Actress Jennifer Lawrence will be playing the character of war photographer Lynsey Addario in an upcoming film to be directed by Steven Spielberg, as drawn out from Addario’s memoir.
Her widely acclaimed book ’It’s What I Do: A Photographer’s Life of Love and War’ was published earlier this year and has been recognized by the New York Times and The New Republic.
In her memoir, Addario puts forward her story of pursuing photojournalism after taking inspiration from a Sebastião Salgado exhibition. She took a huge step in her career when she documented life as a woman while working under the Taliban. Following the 9/11 attacks, her story gained considerable popularity.
Addario has been recognized for her photography work on victims of conflict and human rights violation, particularly in Iraq, Afghanistan, Darfur and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). She was also kidnapped by Gaddafi’s army and received threats of rape and murder.
Addario’s book also provides details on her stay in Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks, where she was able to capture images of the locals who greatly suffered when the Taliban had been in command.
Her written story also sheds light on other victims of conflict, such as women who were raped in DRC and those who experienced genocide in Darfur.
After the kidnapping incident, Addario was able to return to her husband and bear her first and only son in 2011.
In an interview with Time magazine, the 41-year-old journalist opened about facing criticisms regarding her approach to motherhood and her photography work as a war correspondent.
http://time.com/3699030/lynsey-addario-war-photographer/
“Everyone is having a field day judging what a horrible woman I am, what a bad mother I am,” Addario shared. “I find it fascinating that anyone feels like they have the right to tell me how to live my life.”
With Addario’s book getting a movie adaptation and the photojournalist herself being the main character in the film, Lawrence will be Spielberg’s first female lead actress since Whoopi Goldberg starred in ‘The Color Purple’ in 1985.
Interestingly, there were several famous and influential personalities who were bidders for the film adaptation of Addario’s memoir.
Working Title reportedly sought to get it for Reese Witherspoon while filmmaker Darren Aronofsky had been bidding for it to go to Natalie Portman. Even Margot Robbie, who starred in the current box office hit ‘Focus’ alongside Will Smith, was said to be after the role.
The Weinstein Company had also wanted to win the bid for George Clooney and Grant Heslov.
Teaming up with Spielberg and Lawrence, Warner Bros. eventually won the bidding war and earned the rights for the film adaptation.
