In case you didn’t know, Jennifer Lawrence and Oprah Winfrey are on a texting basis.
The A-listers hung out for the first time on October 5. J.Law drove to Oprah’s Montecito, California estate for a lunch, where, according to the talk show queen, the two “were just like ‘girls in the garden.'”
Over the three-plus hour chat, the pair discussed life, fame, spirituality, and philosophy — but one topic they didn’t cover was Harvey Weinstein, whose history of predatory behavior came into public view that same day.
Related: Did Jennifer & Darren Aronofsky’s ‘Huge Age Difference’ Lead To Their Split?
So, when The Hollywood Reporter asked the Big O to interview the Oscar-winner for this year’s Women in Entertainment issue, Weinstein was of course among the many topics that was brought up.
Lawrence, who worked with Weinstein early on in her career, already condemned the indie movie mogul’s behavior after the scandal first broke.
But sitting down with Oprah allowed the 27-year-old to open up more about her relationship with the disgraced producer — whom, she said had always been “paternal” to her, explaining:
“Just speaking for myself, I had known him since I was 20, and he had only ever been nice to me ├óΓé¼ΓÇ¥ except for the moments that he wasn’t, and then I called him an asshole, and we moved on. He was paternal to me. So I needed a moment to process everything because I thought I knew this guy, and then he’s being accused of rape.”
While Lawrence always knew Weinstein was a “dog” and “a tough guy to negotiate with,” she had no idea his alpha nature included decades of sexual assault. She added:
“I didn’t know that he was a rapist. And it’s so widespread, the abuse, from so many different people ├óΓé¼ΓÇ¥ it’s directors, it’s producers ├óΓé¼ΓÇ¥ that I think everybody needed to [process it]. Everybody needs to deal with this in their own way; everybody needs to heal.”
See more highlights from J.Law’s candid interview (below) where Oprah asks her about social activism, the fight for equality, her personal life, and if she would ever want to meet Donald Trump.
Has there been a woman’s or a man’s story that stood out for you among all the stories of harassment?
No. They are all horrible, and not one is more horrifying than the next. But being able to hear when the woman wore the microphone and Harvey was telling her to watch him shower ├óΓé¼ΓÇ¥ I felt sick in my bones for an entire day. I was just sick. I was just like, “I can’t,” after hearing that. And that’s why it’s so important to talk about abuse, all of the different forms of abuse, because he didn’t lay a finger on her, and I felt chilled to my bones. Imagine having a man who is that powerful telling you to do something [and] you’re saying no. [He’s] threatening you, saying, “Don’t embarrass me. We’re at this hotel.”
With all of these women and men coming forward, what ultimately would be the best result?
Social change. Men need more social awareness. But this comes down to equality, and until all women in every job are paid equally for the same amount of work, how are we ever going to be thought of as equals? As long as there is one group of humans that is overruling another one, there’s going to be abuse, [and] why would we be thought of as equals? ├óΓé¼┬ª My political passion has almost turned into an obsession. I mean, I don’t think you ever do feel settled, [but] as soon as you feel settled with your home and your personal life, you’re looking at the world and going, “How in the hell do I fix this? What do we do?”
Do you want to [meet Donald Trump]?
I think so. I’ve got a pretty good speech. And it ends with a martini to the face. (Laughter.) I have something to say for all of them. I watch different characters on the news, and I’m like, “You just wait.”
You are politically frustrated — we talked about that at lunch. This moment is a moment that forces us all to show up. So how will you show up?
I’ve started with simply trying to raise money for the organiza├é┬¡tion [Represent.Us] that I’m on the board of directors of. And then I’m going to go on campus tours. I want to be talking to high schoolers and college students. I want to travel around to the areas I’m from so that people realize that corruption is a completely nonpartisan issue. And we want to hold a press conference where the only people who are asking the questions are the high schoolers and the college students. I would [also] love to help pass a bundle of laws [against government corruption]. We’d be able to pass state-by-state legislation to help [stop] corruption in our government. I would love to pass laws that help celebrity parents be able to take their kids to places without having to worry about paparazzi.
How do you create a personal life?
It’s really not hard. People imagine my life being [different]. It’s actually pretty normal. I drove myself to the laser hair removal today. (Laughter.) I have always been a homebody. My social life has always been very boring: I sit around outside my house with my friends and drink wine, and that hasn’t really changed. I don’t really like to go out. I have friends who come and visit me when I’m on sets. It’s just annoying because you have to work 13-, 14-hour days. So sometimes it’s not nice to have my friends there, just because I feel bad and I have to work. I actually have the most amazing neighborhood tribe. My neighborhood is like a village. The women are sharing breast milk. Zoe Saldana just came and got an onion from me [the other day]. Cameron Diaz and I went on a hike [recently].
People who really know you use what adjectives to describe you?
Crazy. Honest. I’m sure everybody would agree that I am honest and loyal, but they would also all agree that I’m crazy. Committed. Most of my friends are married, and I’m still over at their house every night like we’re all married, all three of us. So the commitment is strong.
Three people you’d like to have at a dinner party, living or dead?
Scott Disick [from Keeping Up With the Kardashians], Luann from Real Housewives of New York, Bethenny Frankel. And I’m not proud of that, but that’s what comes from my heart.
If you had a seance, who would you want to contact?
A seance? Oh, no! I just thought about friends. Abraham Lincoln. I’d ask him to be president, I’d ask him to run. I guess you’d ask him, “How did you face such opposition so bravely?” And then he’ll say, “Well, I got shot in the head for it, Jennifer.”
Are you more traditional or more modern?
My house is probably the exact blend of both. Probably leaning a little bit more traditional. I’m infatuated with my house. I don’t even like L.A., I just like my house here, and I don’t ever really leave. But it never feels done.
Do you have a favorite possession?
No. I’m the opposite of a hoarder. I don’t hang on to enough stuff. I mean, my most prized possession, my most cherished thing in the world, is my one and only daughter, Pippi [her dog].
A favorite quote?
My favorite quote that’s going on my tombstone, and I wrote this myself, probably stoned, is: “I definitely shouldn’t have done it, but I am at peace with knowing that I couldn’t not.” That started over me sending dub smashes ├óΓé¼ΓÇ¥ they’re like jokey videos ├óΓé¼ΓÇ¥ to Robert De Niro, who was fully not getting it. And the more he wasn’t getting it, the funnier I thought it was, and I kept leaning into it. I shouldn’t have done it, but I’m at peace with knowing that I couldn’t not. (Laughter.)
What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
It was probably by you. You just said it under your breath. You were talking, and then under your breath you said, “You have to teach somebody how to treat you.” That’s the smartest thing I’ve ever heard.
Head over to THR for the full interview.
[Image via Macguyver/WENN.]
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