Jennifer Lawrence was Scared of 'Annoying' Meryl Streep On The Sets Of 'Don't Look Up'

Jennifer Lawrence is renowned for her roles in blockbuster movies such as Silver Linings Playbook and The Hunger Games franchise, and although she took a brief break from acting, Lawrence returned triumphantly in Don’t Look Up. This movie became quite a hit and furthered the conversation around global warming and the impact of climate change, too. Besides, its ensemble cast which also includes Meryl Streep cannot be overlooked. The Mamma Mia! actress is known for her strict professional behavior, especially on set, and given that she’s been in the industry for a while, it’s only natural for a younger actress to be 'intimidated' by her aura. 

In an interview with Vanity Fair in the year 2021, Lawrence recollected her experience filming with Streep and mentioned how scared she was initially that an actress she looked up to as a child may find her "annoying." In the movie, Lawrence's character Kate portrays a rather obnoxious yet hilarious role. Donning red hair with a fringe and a mullet and with a Ph.D. in astronomy, the scientist set out to find someone to help her save the world. That someone just happened to be Streep’s character, who is a corrupt politician in the film. But you also cannot forget about the Titanic heartthrob, Leonardo Dicaprio, when talking about this movie.

DiCaprio even gushed about Lawrence’s skill as an actress and commented on her professional ethics. “Jen’s ability to improvise and be so in the moment at all times was amazing to witness,” he said. The actress also spoke of some friendly banter between her and the Catch Me If You Can actor, and they clearly had a great rapport with each other. 

However, Lawrence was concerned about the impression she would make on Streep. “My biggest concern was I did not want to annoy Meryl Streep,” she said, even calling it her "worst nightmare”. Lawrence further mentioned that she decided to adopt a 'don't speak unless spoken to' ideology in order to ensure that she would be "the least annoying person in the room." While the Red Sparrow actress was concerned about her effect on the legendary actress on set, it was all for naught as the two developed a great relationship, with Lawrence even joking in the interview that they were "best friends." 

Streep, too, had high praise for Lawrence. In an email she wrote to Vanity Fair, Streep said (of Lawrence), “She is a bold and unselfconscious actress - someone whose gift is alive on her skin and being”. Streep also proceeded to highlight how different Dicaprio was from Lawrence. “She is different from Leo, for whom the struggle is part of the job, who relishes wrestling with it, and whose work is serious and analytical and intense,” noted the Emmy-winning actress. In conclusion, the Mamma Mia! actress complimented Lawrence, “She spins it out of the air in the room. I am sort of in awe of both of them.”