Jennifer Lawrence has had an astonishing career that saw her Oscar nominated at the age of 20 for Winter’s Bone, win an Oscar for Silver Linings Playbook, earn Oscar nominations twice more for American Hustle and Joy, star in two hugely successful franchises, and proceed now to work on a much more daring, experimental level with Darren Aronofsky in mother! Lawrence carries the film, by all accounts, with the camera holding her mostly in close-up throughout. How many actresses can match Lawrence’s record, though?
Actresses who reached this level of fame used to be older in general than they are now. Today’s Hollywood has a way of bringing them in younger and replacing them pretty quickly with the newest model. Kate Winslet is one of the few who earned four Oscar nominations before the age of 30 as Lawrence has done, but those who have racked up the most lifetime nominations in Oscar history — like Katharine Hepuburn, Bette Davis and Meryl Streep — really didn’t begin to be nominated until they were Lawrence’s age now or older.
This year’s Best Actress race is quite intense already. In addition to Lawrence in mother!, so far we have:
Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water
Emma Stone, Battle of the Sexes
Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird
Meryl Streep, The Post
Annette Bening, Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool
Kate Winslet, Wonder Wheel
Jessica Chastain, Molly Game
Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Ronan and Stone and Hawkins really solidified their chances in Telluride with the strength of their performances, but Toronto is happening now, so things could shift. Who knows what performances might jump to the top of the pile out of TIFF. Margot Robbie might crash the whole thing with I, Tonya.
Reactions to mother! have been unanimously enthusiastic for Lawrence’s fearless approach to the role. Her box-office popularity, her personal likability, combined with her awards cred, combined with the level of difficulty in a psychologically demanding role make a nomination seem more than likely.
Many questions remain. As for Florence Pugh in Lady MacBeth, Salma Hayek in Beatriz at Dinner, and Nicole Kidman in The Beguiled – did these performances come out too early? Are there other performances coming up that are not on our radar? Sure. It’s only the beginning of September, Oscar season is just getting started. There is plenty more time for things to shift dramatically. But for now, Lawrence seems like one of the locks, even if the film itself might prove challenging for some Oscar voters.
Aronofsky himself has done pretty well in terms of Oscar nominations for actors and actresses he’s worked with:
Requiem for a Dream – Best Actress, Ellen Burstyn
The Wrestler – Best Actress, Mickey Rourke, Supporting Actress, Marisa Tomei
Black Swan – Best Actress WIN, Natalie Portman
And now, Jennifer Lawrence dives into Aronofskyland. If nominated again, her tally will be four Best Actress nominations and one Supporting Actress nomination, with one win, all before her 28th birthday.
