The more famous an actor becomes, the more varied they often want their career to be. For many of the biggest names in Hollywood, producing is one of the first ventures outside of acting. Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Will Ferrell are just a few of the A-list actors who have made lucrative steps forward with their own production companies.
Beyond producing however, it seems that the golden egg in Hollywood is always the position of director. It’s more likely than not that you’ve heard your favourite actor/actress announce hopes that “one day” he/she hopes to direct. The step up to director from actor or actress is indeed a logical progression for many and there have been numerous success stories over the years – in fact, some of the most famous directors of all time had their start acting.
As far as the public is concerned, there’s typically interest in seeing what an actor with an elevated public persona can do when they step behind the camera. It is for good reason then, that Hollywood is buzzing with news that The Hunger Games star and Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence is set to direct. EW has quoted Lawrence as saying:
“I’ve signed on to direct something called Project Delirium — it’s based on this article about mental warfare in the ’60s, like an acid experiment gone terribly wrong. It’s funny, I’ve wanted to direct since I was 16 and always thought I should start making steps towards that. If I had tried to do it earlier, I wouldn’t have been ready. Now I actually feel ready.”
This isn’t the first time that Lawrence has made moves beyond acting; earlier this year, the news got out that Lawrence is co-writing a movie script with Amy Schumer (Trainwreck, Inside Amy Schumer). There’s no word as of yet if Lawrence also plans to direct that project, following her planned debut on Project Delirium.
There’s no doubt that Lawrence has the clout behind her to make things happen as a director. She’s clearly talented (as her Best Actress Oscar attests), she’s a box-office draw – Forbes ranked her as the highest paid actress of 2015 – and according to her, she’s long had the passion in her to direct. These are all encouraging signs, but still not a guarantee. Scarlett Johansson’s initial impulse to direct took a bit of a blow back in 2009 when her segment was cut from New York, I Love You. Fame and wealth don’t necessarily translate to quality as a director.
Still, it will be interesting to see what Lawrence can pull off. There’s a definite shortage of female voices behind the camera in Hollywood and a successful directorial debut by one of Hollywood’s greatest acting talents would be more than welcome. We’ll bring you more information when we have it.
In the meantime, you can catch Lawrence in The Hunger Games Mockingjay – Part 2, now playing in theaters, followed by her next collaboration with David O. Russell, Joy, on December 25th, 2015.
