Jennifer Lawrence facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jennifer Lawrence
Lawrence in 2016
Born	Jennifer Shrader Lawrence (1990-08-15) August 15, 1990 (age 34) Indian Hills, Kentucky, U.S.
Other names	Jennifer Lawrence Maroney
Occupation	Actress producer
Years active	2006–present
Organization	Excellent Cadaver Jennifer Lawrence Foundation
Spouse(s)	Cooke Maroney ​ (m. 2019)​
Children	1
Awards	Full list
Signature

Jennifer Shrader Lawrence (born August 15, 1990) is a famous American actress and producer. She is known for her roles in big action movies and smaller, independent films. Her movies have earned over $6 billion around the world!

Jennifer was the highest-paid actress in the world in 2015 and 2016. She was also named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world in 2013.

She started acting as a teenager in TV shows. Her first big role was in the sitcom The Bill Engvall Show (2007–2009). She then starred in the independent film Winter's Bone (2010), which brought her a lot of attention.

Jennifer became a huge star playing Mystique in the X-Men film series (2011–2019). She also played Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games film series (2012–2015). This role made her the highest-earning female action hero.

She has worked with director David O. Russell on three movies. For her role in Silver Linings Playbook (2012), she won an Academy Award for Best Actress. She was only 22, making her one of the youngest winners ever! She also won a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for American Hustle (2013). Jennifer also won Golden Globe Awards for these films and for Joy (2015).

After a short break from acting, Jennifer returned in the comedy Don't Look Up (2021). She then produced and starred in the drama Causeway (2022) and the comedy No Hard Feelings (2023).

Jennifer is a feminist, meaning she believes in equal rights for women. She also supports women's reproductive rights. In 2015, she started the Jennifer Lawrence Foundation. This foundation helps organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the Special Olympics. She is also part of the group RepresentUs, which works to stop corruption. In 2018, she started her own production company called Excellent Cadaver.

Early Life and Childhood

Jennifer Shrader Lawrence was born on August 15, 1990, in Indian Hills, Kentucky. Her father, Gary, owned a construction company, and her mother, Karen, managed a summer camp. She has two older brothers, Ben and Blaine.

Her family had a horse farm when she was little, and Jennifer had a horse named Muffin. Her mother wanted her to be strong like her brothers. Jennifer has said she was a very energetic child. She went to Kammerer Middle School in Louisville and was raised as a Christian.

Jennifer has shared that she didn't always enjoy her childhood. She felt a bit lonely and different from other kids. But when she performed on stage, her worries disappeared, and acting made her feel good about herself.

She tried activities like cheerleading, softball, field hockey, and basketball. She even played on a boys' basketball team coached by her dad. But she didn't really like team sports.

Jennifer loved horseback riding and often visited a local horse farm. She once hurt her tailbone after falling off a horse. When her dad worked from home, she would perform for him, sometimes dressed as a clown or ballerina.

Her first acting role was at age nine in a church play. For the next few years, she kept acting in church plays and school musicals.

Discovering Acting in New York

When Jennifer was 14, she was on a family vacation in New York City. A talent scout saw her on the street and set up auditions for her with agents. Her mom wasn't sure about an acting career at first. But they moved to New York for a short time so Jennifer could try out for roles.

After her first audition, agents were very impressed. They said she was the best young actor they had heard. Jennifer signed with CESD Talent Agency. This agency convinced her parents to let her audition for roles in Los Angeles.

Her mother encouraged her to try modeling, but Jennifer really wanted to act. She felt acting was a "natural fit" for her. She even turned down modeling offers. She left school at 14 without a General Educational Development (GED) or diploma. Jennifer calls herself "self-educated" and says acting was her main focus. Between acting jobs, she helped her mother as an assistant nurse at her camp in Louisville.

Career Highlights

Early Roles and Breakthrough Success

Lawrence at the 2007 Movieguide Awards

Jennifer started her acting journey with small parts in TV shows like Monk (2006) and Medium (2007). Her first regular TV role was as Lauren, a rebellious teenager, in The Bill Engvall Show (2007–2009). Critics praised her performance, and she won a Young Artist Award in 2009.

She made her film debut in Garden Party (2008). She also appeared in The Burning Plain (2008), playing the younger version of Charlize Theron's character. For this role, she won an award at the 2008 Venice Film Festival.

Her big breakthrough came in the independent film Winter's Bone (2010). She played Ree Dolly, a 17-year-old girl in the Ozark Mountains who is trying to find her missing father. To prepare, Jennifer learned to fight, skin squirrels, and chop wood. Critics loved her performance, calling it powerful. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and her first Academy Award for Best Actress. She was one of the youngest people ever nominated for this award.

Lawrence at the 83rd Academy Awards in 2011, where she received her first Academy Award nomination for Winter's Bone (2010)

In 2011, Jennifer took on a different kind of role in the superhero film X-Men: First Class. She played Mystique, a mutant who can change her shape. For this role, she had to wear blue body paint and special makeup for eight hours! The movie was a big success, earning $350 million worldwide.

Becoming a Global Star

In 2012, Jennifer starred as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games. This movie was based on the popular book series. Katniss is a teenage hero who fights against a powerful government in a brutal televised event. Jennifer was unsure about taking such a huge role, but her mother convinced her.

She trained hard for the role, learning archery, climbing, and combat. Critics highly praised her portrayal of Katniss. The Hunger Games earned over $690 million worldwide, making Jennifer a global star and the highest-earning female action hero.

Lawrence attending the premiere of Silver Linings Playbook at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival

Later in 2012, Jennifer starred in Silver Linings Playbook. She played Tiffany Maxwell, a young woman facing challenges, who finds a connection with Pat Solitano Jr. (played by Bradley Cooper). Jennifer loved her character's complex personality. She won the Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, and the Academy Award for Best Actress for this role. At 22, she was the second-youngest person to win this Oscar!

In 2013, she hosted Saturday Night Live. She also returned as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. This movie was even more successful, earning $865 million and becoming her highest-grossing film.

The same year, Jennifer played Rosalyn Rosenfeld in American Hustle. She played the unpredictable wife of a con man. Critics found her performance brilliant and funny. She won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress for this role. This made her the youngest actor to receive three Oscar nominations.

Lawrence promoting The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 at the 2015 San Diego Comic-Con

Jennifer continued to play Mystique in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014). She also starred in the final two Hunger Games films: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014) and Part 2 (2015). For Part 1, she even recorded a song called "The Hanging Tree". Both films earned over $650 million worldwide.

In 2015, Jennifer worked with director David O. Russell again on Joy. She played Joy Mangano, a single mother who becomes a successful businesswoman by inventing the Miracle Mop. Critics praised her performance, calling it her best work since Winter's Bone. She won her third Golden Globe for Joy and received another Academy Award nomination, making her the youngest actor to get four Oscar nominations.

Recent Work and Producing

Lawrence promoting Red Sparrow in 2018

In 2016, Jennifer narrated A Beautiful Planet, a documentary about Earth seen from space. She also played Mystique for the third time in X-Men: Apocalypse. Later that year, she starred in the science fiction romance Passengers with Chris Pratt.

In 2017, Jennifer starred in the psychological horror film Mother!. This was a very intense role for her. The next year, she played a Russian spy in the thriller Red Sparrow. She learned to speak with a Russian accent and trained in ballet for four months for the part. In 2019, she made her final appearance as Mystique in Dark Phoenix.

Lawrence at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival

After a short break, Jennifer returned to acting in 2021 in the Netflix film Don't Look Up. She played an astronomer trying to warn the world about a comet. The film was very popular on Netflix.

In 2022, Jennifer starred in and produced the independent drama Causeway. She played a soldier recovering from a brain injury. She was drawn to this smaller, character-focused story.

In 2023, she produced Bread and Roses, a documentary about women in Afghanistan. She also produced and starred in the comedy No Hard Feelings. She played a young woman hired to date an introverted teenager. Critics enjoyed her comedic performance.

Jennifer will next produce and star in a thriller called Die, My Love.

Other Activities

Lawrence at Tulane University in 2018

Jennifer identifies as a feminist, which means she believes in equality for everyone. She has spoken out about the gender pay gap in Hollywood, sharing her own experiences where she was paid less than her male co-stars. She also supports body positivity for women.

She has supported many charities, including the World Food Programme and Feeding America. With her Hunger Games co-stars Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth, she worked with the United Nations to raise awareness about poverty and hunger.

In 2015, she started the Jennifer Lawrence Foundation. This foundation helps groups like the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the Special Olympics. In 2016, she donated $2 million to a children's hospital in Louisville to create a special heart care unit named after her foundation.

She is also on the board of RepresentUs, a group that works to improve laws in the United States. In 2018, she joined over 300 women in Hollywood to start the Time's Up initiative. This group aims to protect women from unfair treatment.

Personal Life

Jennifer grew up in a family that supported the Republican party. She voted for John McCain in 2008. However, she later became a Democrat. She has also said she is "not religious" but sometimes prays out of habit.

She dated her X-Men: First Class co-star Nicholas Hoult from 2010 to 2014. In 2018, she started a relationship with Cooke Maroney, an art gallery director. They got engaged in February 2019 and were married on October 19, 2019, in Rhode Island.

Jennifer and Cooke live in New York City and Beverly Hills, California. In February 2022, Jennifer gave birth to their son, Cy. In October 2024, her representative announced that she is expecting their second child.

Jennifer is a strong supporter of the LGBTQ+ community. She has spoken about her support for the community at events like the 2024 GLAAD Media Awards.

Filmography

Film

Key

Denotes films that have not yet been released

Television

Music videos

Awards and Recognition

Jennifer Lawrence has received many awards for her acting. Here are some of her most notable recognitions:

• 83rd Academy Awards: Nominated for Best Actress for Winter's Bone (2010)
• 85th Academy Awards: WON Best Actress for Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
• 86th Academy Awards: Nominated for Best Supporting Actress for American Hustle (2013)
• 88th Academy Awards: Nominated for Best Actress for Joy (2015)

She has also won three Golden Globe Awards:

• Best Actress – Comedy or Musical for Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
• Best Supporting Actress for American Hustle (2013)
• Best Actress – Comedy or Musical for Joy (2015)

Additionally, she won a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for American Hustle.

Images for kids

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