Jennifer Lawrence Shares an Unexpected Experience Filming Hunger Games with Philip Seymour Hoffman and Elizabeth Banks After Taking Ambien by Mistake
Elizabeth Banks (left) and Jennifer Lawrence in ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2’.
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Jennifer Lawrence recalled a chaotic moment on the set of The Hunger Games, revealing that she once mistakenly took an Ambien in the morning, leading to unexpected hallucinations during filming. This incident occurred while she was working alongside Philip Seymour Hoffman and Elizabeth Banks.
In a recent conversation with Leonardo DiCaprio for Variety’s Actors on Actors series, published on December 17, Lawrence shared her experience, emphasizing the challenges of managing her focus and preparation on set. At 35, she reflected on how her tendency to let go at the end of the day complicates her next morning routine, describing it as a “mad scramble” in the hair and makeup trailer.
DiCaprio, 51, who starred with Lawrence in the 2021 film Don’t Look Up, acknowledged his own habits while working, stating, “I think I shoot out a lot of ideas that are sometimes unnecessary. Like a shotgun spray of anything that comes to mind.”
Illustrating her struggles further, Lawrence recounted a scene from Silver Linings Playbook, where she had to shout sports statistics at Robert De Niro without prior knowledge. “I didn’t know that I had to do that until the day of,” she said, highlighting the pressure of performing alongside an iconic actor.
Lawrence also discussed her intense focus on sleep during filming, recalling a mix-up while working on Red Sparrow. She inadvertently took Adderall instead of a sleeping pill, resulting in a sleepless night. “I was taking hot showers in a panic. I am not somebody who can function without sleep,” she explained, noting the tough day that followed on set.
Another notable incident occurred while filming The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Lawrence described the day she took an Ambien thinking it was something else, which left her “hallucinating” during a dance scene with Hoffman. “Elizabeth Banks got really annoyed with me. Maybe she didn’t know that I was on an Ambien,” Lawrence admitted.
In the Hunger Games series, Lawrence portrayed the main character, Katniss Everdeen, while Banks played Effie Trinket. Hoffman, who tragically passed away in 2014, played the key role of Plutarch Heavensbee.
Looking ahead, Lawrence is set to reprise her role in the upcoming film Sunrise on the Reaping, slated for release in 2026. This prequel will also feature Josh Hutcherson, who played Peeta Mellark. The film is the sixth installment in the franchise, following the original four films and the recent prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
In a 2023 interview with Variety, Lawrence expressed her willingness to return to the role of Katniss, stating, “If Katniss could ever come back into my life, 100 percent."
