The time has come for “I Am Woman” to finally be unleashed. Pardon the dramatic phrasing, but that’s just how excited I am about this project. As promised, I’m going to kick it off by declaring my love and adoration for female celebrities who have gone above and beyond the cliche call of Hollywood duty. The ones who have aimed to promote their professional craft and raw talent rather than their manufactured bra sizes and lack of common sense. The women who have stuck to their guns instead of sticking to criminal charges. In a world where DUI mugshots and front-page magazine slander stunt double as contemporary household decor, these women have managed to shine under the limelight without tarnishing their reputation or dignity.
Among the many A-Listers that have continued to meet the above description, there is one name that comes bubbling up to the surface a bit faster than the others these days. Obviously, I’m talking about Jennifer Lawrence. You know, the 23-year-old Kentucky-bred actress who has single-handedly captured the hearts of men, women, and children everywhere, in what appears to be the blink of an eye. Best known for her role as Katniss Everdeen, the modern-day heroine in the book series-turned-cinematic saga, The Hunger Games, Jennifer Lawrence has proven that she is more than just a one-hit Hollywood wonder. Most recently, she won the Oscar for Best Female Actress in the movie, Silver Linings Playbook, where she co-starred opposite Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro. And of course, she has a ton of other projects and roles under her belt, including Winter’s Bone, Like Crazy, House at the End of the Street, and the second installment of THG Series, Catching Fire; but I don’t think that’s the reason we’re all sipping the JLaw Juice (That’s one of her nicknames, by the way). If you ask me, the starlet persona isn’t quite what we’re all so in love with; but rather, the genuinely normal 20something girl that’s hiding beneath all those layers of Couture.
Confidence
Whether it’s on the red carpet or during a live interview, Jennifer Lawrence exudes the kind of confidence that every woman aspires to have. She doesn’t try too hard, which is an attribute that’s hard to find in celebrities nowadays. Anne Hathaway, though breathtaking in Les Miserables, stands up on stage to accept her award and uses words that make the rest of look around, wondering why she’s trying to show off in the midst of receiving an award that most of us will never have a shot at winning. Jennifer Lawrence just is, and she’s totally at peace with that. When a critic slammed her for being “too womanly” to play the part of Katniss, she laughed it off. She didn’t brood in her dressing room and force herself to lose 20 pounds. She reminds people that having curves and being comfortable in your own body is more important than satisfying the opinions of narrow-minded “critics.”
Humility
The key to staying humble is to make fun of yourself. Jennifer Lawrence has this down to a science. When she’s being asked questions like, “How does it feel to be the most beloved young actress in America?” she won’t reply with a dignified, rehearsed response. She’ll say something that’s completely out of left field, and that’s what people love about her. She manages to stay grounded and humble in a crowd where false personalities are in full abundance. When told to gain weight by consuming menu items such as deep-fried philly cheese steaks in order to prep for her role as Tiffany in Silver Linings Playbook, she claims that it was pretty much the same as her normal diet (living the American dream). Basically she lets us know that you don’t have to be airbrushed and anorexic in order to be successful and beautiful. Thanks, Mom, we completely agree.
Talent
When people heard that the girl from The Hunger Games beat out Meryl Streep for an Academy Award, heads were spinning. Who is this girl? Wasn’t she the one who was in that movie where the children killed each other? Well as someone who’s seen most of her films, I can say firsthand that she’s a legendary actress in the making. This scene alone convinced me that there was more to her than meets the eye.
If you really aren’t convinced and need more reasons: Her fans love her so much that the Jennifer Lawrence hashtag is constantly trending. Buzzfeed loves her so much that they compiled her greatest GIF’s into one article. And I love her so much that I started this segment with a post dedicated to her accomplishments as an actress and as an empowering woman. In a day and age where image and beauty are measured on such a skewed scale, I think that she serves as an exemplary role model for young girls, and even young adults like myself. In her few years under the spotlight, she has taught us that we don’t have to compromise our identities in order to succumb to the nature of the Hollywood beast (or any other dream that we have).
Long story short, I have an giant girl-crush on Jennifer Lawrence. And if you don’t feel the same after watching this, you should pay someone to find you a sense of humor (and a heart!).
If you or anyone you know is an especially phenomenal woman, here’s your chance to let us know why. Please contact kcappuccilli@gmail.com to learn more about the opportunity!
