Jennifer Lawrence says her comedy No Hard Feelings will offend ‘everybody in some sense’

Virgin Radio

22 Jun 2023, 15:08

In this raunchy R-rated comedy, viewers will see a different side to the American actress we know from The Hunger Games.

Jennifer Lawrence has warned fans that her latest film No Hard Feelings, which was released in cinemas on 21st June 2023, might make them feel “offended”.

In an interview with Sky News, Lawrence stated: “I think it’s time for just like a good old-fashioned laugh, and it really is hard to make a comedy where you’re not offending people.

“Everybody in some sense will be offended by this film.”

Reflecting on her previous comments, the 32-year-old then laughed, and added: “You’re welcome.”

The award-winning actress continued: “Something we learned from the old-time comedies is mean comedy is not really funny, you know, making somebody feel bad about themselves - other than me making fun of me.

“But the way that we did it is fine, we figured it out.”

No Hard Feelings is about a young Uber driver called Maddie (Jennifer Lawrence), who loses her car and quickly needs to find a new way of earning money. 

She then comes across an advert from two local parents asking for someone to date their introverted 19-year-old son Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman).

Desperate to earn money, Maddie accepts the job, but when she sees how uninterested in girls Percy is, she realises how difficult it will be.

Even when she tries to tempt him into going skinny dipping with her, he is too scared of the cold, jellyfish, and sharks.

Director Gene Stupnitsky, who is best known for R-rated comedies such as Good Boys (2019) and Bad Teacher (2011), was inspired to make the film after seeing a real-life ad from parents looking for someone to date their son.

Recalling the moment Stupnitsky showed her the ad, which was on the American listings site Craigslist, The Hunger Games actress said: “He showed me the Craigslist ad and we were just laughing about it.

“Our whole dinner was just talking about the kind of people who would write the ad.”

This is Lawrence’s first lead role in a comedy, which is something she has “always [been] open to”.

Thinking back to the first time she looked at the script, Lawrence revealed: “I wouldn't say I was like: ‘I really want my character to try to have sex with a young person’, but I just read it and it was the funniest thing I’d ever read.”

Speaking to virginradio.co.uk and other press on the red carpet, Lawrence explained why she's not too worried that her one-year-old son might watch the film when he grows up: “Everything I’ve learned from other actors is that your kids will never ever want to watch your movies or hear about that, so I feel safe.”

The Passengers actress also implored fans to watch No Hard Feelings in the cinemas.

She said: “It’s so specific to see it in theatres because you have to laugh with other people.

"This is such an old-fashioned comedy that it just would be a sin to watch it at home by yourself.”

No Hard Feelings is in cinemas now.