot of characters or roles like her that you see in big movies — somebody so driven and strong and being a female too, is such a different approach to filmmaking. Also, I think people can relate to themes in the story and there are themes that are parallel where world is today or where it could go. So it’s kind of a very poignant movie.
Has this film been easier to make than the first oneIJ
It’s possible that it was less complicated in some aspects, but more in others. As far as acting goes, it makes things easier because this is a character I’ve played before, so you don’t have to repeat that long initial process of understanding her. But at the same time it’s complicated because you want to preserve the parts people liked, while giving them something new.
Did you connect better with your character this timeIJ
Katniss remains a character I adore. It’s funny how Katniss and I have followed the same path. When I was nominated at the Oscars, I had to go to fancy red carpet events wearing couture gowns, and I didn’t feel like myself. I felt alien, that’s what Katniss feels like in the first Hunger Games chapter, then in the second she gets used to this new life. She realises she has to communicate with this new crowd and wear certain clothes, start wearing make-up... That’s kind of how I felt too.
One thing you least liked filming was the scene where Katniss and Peeta get attacked by monkeys on the beach…
It was the worst! We were filming in a swamp for days! I’m paranoid in general and Josh wouldn’t stop talking about trench foot and fungi when we were in the swamp. He would say, ‘That’s what happens to your feet if you keep them wet for too long.’ And we had spent 73 hours with our feet in the water! I was freaking out. And on top of that we were filming a scene where we were fighting and all of a sudden something lashed me in my backside. Everybody kept saying it was probably a cramp. But I know how it feels when you get a cramp and I wasn’t going crazy. It took us 10 minutes to figure out that Sam’s spear had flown off, hitting me in my backside. It was so fast, nobody saw it, and we didn’t realise until we saw the footage we filmed. I don’t know how I’m going to be able to watch that scene. I was so angry about the fungi and the welt.
You are seen doing archery in the movie, how good exactly are you with the bow and arrowIJ
I did take lessons. I was trained by an Olympian. I can’t brag about it, anyone would be good if they take lessons for three years and have great trainers. But now I can say I am good at it.
Were things different on the sets since it was shot after you won an OscarIJ
Nobody at work treats me differently. In fact, my Oscar made me the target. Every time I messed up my line, Woody Harrelson would be like, ‘Yeah... Better give that Oscar back.’ I actually wished that everybody in this cast didn’t know about it. It would have made my life lot easier.
You shot a lot in Hawaii, was it funIJ
We went swimming in between takes. We would go paddle boarding at lunch. It was amazing. But the scenes got a lot more intense. Things get terrifying.
What was the worst bit of the shootIJ Did you get hurtIJ
Yes, I got double ear infection from one of the water scenes, because the water is really gross. And then I had to do a water stunt with a spinning cornucopia and when I fall off they have these jets and so I had to jump and the jets kind of blew into my ears and I couldn’t hear for a couple of weeks. I never went to a doctor which is not advisable.
As people and actors what is it like being in the centre of the worldIJ
It’s overwhelming, but in a good way and sometimes in a bad way. It can be exhausting and endearing but it’s also something to be really grateful for. I mean the overwhelming like love and support from the fans that we never take for granted. But also the kind of set up of presses run can be exhausting and draining.
Share some anecdotes with us about behind the scenes on the sets of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
Jeffrey Wright handed me a Tiffany’s box, and I was like, ‘Oh my God, Jeffrey, you don’t have to do that!’ And I opened it, and there were just a million crickets and they all jumped out all over me. I screamed and cried and it was awful.