Jennifer Lawrence Looks Back on Her First Commercial for MTV’s Super Sweet 16 as a Fictional Rich Girl

Jennifer Lawrence attends the ‘Die My Love’ red carpet on October 20, 2025 in Rome, Italy.
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Jennifer Lawrence reflected on the unconventional beginnings of her Hollywood career during an interview with Leonardo DiCaprio for Variety’s "Actors on Actors" series. The actress, now 35, revealed that one of her earliest roles was in a promotional spot for MTV’s reality show My Super Sweet 16.

In the early 2000s, Lawrence portrayed a "fictional rich girl having an over-the-top birthday party," an experience that marked the start of her acting journey. She humorously recalled a moment from the commercial: “I’m being carried on a chaise lounge and then they drop me.”

During the interview, DiCaprio, 51, was curious if she had been featured in the actual show. Lawrence explained, "No, I didn’t have the money. It was a promo for the show."

Jennifer Lawrence attends the 35th Gotham Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Dec. 1 in N.Y.C.

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Lawrence shared that she began acting at the age of 14 in New York, eventually landing a primary role on the sitcom The Bill Engvall Show. She gained significant recognition two years later with her role in the 2010 film Winter’s Bone.

DiCaprio echoed similar sentiments, recounting that his acting career started at age 12 with a role on Growing Pains. He also appeared in commercials, including one for Matchbox cars where he played a gangster.

Both actors transitioned to larger projects, with Lawrence achieving worldwide fame through her role in The Hunger Games. Reflecting on her experience working with director David O. Russell, she noted that he significantly shaped her approach to acting. "He taught me how to act, really," she said.

While acknowledging Russell’s demanding nature, Lawrence commented, "He can be really, really hard on people. For me, I don’t know if it was because I grew up doing sports, and so I felt like he was just a stern coach."

She recounted his directorial style, stating, “Do it loud, do it quieter, that was bulls—, that was bad, do it better.” Despite Russell’s straightforwardness, Lawrence felt invigorated by his approach at the age of 21. “I never felt like he was yelling at me," she said. "I really don’t like being tiptoed around, like I’m an emotional landmine. I hate that.”

Jennifer Lawrence arrives at ‘Die, My Love’ screening in Cannes, southern France, on May 17, 2025.

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In discussing her approach to acting, Lawrence shared an insight she considers a “bad habit.” She mentioned her tendency to “let go at the end of the day.” This approach leads to a frenzied start each morning. “It’s great for my life. It makes me not go crazy, but the next morning is hell,” she explained.

Reflecting on her role in Silver Linings Playbook, she described a challenging scene where she had to yell sports stats to Robert De Niro, which she found difficult to memorize. “I didn’t know that I had to do that until the day of,” she recalled, emphasizing her desire not to waste De Niro’s time. “So that’s an example of a really bad thing to do,” she concluded.