After yesterday’s mini fall from grace for Jennifer Lawrence (after she labelled Christian Bale as “Fatman“), I was hesitant to cover this story because it has nothing to do with JLaw’s mouth. This new mess has to do with the loose lips of director David O. Russell, who already has a reputation for being “brilliant yet difficult.” He has famously clashed with both George Clooney and Lily Tomlin on film sets. Russell’s movies are prestige pics, so he probably feels like he’s entitled to be an a-hole. Likewise, he acts like the world should revolve around his movies instead of silly popcorn flicks like The Hunger Games.
This all dovetails with Jennifer Lawrence’s own admissions that she wants to take time off from working after her career-building franchise. We’ve talked at length about her health issues. JLaw tried to make light of them by telling David Letterman how she sh-t her pants a million times on the Catching Fire tour. During that same interview, JLaw cozied up under a comforter and talked about how tired she is. So I guess Russell figured he was entitled to compare her franchise experience to 12 Years a Slave. He knew when he said it that he’d catch hell, but still. Oh boy:
About this time last year, Jennifer Lawrence was suffering from pneumonia and fearful she wouldn’t make it through awards season. Now, her American Hustle director David O. Russell, worries the 23-year-old star he directed to a Silver Linings Playbook Oscar, is close to pushing herself over the edge again.
He blames The Hunger Games franchise.
“I personally think they should give her a bit of breathing room over there because they’re printing money,” Russell exclusively told Confidenti@l at Friday’s Australian Academy’s AACTA Awards held in Los Angeles. “But she’s a very alive person.”
“I’ll tell you what it is about that girl — talk about 12 years of slavery, that’s what the franchise is. And I’m going to get in so much trouble for saying that.”
Russell further compared The Hunger Games to a “hamster wheel,” claiming Lawrence takes on more artistic roles as a “vacation” of sorts. The franchise has produced two films over the past two years with another pair on the way.
[From NY Daily News]
Someone got his panties in a bunch over having to compete, schedule-wise, for his favorite actress. For two years, Russell has probably felt a little passive aggressive at not being able to film JLaw in Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle on the days he preferred. He’s had to work around her outside shooting schedule. You know Russell feels like like Hunger Games isn’t nearly as artistic as his wonderful, Oscar-baity movies. Then JLaw had to ditch the NYC Hustle premiere to fly back to Atlanta for a 6am Mockingjay call. So he got mad and said something really inexcusable. Everyone realizes that making millions of dollars for movies is in no way comparable to slavery. I’m sure JLaw is mortified, and I hope this doesn’t reflect poorly on her.
For what it’s worth, Russell issued an apology via the Mail He said he was “truly sorry” for using “a a stupid analogy in a poor attempt at humor.” Is he really sorry? I think he still has his nose out of joint for not getting unlimited access to JLaw. He’s only apologizing now to appease the Academy.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet & WENN
What a douchey analogy to use though. What happened to good ol’ “she has a crazy schedule”? That was a dumb/insensitive thing to say.
Agreed. He’s an asshole.
Spoiled brat.
Please! Mere lip service. He’s sorry he got caught, and is doing damage control. He desperately wants the Director or Best Picture award.
Yeah he’s being pompous. He definitely feels like his movies are more important. He needs to get over hhimself
Well he didn’t exactly engage brain before opening mouth – nobody could be that insensitive surely?
No, he surely is this uncaring. When people show you who they are- believe them.
Such idiot but what you expect from someone who molested their niece. I would hope this hurts his and American Hustle (such a mediocre movie) chances for an Oscar but I doubt it.
What? I’ve never heard anything about him molesting his niece–him being an asshole, yes.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/sns-zap-ent-david-russell-groping,0,1079020.story
He was investigated for–and admitted to–groping an adult niece.
Yeah, I hate how people seemed to have forgotten about that. Not just that he did it, but his reasons for it–she was acting “provocatively” (I’m so sure) since her transition and he was curious about her breasts growing. He basically tried to use her trans* status as an excuse for assaulting her. Gross.
Wait. What?!
I know nothing about this jerk, but it seems like a clear use of hyberbole, not that he actually thinks she works as hard as a slave.
It was still insensitive and stupid. He even admitted that he knew it was wrong as soon as it came out of his mouth.
I guess I don’t see insensitivity. Whatever, it takes all kinds, I guess. 🙂
He admitted to groping his 19-year-old niece because she was acting “provocatively” and he was curious about her transition (she’s transgender). Because what 19-year-old isn’t trying to provoke her creepy uncle into molesting her, amirite? Oh, and the charges were dropped because police “didn’t witness the incident”–which took place in a gym, so duh, of course no police witnessed it.
Yeah, he’s a douchbag.
I hope 12 Years/Lupita Nyong’o beats them both at the Oscars.
Yes! I was really disappointed with her loss. That category was all I was interested in, so I’m glad they got it out of the way so I could change the channel.
Agreed! Lupita was robbed. J. Law was good but Lupita should have won.
jackass.
I hope she doesn’t get any backlash for this, since she has NOTHING to do with it. And if you ask me, she has always seemed more than happy to promote the franchise and, obviously, to be a part of it.
Yeah, I’m with you. I really hope her haters aren’t going to jump on this, because this really isn’t anything to do with her. She must be furious/horrified that David dragged her name into this shitstorm. I know I’d be appalled by his “poor attempt at humour” if it were me. What a knob.
She should be happy to promote and film “The Hunger Games.” She’s making a s**tload of money off of those movies. I’m sure it’s time consuming and being the star of a franchise obviously limits how many other movies she can make but she’s a very fortunate girl. There are many, many actresses who would love to be in her shoes.
She clearly is happy to. She’s said she’s tired a couple times when she’s been asked by interviewers, but I think that’s fair. She’s never acted ungracious about the Hunger Games – and she shouldn’t! it’s a great series!
Oh look, he’s trying out some edgy humor. Douche.
Aa much as i like his movies i find him to be an insensitive douchebag. I think he probably shot himself in the foot with regards to AHs oscar chances.
This guy is a d**k and arrogant as hell. Non related rant**** as talented as j-Law is and as good as she is in his movies he should write her age appropriate roles and stop giving her parts that are more suited to women a decade earlier. It’s annoying .***end rant
I’ve said this a million times–if he would’ve cast the roles as they should’ve been, Amy would have been the wife, and Jennifer would have been the mistress. He switched the ages to see how she worked with Christian Bale.
Let me reiterate–in the original story, Rosalyn Rosenfeld would have been the same age as Irv (Christian Bale)—his mistress, Evelyn, was the one in her twenties.
So Jennifer is not too young for the role she’s playing–she’s playing a young trophy wife.
@VC I think though it was possible for her to be a young trophy wife it was a huge stretch. It was the first thing my friends mentioned after the film how distracting it was that J-law looks like a 19 year old while the character is supposed to be bitter, used up, a mother to a 7 year old etc. Considering all the sexism in Hollywood it’s not easy to defend. I don’t blame J-Law but it’s annoying. I’m curious if she could have pulled of Evelyn.
As soon as people start comparing something to slavery or the holocaust or someone as Hitler I just zone that person out. He was obviously making a joke, it just wasn’t very funny.
Same
IMO slavery joke in the context he used =holocaust jokes, hitler costumes, etc.
some things are offlimits.
I’m really surprised how easy riled people are. It was a joke…and often jokes are not in ‘good taste’. That’s what makes them funny.
I’m pretty sure what makes jokes funny is…being funny. What exactly is funny about comparing an actor’s schedule to slavery?
Exactly. Like, we understand that it was a joke, but it was a bad one.
Maybe because he just dismissed and trivialized a very important story, as well as an inhumane institution, because his It girl of the week couldn’t be at his beck and call whenever HE wanted.
And I don’t find the joke funny at all, especially as someone whose four or five times great grandfather was a middle aged man when he was freed. You know, from slavery. And, you know, actually knew what it was like to be ‘worked like a slave’……
I’m really surprised at how indifferent some people can be. I don’t know about you but it’s not a funny joke to me. Slavery is never joke-material. It just doesn’t work. It’s too heavy and too heartbreaking to be lol-worthy.
Please explain what’s funny about comparing an actress making millions of dollars to building an economy based on dehumanizing people, kidnapping them and turning them into property that could be beaten or murdered at will. I’m so very curious.
Of course he’s not sorry.
I also think he’s overestimating the importance of his projects. He’s been good at baiting for awards, but a lot of his projects strike me as dressed up popcorn movies.
I dont think hes truly sorry. And you know why, cause he admitted he would get into trouble for saying it. He knew it was an awful thing to say and he said it anyway. And you know what…I like The Hunger Game films better than his movies. I did like Silver Linings Playbook (but not as much) and American Hustle was crap (all of the actors did really well though).
*sigh* *face palm* Please just stop. I’m so tired of the rich and famous or for that matte or any fellow white Americans comparing their lives to slavery or the holocaust or any other devastating tragedy. Just stop. Please I’m begging you.
Who has compared anything to the holocaust? Usually that’s a no-go zone for most people, but slavery is of course A OK!
Maybe not the Holocaust but in one of Kanye West’s songs he says quote “I hate these n—as more than the nazis”. Rihanna a few years ago tweeted these lyrics in response to being followed by the paparazzi because you know the paps are soooo much worse than the nazis *eye roll*
I hate to defend Russell in any way, because he’s a jackass, but…
How many times have people said, “I’m a slave to my job” or “so and so treats me like a slave”? Come on people.
Yes, the comparison is stupid when homegirl is making millions on a project she knowingly singed on for, but it’s not the end of the world, it’s not even the worst thing he could have said. He made a dumb joke (that I could totally see coming from a comedian) that didn’t land because it came from a place of annoyance with having to share.
There are other definitions of the word slavery: a condition compared to that of a slave in respect of exhausting labor or restricted freedom; excessive dependence on or devotion to something.
I’m sure the first of the two definitions above is what Russell was referring to. Also, if she really is getting sick and exhausted and crap from filming and promoting those films, then Russell would of course say something not only as a director she’s worked with multiple times, but as a friend.
I do think he only apologized because he wants an Oscar and therefore must play nice with the Academy.
@JessicaC
But he didn’t use the word slavery in a general definition sense of the word. He referenced it in the film, 12 Year a Slave, which depicts the brutal realities of slavery with very graphic violent scenes of physical and mental abuse. There is a difference. And I find his use of the term even more offensive.
Agreed…it was a specific reference to 12 Years A Slave.
If it were not for Marky Mark, this guy would have faded to oblivion. I still think Russell is a one trick pony and his lack of winning awards shows it. When I heard what Clooney did to him on the set, I found a new appreciation for him.
After Roman Polanski and Woody Allen, he is the director I despise the most. The former two at least put out some amazing work, he is at best medicore with a completly overblown delusion of grandeur. I don´t get HW´s infatuation with him.
wasn’t he the director who picked a fight with Lily Tomlin?
yeah, that´s him
Donate a few of those millions you’ve made while SLAVING AWAY at your dream job living in the land of the free and the home of the brave, to folks who actually need the dough, and the sound of your apology may end up being heard over the sound of our laughter, AT YOU.
So just to clarify..he yelled at a girl for something so much that george clooney had to step in and punch him once, there is that video of him screaming at lilly tomlin…LILLY TOMLIN like she was an animal, i don’t care what kind of disagreement we are in my boss doesn’t get to yell at me like that, then he gropes his niece, also when jlaw lost at the baftas last year he threw a mini tantrum when her name wasn’t called, he has no tact, and is known to be a jerk, but he keeps getting work.
i’d just like to ask, if a woman had a track record like this, do you think she would have the career he has? or would she be labeled a crazy bitch that no one wants to work with?
God forbid the public go a single week without piling on somebody who used an unfortunate choice of words. There isn’t a person alive who, at some time or another, hasn’t compared their job to slavery, or bitched about how somebody treats them like their personal slave. It doesn’t mean you’re downplaying the historical significance of actual slavery.
It was clearly intended as an exaggeration to make a point. The clamor for the end of somebody’s career every time they make a mistake is ridiculous.
Look this guy up….he’s a dick. If you read the interview you would have noticed he compared her work load to the events that happened in the movie 12 Years a Slave. A movie that shows the horrors of slavery (rape, torture, imprisonment, abuse). He did not say she was worked like a slave….he said her work load (which she freely chooses to do) was basically equal to that of characters in that film (people that had no chose in the matter).
If he’s a dick in other ways, fine, dislike him for whatever. But the piling on based on these comments is borderline nuts. (Look, I made light of mental illness!) The same thing happened last week with Steve Martin who has zero history of being a dick. Didn’t stop people from deciding that he was the worst person on the planet.
It’s the current need to judge everybody for everything that has gotten out of hand. People have gotten so sanctimonious that you can’t make a mistake and apologize for it. Apparently we’re all so perfect in our own lives that we’re free to harangue everybody else.
What an a**hole!!! When some-one shows you who they really are,believe them. I was going to watch american hustle this weekend,but no i’ll watch 12 years a slave instead,i don’t support douche bags.
The thing that blows me away about this is not that he didn’t move his brain before his mouth—but that he DID, and then just flapped his jowls anyway. I mean, he acknowledged that what he said was going to upset people…and then he just said it anyway.
It wasn’t just a casual excusable blooper, either–I wouldn’t compare a scummy job where I was completely exploited to slavery (it’s just too tasteless). Lawrence is obviously being worked way over the fatigue limit by the franchise; but she is making millions, and it gave her the potential to make millions more. So, is the apology genuine? Doubtful. He needs to get over himself and his ahhrt.