It's time to apologize! American Hustle director David O. Russell knew his recent comments about Jennifer Lawrence's hard-working ways would land him in hot water — which is why he apologized Tuesday, Jan. 14 for comparing her commitment to the Hunger Games franchise to slavery.
"Clearly, I used a stupid analogy in a poor attempt at humor," he told the MailOnline. "I realized it the minute I said it and I am truly sorry."
Russell, who attended the Australian Academy of Cinema & Television Arts Awards in West Hollywood Friday night, responded to a reporter's question regarding the star's work ethic promoting Catching Fire and shooting Mockingjay Parts 1 and 2: "I’ll tell you about that girl. Talk about 12 Years a Slave! That’s what the franchise is," he said with a laugh.
"I’m going to get in so much trouble for saying it but being in The Hunger Games, they just keep her on a hamster wheel," he continued Friday in his interview. "And then she comes and takes her vacation — because she wants to do original roles — spends her vacation on American Hustle," said Russell.
Luckily, Lawrence's work on Russell's film paid off at Sunday night's Golden Globes: the 23-year-old star picked up an award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture. "I don't know why it's so terrifying," she said at the podium. "It's obviously a good thing. I'm sorry I'm shaking so much! Don't ever do this again!" The blonde comedic star also hit the stage later that night when American Hustle won a Globe for Best Picture in a Musical/Comedy.
Russell, who also worked with Lawrence on her Oscar-winning role in the Silver Linings Playbook, told Us Weekly Friday what the star really thought about kissing Christian Bale in American Hustle: "'I finally get to make out with Christian Bale and he's a really fat guy,'" the director recalled Lawrence saying during filming. "'He's Fatman, not Batman.'"