Podcast Summary: "Jennifer Lawrence Regrets Everything She’s Ever Said or Done"

Podcast: The Interview (The New York Times)
Air Date: November 1, 2025
Host: Lulu Garcia-Navarro
Guest: Jennifer Lawrence

Episode Overview

This episode features an in-depth conversation with actress Jennifer Lawrence, centered around her new film, “Die My Love,” her journey through motherhood, experiences with fame, mental health, and her evolving sense of public responsibility. Lawrence opens up candidly about navigating postpartum depression, the pressures of celebrity, reevaluating her public and political voice, and her growth as both an actor and mother.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Genesis of “Die My Love” & Working with Scorsese (02:36–04:10)

• Recommendation & Book Club Mystique: Martin Scorsese, after reading Ariana Harwitz’s book in his private book club, reached out personally to recruit Lawrence for the adaptation.

  • Lawrence was “overwhelmed” at the timing, having just given birth to her first child, but found herself “in a really good place… able to go to those darker places” necessary for the role. (03:11)
  • On Scorsese’s book club: “I know. I don’t know. I mean, I could just ask.” (03:54, Jennifer Lawrence)

• Reflections on Book Clubs: Lawrence admits attempts at a personal book club, calling it a “soft book club” due to conflicting tastes among friends.

2. Motherhood, Identity, and Mental Health (04:10–14:42)

• Themes of the Film: Lawrence sees the film as poetic and open to interpretation: losing identity in motherhood, rage, the changing nature of relationships.

  • “Everybody I talk to comes away with something different.” (04:23, Jennifer Lawrence)

• Portrayal of Postpartum Experience:

  • Lawrence discusses the ambiguity of her character’s mental health, referencing both lived experience and research with specialists.
  • Lawrence reveals she experienced postpartum depression after her second child, marked by anxiety and intrusive thoughts:
    • “I just felt like a tiger was chasing me every day. I had so much anxiety.” (07:32, Jennifer Lawrence)
    • Credits the medication Zerzuve for helping her through.

• Anxiety & Guilt as a Mother:

  • Lawrence talks about lifelong struggles with anxiety and the common feeling of “never doing it right” as a parent.
  • “I just kind of live in guilt… but I can do a reality check and be like, everybody’s okay. You’re just spinning. But she can’t, and she doesn’t.” (09:23, Jennifer Lawrence)

• Creativity and Sacrifice:

  • The tension between motherhood and creative fulfillment:
    • “I do wrestle with… it feels vain and selfish that I love being a creative person as much as I do. My kids and my family are more important, obviously, but they feel like equal parts of me.” (11:17, Jennifer Lawrence)
  • Reading history, particularly about the American Revolution, as a form of mental escape and processing.

3. Body Image, Nudity, and Autonomy (13:35–15:15)

• Nudity in Film While Pregnant:
  • Lawrence addresses the “freedom of vanity” she felt being pregnant and filming nude scenes, letting go of self-consciousness.
    • “I really was not adequately prepared for how I was like, oh, I’ll just be like four or five months. I won’t even start showing until I’m six or seven months. And that’s not true when it’s your second. I just kind of had to let go of any vanity.” (14:00, Jennifer Lawrence)
  • Lawrence’s humor surfaces in her self-deprecation—“What technically are the differences between me and a prostitute?”—and her quick assertions on self-judgment. (15:00, Jennifer Lawrence)

4. Fame: Persona, Perception, and Backlash (15:45–23:41)

• Reckoning with Public Persona:

  • Reflects on past years being seen as “too much,” “too loud,” or fake, and the pendulum swing from public adulation to backlash.
    • “I was young and nervous and defensive and awkward… as horrified as I am at some things… I was young.” (16:29, Jennifer Lawrence)
  • Describes the feeling of public rejection after high-profile falls at awards shows; the sense of being found “a fraud.” (17:44)

• Burnout & Retreat from the Spotlight:

  • Acknowledges exhaustion from constant exposure and being “quoted and people talking about the quotes.”
  • “I needed a break from it. People needed a break from it. Then I took a break and enjoyed the break. It was a mutual breakup.” (18:19, Jennifer Lawrence)
  • Time off included living with her cousin, walking dogs, falling in love, and learning about postwar art.

• Growth and Deliberateness:

  • Now more careful in public appearances: “I think I’ve also grown up and I’m a lot more nervous about whatever I say publicly…I try not to…give an interview that’s like a bunch of sound bites and a word salad.” (20:49, Jennifer Lawrence)

5. The Gendered Pressures of Celebrity (21:22–23:41)

• Media Scrutiny & Morality Policing:

  • Lawrence reflects on how the media often places moral scrutiny on young women (e.g., asking only female leads about controversial directors).
    • “I feel it when it’s time for women to be the morality police…You just watch not one male actor get asked that question.” (22:19, Jennifer Lawrence)

• Owning Her Story:

  • Rejects framing her experience as solely gendered but recognizes the intensity of public ire toward women.
  • Emphasizes setting her own boundaries for public access: “I have to be in control of how much access is given and how much isn’t.” (23:41, Jennifer Lawrence)

6. Navigating Demanding Directors and Acting Process (24:43–29:00)

• Experience with Difficult Directors:

  • Stays “loose” on set; credits David O. Russell for teaching her to handle directness and intensity.
    • “If he didn’t like something, he was just like, that was terrible. Looked like shit. Do it better. And that was…helpful.” (26:23, Jennifer Lawrence)
  • Amy Adams called Lawrence “Teflon” on set—Lawrence counters she is “extremely sensitive,” laughing at the contradiction.(27:20–27:46)

• On Competition and Creativity:

  • Describes being highly competitive in life, but not in acting: “I feel secure, so why would I get competitive?” (28:02, Jennifer Lawrence)

• Preparing for a Scorsese Film:

  • Shares her process of “panicking,” briefly hiring acting coaches, then not following through, and preparing lines.
    • “That is my process. And at this point, it’s almost like superstitious.” (29:22, Jennifer Lawrence)

7. Political Expression, Regret, and Recalibration (31:15–35:53)

• On Being Politically Outspoken:

  • Reflects on activism during the first Trump administration—feeling compelled to speak out—but now questions the impact:
    • “Celebrities do not make a difference whatsoever on who people vote for. And so then what am I doing?” (32:14, Jennifer Lawrence)
  • Concerned about polarizing audiences and “protecting [her] craft.”

• Art as Political Expression:

  • Prefers to make statements through documentary films and production company output (“Bread and Roses,” “Swarovski vs Texas”).
    • “Pretty much a lot of my movies coming out for my production company are expressions of the political landscape. That’s how I feel like I can be helpful.” (34:07, Jennifer Lawrence)

• Regret and Reflection:

  • “I regret everything I’ve ever done or said.” (35:14, Jennifer Lawrence)
  • Explains that public discourse, and specifically the political moment after a second Trump term, now feels different—more sobering and complex.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It’s kind of like turning all the lights on and looking at the monster under the bed.” (03:28, Jennifer Lawrence, on reading Die My Love)
• “I just felt like a tiger was chasing me every day. I had so much anxiety.” (07:32)
• “There’s not going to be a franchise of this film. But who am I to say?” (06:28, Lulu Garcia Navarro)
• “I don't think that there's anything wrong with prostitution either.” (15:05)
• “I'm very good at attacking myself. I can find every angle. In fact, I should do this interview.” (15:09, Jennifer Lawrence)
• “If something comes across my phone, I just absolutely could never watch it. Like an old interview or something. I’m just like, oh my God, so cringe.” (16:29)
• “I was just so tired of being quoted and people talking about the quotes…” (18:19)
• “I feel it when it's time for women to be the morality police... You just watch not one male actor get asked that question.” (22:19)
• “Celebrities do not make a difference whatsoever on who people vote for. And so then what am I doing?” (32:14)
• “I regret everything I've ever done or said.” (35:14)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:36] — How Scorsese’s book club led to the film
• [04:10] — Discussing “Die My Love” and motherhood themes
• [07:32] — Personal experience with postpartum depression
• [09:23] — Lifelong anxiety and parental guilt
• [13:35] — Nudity, body image, and pregnancy
• [16:29] — Reflections on celebrity persona and backlash
• [18:19] — Stepping back from public life
• [20:49] — New approach to publicity and interviews
• [22:19] — Gendered scrutiny in media and morality
• [26:23] — Working with difficult/direct directors
• [28:02] — Competitive spirit: acting vs. life
• [32:14] — Political recalibration post-Trump administration
• [34:07] — Art as political action
• [35:14] — Regrets and reflections

Tone & Language

Lawrence is candid, self-deprecating, and wry—often using humor to discuss difficult topics. The conversation is thoughtful, at times vulnerable, and unfiltered, with moments of both introspection and levity.

Summary Flow

Jennifer Lawrence shares a deeply personal look at her evolution as an artist and person, from the heights of youthful superstardom and backlash to a measured, thoughtful adulthood. She traces how her roles, motherhood, and the public gaze have shaped and challenged her, ultimately leading to a reevaluation of how she shows up in both art and activism. The interview threads together her vulnerabilities, humor, reflections on regret, and a hard-won sense of self-awareness. For listeners—even those unfamiliar with her recent work—this conversation sheds light on the pressures of fame, the complexity of womanhood, and the challenge of remaining authentic in a scrutinizing world.