People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has reacted to remarks made in an interview given to Rolling Stone magazine by Jennifer Lawrence, the newly minted Hollywood superstar of the blockbuster film “The Hunger Games.”
Lawrence, who in “The Hunger Games” plays archer warrior Katniss, spoke about a scene in one of her previous movies, “Winter’s Bone,” in which her character is shown gutting a squirrel.
Addressing the issue of whether or not the scene had been created by Hollywood special effects, Lawrence let her feelings be known about the animal rights organization.
“I should say it wasn’t real, for PETA,” Lawrence said. “But screw PETA.”
Now PETA president Ingrid Newkirk has weighed in on Lawrence’s remark.
“She's young and the plight of animals somehow hasn't yet touched her heart,” Newkirk said in a statement.
Far from enjoying the scene, Lawrence told E! News in 2010 that it had been a friend of her brother who had first exposed her to the art of squirrel skinning.
“He cut it open and then I went and cried in the house and let him finish,” Lawrence shared.
To prepare for the “Winter’s Bone” role, Lawrence spent a month with a family in Missouri, living a rural lifestyle that included plenty of rifle shooting.
Newkirk fully expects Lawrence to eventually fall in line and join in with a host of other Hollywood celebrities that support PETA.
“That was just a throw-away remark,” PETA’s president told E! News, adding that a bet has been made that Lawrence will eventually join “the ranks of other young celebrities like Natalie Portman, Lea Michele, and Kellan Lutz who are using their influence to help animals.”
Newkirk additionally suggested that “if she wants to get naked for the cause like Eva Mendes or Olivia Munn, you won't hear any objections from . . . well, probably anybody.”
During the Rolling Stone interview, Lawrence hinted at her plans following the completion of her next film project.
In atypical Hollywood language, she announced that she is “thinking about buying a house. And a big dog. And a shotgun.”
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