|
 But the word might also be used to sum up Russell's
relationship with Jennifer Lawrence, the actress he calls his
muse, who has starred in his last three movies.
Russell, who directed Lawrence in her 2012 Oscar-winning role as
a young widow in "Silver Linings Playbook" and in 2014's
"American Hustle," said that as an actress and a person, she
inspires him to take risks with filmmaking.
"She wants to go to places that are scary for her and do things
that haven't been seen. She is smart and challenging but she
also inspires me to make something better. I am happy to explore
things the way she wants to do them, and she also will trust
what I want to do.
"It's a deal we make together that we're going to jump off this
waterfall and give it everything we've got," Russell told
Reuters.
"Joy," out in U.S. movie theaters on Dec. 25, is expected to
bring Lawrence a fourth Oscar nomination in as many years. It's
inspired by the true story of Joy Mangano, the New York inventor
of the Miracle Mop who overcame an early divorce and life as a
single mother to become a successful 1990s businesswoman.
The movie is the first time Lawrence, or any female character,
is front and center of a Russell film, and the first time the
25-year-old star plays someone who is not crazy.
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"It was a challenge for her to play somebody who had become so
powerless for the first half of the movie, when you're caring for
others but have lost yourself.
"This is a very inspiring story that we don't have in the world
right now, of a woman that is ordinary, that carries dignity and
power in this way. We thought that was cool and kind of bad-ass. So
we said, 'Yeah, let's do that,'" Russell said.
The movie also reunites Russell with Bradley Cooper and Robert De
Niro for a third time. Russell says all three actors are muses of
sorts for him - but Lawrence has something extra special.
"I find her to be very real and unpretentious and alive and messy.
Somebody who really, really loves life, is very passionate about
it," he said.
"I will always want to think of some (project) for her, but you've
got to let it happen when it's supposed to happen and be magical."
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by G Crosse and Jonathan Oatis)
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