Hollywood has been shaken up since the Sony Pictures Entertainment hack almost a year ago. A lot has been said regarding this dramatic incident, and for a short while, it seemed like the drama surrounding the event has subsided. This was, perhaps, the case up until a few days ago, when superstar actress Jennifer Lawrence unleashed her fury in Lena Dunham’s newsletter, Lenny.
Jennifer Lawrence is THE Hollywood badass. It’s no wonder that she landed the role of Katniss Everdeen in the successful franchise The Hunger Games. Since her huge breakthrough, which cemented her status in Hollywood, and in our hearts, Lawrence has become somewhat of a role model for women and young girls around the world. What makes Lawrence so unique and so different from other female celebrities, is the fact that she is flawed and is not afraid to show it.
Lawrence is not your typical Hollywood starlet, she is a human being and she wants you tp know it. Her essay in the Lenny newsletter starts with her admitting that she didn’t participate in the life saving ice-bucket challenge, because to her, it became more of a trend than a cause. “I should have written a check, but I fucking forgot, okay? I’m not perfect.” This is exactly where Lawrence’s charm shined through; in her admitting that she is not perfect (she even fell down at the Oscars - twice).
After Sony Pictures’ emails were hacked, and documents were leaked, Lawrence found out that she had been paid less than her male co-starts on American Hustle. “I didn’t get mad at Sony. I got mad at myself,” she wrote, “I failed as a negotiator because I gave up early. I didn’t want to keep fighting over millions of dollars that, frankly, due to two franchises, I don’t need.” What this means basically, is that this fight isn’t about her wanting more money, it’s about equality.
In the beginning of her essay, Lawrence claims that her problems aren’t relatable. In fact, they couldn’t be more relevant or relatable. In the western world, women earn approximately 20% less than their male colleagues. This phenomenon skips hardly anyone, and it’s probably about time to raise a public discussion about this blatant financial gender discrimination.
After publishing her essay on the newsletter, many oh Hollywood’s finest rose to the occasion and showed their support. Among these was Lawrence’s frequent co-star, Bradly Cooper, who stepped up and accused Hollywood of having ‘double standard’. Even though Lawrence is currently the highest paid actress in Hollywood, she is still earning less than those she bluntly refers to as “the lucky people with dicks.” If anyone has the star-status make this debate a priority, it’s Lawrence. Time will tell whether or not her words make any real, tangible impact.
