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Monday, Feb 25, 2013 7:46 PM UTC

Jennifer Lawrence’s fall to grace

It may have been nice to see the youngest or oldest actress nab an Oscar. But J.Law's win was worth the trip VIDEO

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Topics: Video, 2013 oscars, Jennifer Lawrence, Anne Hathaway, schadenfreude, 2013 Awards Season, 2013 Golden Globes, Meryl Streep, Media Criticism, David O. Russell, Hunger Games, TV, Movies, Television, Film, Silver Linings Playbook, Winter's Bone, Helen Mirren, ,

Jennifer Lawrence's fall to grace

Last night, a debate broke out among our friends on whether the 22-year-old Jennifer Lawrence, now crowned by the academy as the best actress for her terrific performance in “Silver Linings Playbook,” will have staying power. One insisted she was a flash in the pan. The rest of us, who first fell hard for her in “Winter’s Bone,” argued that she really does have the chops. Who can say, really. Remember, Dr. Haing S. Ngor won an Oscar for his brilliant performance in “The Killing Fields,” and that was pretty much the last we saw of him. So, only time will tell how her career pans out, though she’s poised — with the Hunger Games franchise, and a new deal to reteam with David O. Russell — to stick around for a while. Really, the question that lingers is: Why are young women held to such scrutiny?

J.Law doesn’t invite the animus that someone like, say, Anne Hathaway does, not by a long shot. But she did earn a bit of scorn — perhaps fleetingly — when she joked rather awkwardly during her acceptance speech for her best actress Golden Globe, that she “beat Meryl” (who, it was said, wasn’t even campaigning for her nomination in “Hope Springs” ) — explaining later that she was referencing a line from “First Wives Club.” I admit, I was rooting for Emmanuelle Riva for her brilliant performance in “Amour” — that was the Oscar narrative I was most excited about — but when Lawrence tripped over her dress on her way up the stage, à la Helen Mirren at the Emmys in 2006 (“My great triumph is not falling ass over tit as I came up those stairs,” said Mirren when she collected her award), I was laughing along with her, and cheering her on.

 

No matter. As you can see from this clip from her post-Oscars press conference, Lawrence reminds us how young is 22: She’s goofy, gawky, maybe a little filterless, and naive about the way the media parses the crap out of everything that spills out of a celeb’s mouth. And how can you not love her retorts to so many of these asinine questions from the press corps? I, for one, am looking forward to watching her evolve as an actress and as a person, but in the meantime, I’m enjoying her present sassy, courageous, easy-laughing self. Watch as she addresses inane questions about the fall, and whether she thinks she’s peaking too early. (She admits she downed a shot before meeting with them — a little cup of courage):

Kera Bolonik

Kera Bolonik is a contributing writer at Salon. Follow her on Twitter @KeraBolonik More Kera Bolonik.

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Gripping photos: The people of the Turkey protests (slideshow)

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  • The protests take on a festive element as police forces move out of the park and square. Wearing a gas mask, this young man dances to traditional Turkish music in front of Taksim Square’s Ataturk Monument.

  • In Gezi Park since March 31st, this protester, originally caught off-guard by the Government’s teargas and water cannons, went out and bought a Russian army mask from WWII, preparing for what was to come.

  • This rambunctious boy seems to be enjoying the chaos. After taking this picture he threw a stone at the already destroyed building in the background.

  • Forming a line, the police face off directly with protesters in Taksim Square. After a while, they retreated and there was a general cheer – a back-and-forth dance that has been common since the beginning of this protest.

  • An elderly woman in Gezi Park reads the news. The tent community occupying the park was violently destroyed on June 16th.

  • Many different groups had set up booths to promote their cause in Taksim Square and Gezi Park. Standing in front of one, this man waves his flag while posing with conviction.

  • Many home-remedies are used to minimize the effects of tear gas. This woman has put a milky solution on her face, removing her mask after the tear gas dissipated. Before sunrise, the police came again for another round of teargasing.

  • People capitalize on the uprising -- selling flags, beer, gas masks, sky lanterns and spray paint to name just a few of the popular items.

  • On Monday morning, June 11, the police execute a strong offensive. Many plain-clothed police officers, like the ones seen here, clash with protesters in the side streets away from the main stand-off in Taksim.

  • The authorities seem to be most aggressive in the night, pushing protesters away from the square and park. After being teargassed this young woman catches her breath with other protesters on Siraselviler Street.

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