Inside Jennifer Lawrence's failure to acknowledge the history of female action stars such as Michelle Yeoh and Angelina Jolie!

Jennifer Lawrence's Misstep on Female Action Heroes

Jennifer Lawrence, the renowned Hunger Games star, took a stroll down memory lane in an interview, only to misstep on the history of female-led action movies. The Oscar-winning actress's comments, as reported by Variety on December 7, 2022, ignited a social media storm, as she seemingly overlooked the numerous women who have championed action roles before her time.

Hunger Games' Revolution - A Statement in Error?

"I remember when I was doing 'Hunger Games,' nobody had ever put a woman in the lead of an action movie because it wouldn't work," Lawrence declared, but it didn't take long for the Twitterverse to correct her. From Sigourney Weaver in Alien to Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider, the history of female action heroes is rich and storied. "It is untrue that no one had ever put a woman in an action movie before Jennifer Lawrence in 'Hunger Games,'" said Franklin Leonard, founder of The Black List.

Her claim seems to reflect the sentiment that women couldn't lead action movies because boys couldn't identify with a female lead. While the sentiment may exist, the statement discredits the impact of actresses like Linda Hamilton, Uma Thurman, and Milla Jovovich, who have redefined action cinema.

Breaking Barriers, Forgetting Heroes - A Look at Lawrence's Oversight

Lawrence's enthusiastic appreciation for seeing women in action roles is undeniably commendable. "It makes me so happy every single time" she sees women occupying those roles, she said. But her misstatement opens up a conversation about recognizing and celebrating the trailblazers who paved the way.

The truth is, Hollywood's bias against women-driven action movies is far from new, but claiming no woman had led an action movie before Lawrence erases a rich lineage of groundbreaking actresses. From Michelle Yeoh's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to Pam Grier's Foxy Brown, female empowerment in action cinema has a much deeper history.

A Clarification in Order?

While Jennifer Lawrence's passion for female empowerment is clear, her statement in this Variety interview has brought attention to the importance of recognizing the true pioneers of female-led action films. The backlash serves as a reminder that history should be remembered accurately, and the women who defied stereos deserve their due credit.

CNN has reached out to Lawrence's representatives for clarification on her statement, but regardless of her intent, the conversation she ignited serves as a crucial reflection on Hollywood's ongoing struggle with gender representation.

Several parts of the text in this article, including the title, were generated with the help of an AI tool.