Robert De Niro Reluctantly Attended Jennifer Lawrence’s Wedding Rehearsal Dinner Until She Gave Him Permission to Leave

Jennifer Lawrence had a wild rise to fame in the early 2010s. Before then, the actor had mostly worked in television, including The Bill Engvall Show. But she ended the decade as one of the biggest stars in Hollywood before taking a break to start a family. Lawrence even worked with big-screen legends such as Robert De Niro. And she recently shared what she considers the most “quintessentially Robert De Niro story.”

Robert De Niro and Jennifer Lawrence made 2 movies together

From her breakthrough in 2010’s Winter’s Bone to her final leading role of the decade in 2018’s Red Sparrow, Jennifer Lawrence starred in 18 movies. Among those are her franchise roles in The Hunger Games and X-Men series. But she also collaborated with writer-director David O. Russell on three hit movies, landing Academy Awards for each of her performances.

Lawrence memorably shares the screen with Bradley Cooper in Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, and Joy. But there’s another recurring player in those Russell films. Robert De Niro plays paternal roles in Silver Linings Playbook and Joy as Cooper’s and Lawrence’s father, respectively. Lawrence and De Niro formed a bond during their time on set.

Jennifer Lawrence shared a ‘quintessential’ Robert De Niro story

In a recent video for Vanity Fair, Jennifer Lawrence answers 73 questions about her life and career. And during the conversation, she discusses other Oscar-winning legends with whom she has worked. Lawrence praises Christian Bale’s ability to lose himself in a role and names Meryl Streep — her co-star in Don’t Look Up — as the actor she admires most. But Lawrence’s De Niro story gives a solid glimpse into what the Hollywood legend is like.

“I invited him to the rehearsal dinner for my wedding, obviously expecting him not to come. And when he came, I said, ‘Bob, you really don’t have to be here. You can go home.’ And he was like, ‘Thank you so much,’ and left.”

Lawrence also describes De Niro as “amazing on set,” “the sweetest man in the world,” yet “very intimidating.”

And all of that — along with her story of how he ducked out of her rehearsal dinner — squares with the famously private actor, who prefers to concentrate on his craft and not the accompanying fame.

Lawrence has a new movie headed to Apple TV+

Now that Jennifer Lawrence is a mother, she brings a new perspective to her Hollywood career. She admitted as much in her interview with Vanity Fair. But that doesn’t mean her fans don’t have plenty more of the actor to look forward to soon.

In Causeway, Lawrence stars as a soldier struggling to readjust upon returning home. Directed by first-time filmmaker Lila Neugebauer, the movie is set to debut in theaters and on Apple TV+ on Nov. 4, 2022.