Jennifer Lawrence Says ‘Absolutely F—ing Not’ to Transforming Into X-Men’s Mystique Again
Jennifer Lawrence says she has no wish to return to playing Mystique if it means another extensive makeup transformation. Her comments underline the physical discomfort and long preparation involved in creating the character’s distinctive blue appearance.
Lawrence played Mystique in four X-Men films from 2011 to 2019. She said the stunts and training were enjoyable, but the body paint was not: for X-Men: First Class, makeup took eight hours each time and involved paint and glue. She also recalled that dyeing her hair several colours for a screen test permanently damaged it.
In short
- Lawrence is reluctant to reprise Mystique.
- Her first film’s makeup took eight hours each time.
- She enjoyed the stunts but disliked the body paint.
Explained simply
Mystique is a shape-shifting mutant in Marvel’s X-Men stories, able to change her appearance and often shown with blue skin and red hair. The X-Men are a group of people with unusual abilities, whose stories have been adapted into films and other media.
Jennifer Lawrence played Mystique in four X-Men films released between 2011 and 2019. To create the character’s blue appearance, she underwent lengthy makeup sessions involving paint and glue; she has also described damage to her hair from preparation for a screen test.