The Unlikely Friendship That Began with a Lost Role
In the world of Hollywood, where every role can be a stepping stone to stardom, some “what ifs” become legendary. For Jennifer Lawrence, one such moment was losing the lead in the 2010 hit Easy A. While the role eventually went to Emma Stone, the story behind it has since become a source of humor and a testament to their enduring friendship.
Lawrence, known for her iconic performance as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games, admitted during a recent appearance at the 92NY Kaufmann Concert Hall that she was “nuts” for the part. She jokingly told the audience that she still feels a bit upset about not getting the role. “I really should have gotten it, right?” she said, adding with a playful nod to Stone’s success, “The movie could have turned out great.”
This lighthearted rivalry began years earlier during a 2017 Hollywood Reporter roundtable. At the time, Lawrence, who had just won an Oscar for Silver Linings Playbook, revealed she had auditioned for the lead in Easy A. Stone, sitting next to her, responded with her trademark deadpan humor: “Well, guess what? You didn’t get it. You didn’t get it because you suck!”
Despite the joke, Lawrence clearly felt the loss. Easy A was the perfect “It Girl” role at the time, and Olive Penderghast, a smart-mouthed teen who pretends to have a wild reputation to get ahead socially, was exactly the kind of character that could have propelled her career further. However, the loss ended up being a blessing in disguise. Stone went on to win her first Golden Globe for the role, which helped launch her into bigger projects like La La Land and Poor Things. Meanwhile, Lawrence moved to indie films like Winter’s Bone, which earned her her first Oscar nomination before she became the face of The Hunger Games.
How Woody Harrelson Helped Start a Friendship
This story also highlights how one of Hollywood’s strongest friendships began. Lawrence and Stone did not meet on a movie set; they met through a mutual fan—Woody Harrelson. He was working with Lawrence on The Hunger Games and with Stone on Zombieland. Recognizing their shared intensity and humor, Harrelson gave Stone Lawrence’s phone number.
“I texted her that she got my number from Woody,” Lawrence recalled in 2017. “I replied, ‘F— off!’ And we’ve been really good friends ever since.”
Their bond has only grown stronger over the years, despite the pressures of awards season and being typecast. In October 2023, Stone returned the compliment with high praise in The New Yorker. She explained why Lawrence is so captivating on screen, using an old theater saying about performing with a cat. “The audience would watch the cat… because it’s going to respond genuinely in the moment, while the actors are still acting,” Stone said. “It’s that quality. Jen’s the cat.”
A Rivalry That Keeps Going
Their friendly rivalry resurfaced just this March during the SAG Award nominations. When Stone received a nod for Bugonia and Lawrence did not for Die, My Love, Lawrence jokingly demanded an apology in their group chat. “She’s been winning against me for a couple of decades now,” Lawrence said recently. “It’s an honor.”
But what about a future where they finally share the screen? Lawrence teased that a “secret idea” is floating around. Until then, the Easy A grudge remains a funny reminder that in Hollywood, sometimes the best thing you can do is lose the part and gain a best friend.
