Jennifer Lawrence does not mince words about the hacking that put her personal nude photos in the public eye: It’s a “sex crime,” she said.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Lawrence expressed anger that the pictures — which were released as part of a wide-ranging hack of celebrity nudes on August 31 — were exposed.
“It is not a scandal. It is a sex crime,” she told VF’s Sam Kashner. “It is a sexual violation. It’s disgusting. The law needs to be changed, and we need to change.”
Lawrence was among several celebrities who reportedly had their photos hacked. Others included Aubrey Plaza, Avril Lavigne, Gabrielle Union, Hayden Panettiere and Kate Upton.
Lawrence admitted that she was initially mortified that her private pictures had made it onto the Internet but noted that being a celebrity doesn’t mean that every detail of her life should be public.
“Just because I’m a public figure, just because I’m an actress, does not mean that I asked for this,” she said. “It does not mean that it comes with the territory. It’s my body, and it should be my choice, and the fact that it is not my choice is absolutely disgusting. I can’t believe that we even live in that kind of world.”
The photos were made for a longtime boyfriend with whom she was in a long-distance relationship, she added.
“I was in a loving, healthy, great relationship for four years. It was long-distance, and either your boyfriend is going to look at porn or he’s going to look at you,” she said.
Lawrence says she’s moved on, but she wants something positive to come out of the event — especially for the tabloids and gossip-mongers who feasted on the news.
“You have a choice. You don’t have to be a person who spreads negativity and lies for a living,” she said. “You can do something good. You can be good. Let’s just make that choice.”