'Jennifer Lawrence Backlash' Is Not a Real Thing

Jennifer Lawrence

If you're a Jennifer Lawrence fan, the Internet is urging you to be upset. Apparently, there's a massive, vicious wave of J-Law hatred that's about to sweep the country, and it shall be so. ("How much longer before people are tired of [her]?" asks Vulture in their piece, Is Jennifer Lawrence Katniss-ing Us?)
 

 The thing is, this angry mob of J-Law backlash? It doesn't exist. 

Sure, there are people who hate Jennifer Lawrence. After all, when you're beautiful, famous, and literally falling over your Oscar statue, people will bitch to their various Tumblr fans about it. But this looming cultural movement to take down J-Law, lurking in the shadows like a District One assassin… it's as fictional as The Hunger Games itself. 

 Last year, ambitious women witnessed something upsetting: hating Anne Hathaway became so popular on the Internet it reached Meme-sized proportions. Her crime? She seemed a little too pleased with her well-deserved success. (To be fair, telling the press it was easy to drop 30 pounds for the role of Fantine didn't do her any favors.) Since the Hate-away Movement consumed every pop culture blog (and even The New York Times), some have craved the opportunity to watch another beautiful actress crash. And why not? The fallen star is a compelling narrative, an exciting story, and a way to quietly feel better about one's own non-famous life and non-Hollywood figure. The problem: A starlet takedown also sends a nasty message to high-achieving girls. They can be good, but not too good (and definitely not aware of their own immense talent), lest they become social outcasts themselves.

Of course, J-Law doesn't seem to have Hathaway's sometimes-affected personality. It might be adorable one-on-one, but it often gets lost in translation on-camera (and that seems to go double at awards shows). Lawrence is the opposite, making her fans feel like they're sharing a big joke, and she's often hyper-aware that being a celebrity is really weird. Remember when she asked MTV for some french fries? Or when she taunted Jon Stewart for not knowing anything about her movie? ("Shouldn't you at least have bullet points or something?!" she laughed while visiting The Daily Show.) Lawrence is appropriately self-effacing and genuinely silly, both of which work in her favor. (Check out this video where she admits to stalking John Stamos. I mean...) 

Plus, she's Katniss Everdeen. Like Liv Tyler in Lord of the Rings and Emma Watson in Harry Potter, that gives her a certain immunity from collective cultural hate. (Kristen Stewart was not spared this fate, but Twilight's Bella Swan isn't a hero, she's a love interest.) Imagine Jezebel proclaiming "Brace Yourselves for the Hermione Backlash." Over our dead muggle bodies! 

Maybe that's the real reason Jennifer Lawrence Backlash seems like a myth: To despise Lawrence, moviegoers would also have to malign Katniss—which millions (zillions?) of loyal Hunger Games fans seem unlikely to do. And it seems impossible—even for a social media news cycle desperate for celebrity fuel—to make J. Law into a villain just because of boredom. 

But hey, if you're really concerned about the coming J. Law apocalypse, do something about it. Support women who do great things by calling them out on Twitter and Facebook. Let your friends know it's okay to be proud, and even (gasp) vocal, when they do something major at work. Take back the trolling notion that being accomplished and being annoying are the same thing. And go see American Hustle if you want, because it's a great movie and, yes, Jennifer Lawrence steals every scene she's in.

Jennifer Lawrence Photo Gellary