What’s the most interesting trip you’ve ever taken?
Probably when I left for Uganda to follow Lynsey Addario and watch her work. That was definitely the most far out of my comfort zone I’ve ever taken myself.
What impressed you so much? What was the most fascinating part of Uganda for you?
I don’t even know where to get started. I guess I could start with the emotional and physical strength it takes to go to these places and witness these things. Just being able to put yourself emotionally through something like that, to see things that you’ll never forget that will haunt you for the rest of your life. It’s so important. It’s the most selfless thing you can do is to go to sleep every night with those images, just the things that I watch her witness, that I witnessed, to be able to photograph them, to share them with the rest of the world to help these people. And then go back and do it again.
What books are you reading?
I like the classics like East of Eden or Anna Karenina.
How do you like to keep in shape?
I like to work out. I run on the treadmill but I know that’s unhealthy so I have to find a better way. Swimming is an annoyance because your hair gets wet.
Why is it important to balance your life with sport?
Well, you grow up. And on the one hand, I can’t eat how I could when I was twenty-one. So you know, health becomes more important. Taking care of your body gets more important. Exercising and eating healthy that’s all more important than it was when I was younger.
You’ve achieved so much already, what do you wish for now?
Oh that’s very sweet. I don’t think that I have the right to wish for anything else. I’m good. I love my job. I’m proud of the movies that I’m going to do in the future, I’ve worked with amazing directors and I’m going to continue for the near future to keep working with amazing directors. I’m personally very happy and lucky. So, I’m good. Please, use your wishes for someone else who deserves them.
Do you like to be alone? Do you find it therapeutic?
I enjoy being alone to a certain extent obviously. I think it’s very important to be able to be alone. I think it’s important to be able to self soothe, especially with my job. We travel a lot. I’m always in a strange place. I’m very rarely ever around my home with my friends and family. I’m normally away from everything I know and in a strange hotel room. So you have to find certain things that keep things familiar. I like to bring candles that smell familiar and that make it smell like my home. When I can I bring my dog and then all my focus is just on my dog and walking her and playing with her, making sure she’s happy and that I’m not thinking about myself. Or I watch TV on my computer.
What do you think about the political situation in America?
I realise I have an opinion about the election and my opinion about America but it’s just that, just my opinion. I respect our democracy. I think it’s important. I think it’s important that we respect one another when we don’t agree with each other so that would be my opinion.
What kind of perspective on the world, have you gained through travel?
This might be a really weird comparison, but I had an iguana when I was little. And if you keep an iguana in an aquarium, an iguana will only grow to the size of its atmosphere. And if you take an iguana out of an aquarium then it will become as big as you like. I think education comes from meeting different people, not speaking to the same people, seeing different cultures, learning different things. And I also think that that’s where acceptance comes from. Because other cultures can seem so strange until you go there and you meet the people and you realise that we’re all the same. We love our family. We want jobs. We’re all the same. It doesn’t matter what colour your skin is or where in the world you live. I think for me, I would have never learned that had I not travelled.
Do you ever think about children in the future and how they will have such a different upbringing to your own?
I do think about it because my children really won’t have anything in common with my childhood. So I’ll be starting completely from scratch. I think I wouldn’t be who I am without my struggles. My kids will grow up with money and I didn’t really grow up like that. So there’s going to be differences from my childhood to my children’s childhood. But people have done it. I’m pretty sure actors are breeding and everybody figures out a way.
Would you consider being frozen to prolong your life?
No. I think that when nature says that that’s been enough of Jennifer Lawrence then I will accept that and that will be the end.
