In a candid revelation, Hollywood star Jennifer Lawrence has explained why she finds filming on-screen sex scenes less awkward with complete strangers than with friends.
The 'Naked Tiger' Scene With a Stranger
The Oscar-winning actress made the surprising admission during a talk with Josh Horowitz at New York's 92nd Street Y on Wednesday. Lawrence, 35, discussed her latest film, Die My Love, directed by Lynne Ramsay. She revealed that on the very first day of shooting, she and co-star Robert Pattinson had to film a graphic 'naked sex tiger' scene, despite having never met before.
'It was actually easier that way,' Lawrence told the audience, according to People magazine. 'Because Rob and I did not know each other. Which is kind of better, you know?' She contrasted this with having to kiss her friend and Hunger Games co-star Josh Hutcherson, which she found significantly 'weirder'.
Easing Nerves and Awkward Beginnings
Lawrence elaborated that she typically experiences 'anxiety' before starting any new movie. Getting the most awkward scenes filmed immediately, therefore, helps settle her nerves when working with a new partner. The film, Die My Love, is a psychological drama in which Lawrence plays Grace, a new mother descending into postpartum psychosis, with Pattinson as her helpless husband, Jackson.
The movie features two central explicit sex scenes, including the described 'tiger' sequence where Grace and Jackson wrestle naked on the floor in an animalistic manner. Lawrence recalled director Lynne Ramsay's unique preparation, telling Variety in May 2025 at the Cannes Film Festival: 'The day before our first day, Lynne showed Rob and I a scene from If…... It was these actors, and they’re attacking each other like tigers.' Ramsay then asked if they could perform the scene naked, to which they agreed.
Interpretive Dance Was Worse Than Nudity
Despite finding the tiger scenes 'very embarrassing,' Lawrence told Horowitz they paled in comparison to the interpretive dance lessons she and Pattinson endured during pre-production in Calgary.
'Rob and I both [are] embarrassed very easily, and that was mortifying,' she said. 'I’m not...a dancer, Rob’s [the] worst dancer. And it was like, now blow like a tree — like it was just so embarrassing. So I think by the time she was like, ‘Yeah, get naked.’ We were just kind of like, ‘Okay, at least it’s not interpretive dance…’'
Lawrence's raw performance in the demanding role has already earned critical acclaim. Last month, she secured a Golden Globe nomination for Best Female Actor in a Film – Drama. Industry pundits widely expect the performance to garner her another Oscar nomination, though she was notably absent from the 2026 Actors Awards (formerly the SAG Awards) shortlist.
