Actress Jennifer Lawrence was born and raised in Kentucky. She did not have early visions of being a movie star. Jenny Lou was a very active tomboy, with two older brothers, who enjoyed riding her favorite horse on the family farm. Jennifer never quite ‘fit in’ at school. She was targeted by bullies and so changed elementary schools several times. While she was insecure in groups of her peers at school, at age 9, Jenny was in her first play at church. She enjoyed it so much she appeared in more plays and musicals  at church and at school. She talked her mother into taking her to New York City for Spring Break, when she was fourteen years old. “Suddenly, a talent scout approached them and asked if Jennifer would be interested in working as a model! … her parents let her return to New York during the summer…Jennifer got an agent and booked several commercials and some modeling jobs.” (p. 16) Just as Jennifer was about to go home she won a few small TV roles.  Then, the one on THE BILL ENGVALL SHOW on TBS which lasted three years. Her move to the movie screen came in an independent film, Winter’s Bones in 2010. Then came 2011 with her role as Mystique in X-Men: First Class and 2012 in The Hunger Games. She went from being unknown to being followed by paparazzi the day after the first Hunger Games came out.

Fame and fortune has ‘not’ gone to her head. No dieting for her. Jennifer remains ‘real’, but she does work out. “With Jennifer’s down-to-earth attitude and talent, it doesn’t look as if she will be going up in flames anytime soon… unless it’s as Katniss, Girl on Fire!” ( p. 45)

Includes: glossary, index, and web site: www.factsfornow.scholastic.com keyword Jennifer Lawrence.