Jennifer Lawrence Embraces Her Sexuality in the ‘Red Sparrow’ Trailer

There are very few stars in Hollywood that possess the kind of sweeping power that Jennifer Lawrence has. Not only can she work with the prestige director of her choosing, but she’s also the rare actor who can green-light a film simply by attaching her name (just ask Darren Aronofsky). While that kind of clout leaves Lawrence in an enviable position, it can also be a bit of a burden.
The trajectory of Lawrence’s career is officially in her hands, and will come down to how good her taste is. So far, so good. It’s been a rare treat watching Lawrence navigate her way since being freed from the shackles of a major studio franchise. Her turns in Passengers and now mother! reveal an actress with eclectic sensibilities—someone who’s unafraid to experiment by taking bold artistic moonshots.
On Thursday, we got our first glimpse at the next chapter in Lawrence’s career with the teaser for Red Sparrow, a spy thriller that reunites her with Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence.
By playing a former ballerina who’s recruited by the Russian government and trained to become a killing machine who uses seduction as her weapon of choice, Lawrence seems ready to embrace her status as a global sex symbol.
Based on Jason Matthews’ eponymous novel, Red Sparrow also stars Joel Edgerton, Matthias Schoenaerts, Charlotte Rampling and Mary-Louise Parker. But as with any film with Lawrence’s name on the marquee, this is her show.
Though Lawrence doesn’t utter a single word in the one-minute clip, the tension is palpable as her character sits on a bed waiting for her next victim. “Young officers trained to seduce and manipulate,” we hear in voiceover. “To use their bodies. To use everything. Call them Sparrows. That’s what she is.”
We’ve already seen Lawrence as a badass action hero. But Red Sparrow marks a distinct departure from her days as the Y.A. icon Katniss Everdeen. This is a Lawrence as a full-blown femme fatale and we are so here for it.
Red Sparrow hits theaters on March 2 of next year. Watch the trailer below.