Jennifer Lawrence’s debut in the world of Hollywood was at the 2011 Oscars. At the time, she was virtually unknown—just a beautiful, blonde actress walking the red carpet in a body-hugging Calvin Klein dress. Most people didn’t realize that she had starred in a critically acclaimed independent movie, Winter’s Bone, and was about to become a force of nature in the years ahead. Jennifer didn’t go to any fancy acting schools or star in a myriad of films before attaining A-List status. She simply displayed her natural talent for acting and won the world over with her genuine wit. She nabbed roles in huge franchises like X Men and The Hunger Games, and she also starred in more dramatic films—winning an Oscar for Best Actress in Silver Linings Playbook.
Let’s take a closer look at how Jennifer ascended in Hollywood, noting the lesser-known parts of her spectacular journey.
18 Horsin' Around
Before becoming a world-famous Hollywood actress, Jennifer Lawrence grew up in Louisville, Kentucky—also known as horse country. Living just 15 minutes away from a horse farm, Jennifer fell in love with horses at an early age; she even has a deformed tailbone because she was thrown off of one.
17 Nitro!
Of course, Jennifer’s childhood nickname was “Nitro.” Even as a youngster, Jennifer had tons of energy and knew how to work the room. That personality really came in handy once she became a Hollywood star, as her silly disposition made people all over the world fall in love with her.
16 Early Beginnings
Even as a young child, Jennifer loved to act. When she was nine years old, she played a prostitute in a biblical play at church. While all the other little girls just stood with their makeup and costumes on, Jennifer came out strutting her stuff—giving it all she had.
15 Scouted!
Jennifer was scouted by a talent agent in New York City when she was 14 years old (she was on Spring Break at the time). At Union Square, the scout simply asked to take a picture; from there, Jennifer was called by multiple agencies and she started doing cold readings.
14 Middle School Dropout
Jennifer Lawrence dropped out of middle school at 14 years old to dedicate the entirety of her time to acting. Apparently, Jennifer never really liked school because she didn’t feel smart. However, when she acted, she finally felt confident in herself and knew exactly what she was doing. Great instincts!
13 Veterinary Video
Jennifer’s first audition was for a veterinary educational video, which gave her a callback—giving her the confidence to continue pursuing acting. Even when she didn’t book anything for a while after, she believed she’d get another positive sign down the road, signaling her destiny to be an actress.
12 Abercrombie Model
Early on in her career, Jennifer also considered modeling. In fact, she shot with Abercrombie & Fitch at one point. She apparently could’ve landed an entire campaign if it weren’t for her intense performance at a football-themed photoshoot. Luckily, Jennifer stuck with acting; she’s much more than a pretty face.
11 Super Sweet
Jennifer’s first Hollywood job was a television promo for MTV’s My Super Sweet 16. She played a spoiled, rich girl celebrating her 16th birthday. Jennifer showed her acting chops—throwing a tantrum and pretending to cry. The show was huge at the time; so this was a win for Jen!
10 Can You See Me Now?
Jennifer also starred in a Verizon commercial alongside the “Can you hear me now?” guy. She was undoubtedly starstruck, as Verizon—and the Verizon guy—were incredibly popular and those commercials reached nearly every home in the United States. At this point, Jennifer was gaining experience and sharpening her skills.
9 Denied
The film, Winter’s Bone, is essentially Jennifer Lawrence’s claim to fame. This is the movie that garnered her an Oscar nomination and introduced her to the Hollywood elite. However, Jennifer barely got the part! Producers believed she was much too pretty for the gritty main character and made a pass.
