Jennifer Lawrence is opening up about an aspect of filmmaking that often makes actors uneasy, and her take is refreshingly candid.
During a live recording of the 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 close scenes with strangers is “preferable,” largely because it removes emotional awkwardness.
She pointed to her experience working with Robert Pattinson on Die My Love, compared with 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 did not know each other, which is kind of better, you know?” Lawrence said.
“Like in Hunger Games, me and Josh Hutcherson would have to kiss and that’s like… Imagine it. 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 shooting Die My Love, a psychodrama directed by Lynne Ramsay that centers on a new mother grappling with psychosis.
Despite the vulnerability of the scene, Lawrence said the dynamic between her and Pattinson made the experience more comfortable.
Although the production employed an intimacy coordinator, Lawrence has previously shared that she didn’t feel a strong need for one during filming.
Speaking on the Las Culturistas podcast, she emphasised how safe she felt with Pattinson on set.
“We did not have [an intimacy coordinator], or maybe we did but we didn’t really… I felt really safe with Rob,” she said.
She went on to praise his professionalism, noting, “He is not pervy and very in love with [partner] Suki Waterhouse.”
According to Lawrence, their conversations were mostly about everyday life, including their kids and relationships, which helped keep boundaries clear.
“There was never any weird like, ‘Does he think I like him?’” she added, explaining that such discomfort is often what makes intimacy coordinators essential.
Lawrence’s comments offer an honest look at how trust, context, and emotional distance can shape an actor’s comfort level on set, especially during some of the most vulnerable moments in front of the camera.
