Why Jennifer Lawrence's Personal Battles With Postpartum Depression Led Her to Identify With Disturbing New Movie Character — Who She Portrayed While 5 Months Pregnant
Jennifer Lawrence has opened up about her 'heartbreaking' filming experience.
May 19 2025, Published 3:36 p.m. ET
Jennifer Lawrence has admitted to feeling completely "heartbroken" while filming her most emotionally intense role yet.
The actress plays Grace, who struggles with psychosis following postpartum depression – and filming while five months pregnant and coping with postpartum herself made Lawrence feel deeply connected to the character, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
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Lawrence, 34, became a mother in 2022 with the birth of her first child alongside husband Cooke Maroney. The couple welcomed their second child earlier this year.
At this year's Cannes Film Festival, the actress promoted her upcoming thriller Die My Love alongside co-star Robert Pattinson – which follows her character Grace's descent into madness as a new mother.
A mom of two herself, it’s unsurprising Lawrence was asked about her personal experiences with motherhood and postpartum during her Cannes appearance.
Lawrence on Her 'Heartbreaking' Filming Experience
Lawrence admitted it was hard to separate her own personal struggles while shooting the thriller.
On her connection to the role while filming, she revealed: "As a mother, it was really hard to separate what I would do as opposed to what she would do.
"It was just heartbreaking."
She continued: "I had just had my firstborn, and there’s not really anything like postpartum. It’s extremely isolating, which is so interesting.
"When (director) Lynne moves this couple into Montana, she doesn’t have a community. She doesn’t have her people. But the truth is, extreme anxiety and extreme depression is isolating, no matter where you are. You feel like an alien."
Lawrence also shared she was five months pregnant with her second child while filming the movie.
In a press conference, she further explained: "Having children changes everything, it changes your whole life. It’s brutal and incredible.
"So, not only do they go into every decision of if I’m working, where I’m working, when I’m working.
"They’ve taught me; I didn’t know that I could feel so much, and my job has a lot to do with emotion and they’ve opened up the world to me.
"It's almost like feeling like a blister or something so sensitive, so they’ve changed my life, obviously for the best."
Her co-star Robert Pattinson also opened up about how his character navigates his wife's struggles.
The No Hard Feelings star also spoke about how motherhood has influenced her acting, especially the profound emotional depth she can now draw upon in her performances.
She said of her kids: "They’ve changed me creatively. I highly recommend having kids if you want to be an actor."
Pattinson, who plays Lawrence's husband in the film and became a father last year, added: "Trying to figure out what your role in the relationship is afterwards is incredibly difficult."
He further said his character doesn’t "have the vernacular" to be able to support.
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Her Hardest Day on Set
The actress revealed her hardest day filming happened on day one, when she was given instruction on a sex scene.
At another point during the conference, Lawrence was asked about her toughest day on set and pointed to one of the film’s numerous sex scenes.
She revealed: "The day before our first day, Lynne showed Rob and I a scene from If and these characters are attacking each other like tigers.
"And she said, 'You’ll do it naked, yeah?' And we’re like 'Oh, okay.' And that was the first day on set."
Die My Love has garnered positive attention at Cannes – even receiving a six-minute standing ovation.
Critics have described it as a "showy mess of a marital psychodrama," praising Lawrence’s performance while noting the intensity of her presence and the raw power of her rage.
