Actress Jennifer Lawrence falls as she walks up the steps to accept the award for best actress for her role in "Silver Linings Playbook" at the 85th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California February 24, 2013.Mario Anzuoni/Reuters
There has been a lot of negative reaction to this year's Academy Awards. Some people hated host Seth MacFarlane, some called it the most boring Oscars ever, with the worst red-carpet fashions in recent memory. The haters were out in force to denounce Anne Hathaway's win for best supporting actress and Argo's win for best picture. It seems everyone had something unkind to say.
Except when it came to Jennifer Lawrence. Other than the odd criticism of her gown, the best-actress winner from Silver Linings Playbook was an Oscar night favourite. She was funny, self-deprecating, goofy and gracious in all the right measures, and people loved it.
Her quick recovery when she slipped going up the stairs to accept her Oscar was one highlight. Her post-victory press conference was another. She handled the media's inane questions with humour and as much honesty as one can when asked things like "What was the process of getting ready?" and "What was going through your mind when you fell down?" Answer: "A bad word, that I can't say, that starts with F."
Lawrence also gave a wonderful answer when asked about the mental health issues raised in Silver Linings Playbook, in which her co-star, Bradley Cooper, plays a man with bipolar disorder. "It's so bizarre in this world that if you have asthma you take asthma medicine, if you have diabetes you take diabetes medicine," she said. "But as soon as you have to take medication for your mind, it's such a stigma behind it."
Lawrence even jokingly gave the press the finger at one point, and got away with it. The best moment, though, came during a backstage interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos when Jack Nicholson interrupted to say hello and congratulate her on her Oscar win. Her face is priceless when the legendary actor greets her and then apologizes for butting in. His reaction is just as funny when she jokes, "Yeah, you're being really rude."
But the best part came a bit later, when Nicholson and Lawrence started to flirt.
"You look like an old girlfriend," Nicholson says to the astonished actress.
"Oh really?" Lawrence replies with a twinkle. "Do I look like a new girlfriend?"
"I've thought about it," Nicholson says.