Thank Katniss Everdeen For J Lawr’s Pay-Gap Essay

Jennifer Lawrence got applause from women around the world last month with her badass essay about her experience with sexism and the gender pay gap in Hollywood. And now she's crediting none other than the brave movie character who sparked her acting career. At a press conference in Berlin prior to the world premiere for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2, a reporter asked the actress whether Katniss Everdeen, the central star of the franchise, inspired her to speak out about the paycheck disparity. "I don't see how I couldn't be inspired by this character," the star told reporters. "I mean, I was so inspired by her when I read the books. It's the reason I wanted to play her," she continued. "So I think it would be impossible to go four years with this character and not be inspired by her." And, apparently, Lawrence was so in love with her character that it was hard for her to play Katniss pre-revolution. (Katniss is not leader material in the first movie, but she transforms into a revolutionary during the course of the series.) "I wanted her to be a warrior right away," she explained. "I wanted her to want to be a leader." Katniss certainly embodies that warrior persona in the forthcoming film, the last in the series. And, as always, so does Lawrence. (Reuters)