Jennifer Lawrence’s Best Roles

Jennifer Lawrence became a household name with a speed that is rare even in Hollywood. She first captured the industry’s attention with a powerful, Oscar-nominated performance in an independent film before being launched into global stardom as the face of a massive blockbuster franchise. Her career is a unique blend of immense commercial success and consistent critical acclaim, establishing her as one of the most successful and respected actors of her generation.

She is celebrated for portraying strong, complex, and often defiant women who refuse to be victims of their circumstances. This on-screen strength is complemented by a famously candid and down-to-earth public personality, which has made her incredibly popular with audiences worldwide. Whether she is leading a revolution in a dystopian future or navigating complex family dynamics in a character-driven drama, Lawrence brings a captivating blend of vulnerability and resilience to every role.

‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ (2014)

In this installment of the ‘X-Men’ franchise, Lawrence reprises her role as the shape-shifting mutant Raven, also known as Mystique. The film’s plot involves time travel, with Wolverine being sent back to 1973 to prevent Mystique from assassinating a key political figure, an act that leads to a disastrous future for all mutants.

Her character is central to the entire story, as both the past and future timelines hinge on her choices. The film explores her complex relationships with both Professor X and Magneto, as she struggles to find her own path between their competing ideologies. The movie was a huge critical and commercial success, often regarded as one of the best in the entire series.

‘Silver Linings Playbook’ (2012)

Lawrence plays Tiffany Maxwell, a young widow navigating her own grief and mental health struggles. She forms an unconventional and volatile relationship with Pat Solitano, a man with bipolar disorder who has recently been released from a psychiatric hospital. The two agree to help each other, with Tiffany promising to help Pat reconnect with his ex-wife if he will be her partner in a dance competition.

The role showcased her incredible range, blending comedic timing with deep emotional vulnerability. Her performance was met with widespread critical acclaim, culminating in her winning the Academy Award for Best Actress. At 22 years old, she became the second-youngest winner in the category’s history, solidifying her status as a top-tier actor.

‘X-Men: First Class’ (2011)

This film served as a prequel to the original ‘X-Men’ movies and introduced Lawrence as the younger version of Raven, or Mystique. The story explores her childhood as the adopted sister of Charles Xavier and follows her journey as a founding member of the X-Men. It details her internal conflict over hiding her true blue form from the world.

‘X-Men: First Class’ successfully rebooted the franchise with a new, younger cast, and Lawrence’s performance was a key part of its success. Her portrayal added new layers of depth and sympathy to a character who had previously been depicted mainly as a villain. The film explores the origins of her allegiance to Magneto and his philosophy of mutant supremacy.

‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ (2013)

Lawrence returns as Katniss Everdeen in the second installment of ‘The Hunger Games’ saga. After winning the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss and her fellow victor Peeta Mellark become symbols of hope and rebellion for the oppressed districts of Panem. The tyrannical Capitol forces them back into the arena for a special anniversary edition of the games, pitting them against previous winners.

The sequel was even more successful than the first film, receiving praise for its darker tone, expanded world-building, and deeper emotional stakes. Lawrence’s performance was once again lauded for capturing Katniss’s trauma, resilience, and growing determination to fight back against the system. The film was a global box office phenomenon.

‘The Hunger Games’ (2012)

In the role that made her an international superstar, Lawrence stars as Katniss Everdeen. She lives in a dystopian future where the nation of Panem forces two teenagers from each of its twelve districts to fight to the death in a televised event. Katniss voluntarily takes her younger sister’s place in the brutal competition.

The film is based on the best-selling young adult novel by Suzanne Collins, and Lawrence’s casting was met with widespread approval. She embodied the character’s strength, resourcefulness, and fierce protective instincts, making Katniss a cinematic icon and a role model for a generation of young women. The movie’s massive success launched a globally popular franchise.

‘American Hustle’ (2013)

In her second collaboration with director David O. Russell, Lawrence plays Rosalyn Rosenfeld, the unpredictable and manipulative wife of a con artist played by Christian Bale. The film is a fictionalized account of the ABSCAM scandal of the 1970s, following a group of con artists who are forced to work with the FBI.

Although a supporting role, Lawrence’s performance was a scene-stealing standout, full of manic energy and dark humor. Her character is a master of emotional manipulation, using her supposed helplessness to control everyone around her. She received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her work, her third Oscar nomination overall.

‘Don’t Look Up’ (2021)

Lawrence stars as Kate Dibiasky, an astronomy grad student who discovers a comet that is on a direct collision course with Earth. Along with her professor, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, she embarks on a frustrating media tour to warn a distracted and disbelieving world about the impending apocalypse.

The film is a satirical commentary on climate change, political incompetence, and media saturation. Lawrence’s character serves as the voice of scientific reason and moral outrage in a world that refuses to listen. Her performance captured the frustration and anxiety of trying to communicate an urgent and inconvenient truth.

‘Winter’s Bone’ (2010)

This is the film that served as Lawrence’s breakout role. She plays Ree Dolly, a seventeen-year-old girl living in the impoverished Ozark Mountains. To save her family from being evicted, she must track down her missing father, who put their house up as his bail bond. Her search takes her deep into the dangerous world of the local drug trade.

For her raw and powerful performance, Lawrence received her first Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. The role announced her as a major new talent, showcasing a maturity and intensity far beyond her years. The film was a critical success and won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.

‘X-Men: Apocalypse’ (2016)

Lawrence returns as Mystique for the third time in this chapter of the ‘X-Men’ saga. In this film, she has become a hero to young mutants around the world after her actions in the previous movie. She is forced to step into a leadership role, guiding a new generation of X-Men in a battle against the ancient and all-powerful mutant known as Apocalypse.

Her character’s arc in this film sees her evolving from a lone operative into a reluctant leader and mentor. The story continues to explore her complex relationships with Professor X and Magneto as they face their greatest threat yet. The film is a large-scale superhero spectacle featuring a massive cast of mutant characters.

‘Like Crazy’ (2011)

In the independent romantic drama ‘Like Crazy’, Lawrence has a significant supporting role as Samantha. The film’s main story follows the long-distance relationship between a British student and an American student, played by Felicity Jones and Anton Yelchin. Lawrence’s character becomes involved with the male lead during a period when the main couple is separated.

Her role is a key part of the central love triangle, representing a stable and viable alternative relationship for the protagonist. She plays the character with a warmth and maturity that complicates the audience’s feelings about who the main character should end up with. The film was largely improvised by the actors, a testament to their skill.

‘The Beaver’ (2011)

In this drama directed by Jodie Foster, Lawrence plays Norah, a high school student and popular cheerleader. She becomes the love interest of the main character’s troubled teenage son, played by Anton Yelchin. Norah carries her own secret grief, having lost her brother to suicide, which she expresses through her art.

The film’s main plot revolves around a depressed executive, played by Mel Gibson, who begins to communicate through a beaver hand puppet. Lawrence’s subplot with Yelchin’s character provides a parallel story about young people dealing with trauma and finding ways to connect and heal. Her performance was praised for its depth and sensitivity.

‘Causeway’ (2022)

Lawrence stars as Lynsey, a U.S. soldier who suffers a traumatic brain injury after an IED explosion in Afghanistan. The film follows her difficult return to her hometown of New Orleans, where she struggles to adjust to her new life while waiting to be redeployed. She forms a quiet and tentative friendship with a local car mechanic, played by Brian Tyree Henry.

The role was a significant departure for Lawrence, requiring a subtle and internalized performance. She portrays Lynsey’s physical and emotional pain with quiet restraint. The film is a character-driven drama that explores themes of trauma, healing, and human connection, and her performance received widespread critical acclaim.

‘mother!’ (2017)

In this highly controversial and allegorical psychological horror film directed by Darren Aronofsky, Lawrence plays the young wife of a famous poet. Their tranquil life in an isolated country home is disrupted by the arrival of a series of uninvited guests. The situation quickly escalates into a chaotic and terrifying nightmare.

The film is rich with symbolism and is open to multiple interpretations, often seen as an allegory for religion, celebrity, and the environment. Lawrence’s character is at the center of the escalating madness, and her performance is a grueling depiction of anxiety and terror. The role was one of the most physically and emotionally demanding of her career.

‘Joy’ (2015)

This biographical film marks her third leading role for director David O. Russell. Lawrence portrays Joy Mangano, the real-life inventor of the Miracle Mop and a successful self-made millionaire. The film follows her tumultuous journey over four decades as she navigates family betrayal and business obstacles to build her own empire.

The role required Lawrence to portray a character from a young woman into a powerful matriarch and business mogul. Her performance is the anchor of the film, capturing Joy’s fierce determination and unwavering resilience in the face of constant setbacks. For her work, she received another Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.

‘No Hard Feelings’ (2023)

In the raunchy comedy ‘No Hard Feelings’, Lawrence plays Maddie Barker, a down-on-her-luck Uber driver on the verge of losing her childhood home. In desperation, she accepts a strange Craigslist ad from a wealthy couple who want her to “date” their awkward and introverted 19-year-old son before he goes to college.

The film marked Lawrence’s return to broad, physical comedy, and she also served as a producer on the project. Her performance was praised for its fearless comedic timing and for finding an underlying sweetness in the film’s outrageous premise. The movie was seen as a successful revival of the R-rated comedy genre in theaters.

Let us know which Jennifer Lawrence performance you believe is her best in the comments.