Jennifer Lawrence

by Nadia Cohen

  Polsky wrote, directed and produced Red Army (2014), a documentary about the Soviet Union and its ice hockey team. With his brother Alan he owns production company Polsky Films, the studio behind Nicolas Cage’s Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans (2009). The brothers have also collaborated on other movies, including The Motel Life (2013), which starred Emile Hirsch, Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristofferson and Dakota Fanning, and Little Birds (2011), starring Juno Temple, Kate Bosworth and Leslie Mann.

  The scrutiny proved overwhelming for Jennifer, and on Christmas Eve 2014 she fled Hollywood again and flew back home to be with her family. During her brief trip to Kentucky she found the time to pose for photos with children at Louisville’s Kosair Children’s Hospital. Jennifer delighted dozens of families of sick children with bedside visits, including Gage Besing, a six-year-old boy battling Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma.

  Jennifer also visited Tyler Foster from Muhlenberg County, who was being treated for bone cancer. Tyler’s family posted on Facebook that the one celebrity he wanted to meet was Jennifer Lawrence – and his wish came true.

  While Jennifer was away, Chris enjoyed the festivities with his family. ‘It wasn’t dramatic,’ an insider told E! News. ‘Things just didn’t work out,’ the source continued, adding Chris and Jennifer had split a few weeks before the news went public. ‘There are no hard feelings between them.’

  Whether he and Jennifer had parted ways or not, Chris appeared to be very much with his ex-wife and kids when Christmas rolled around. He and Gwyneth took their children to Tribeca’s i-Plaza Nail & Spa: ‘They seemed very affectionate toward each other,’ a source told PageSix.

  The estranged couple were ‘laughing a lot, making jokes, and Chris even had his arm around Gwyneth,’ said another source. Chris also entertained his children by dancing and singing along to Christmas carols playing in the salon, while he waited for Apple to finish her manicure.

  Apparently Gwyneth had hated the idea of her first Christmas as a single woman and she did not want Apple and Moses to have to split their time between their parents. An insider told Closer magazine: ‘She suggested he come over for the holidays. She’s asked him to invite his family, too, and she’s planning a big Christmas Eve party and massive feast the next day.

  ‘Gwyneth said last year’s festivities were so tense between her and Chris, but now they’re in a much better place and they can really enjoy themselves,’ the source added.

  And days later they seemed ‘inseparable’ during the opening of a Goop store in Dallas, which of course had nothing to do with the children. ‘They tried to avoid the cameras, but he stuck to her like glue. There was a tenderness that you’d associate with a couple in love,’ a source told Radar Online.

  They also travelled to New York together to support their mutual friend Cameron Diaz when she hosted Saturday Night Live. ‘Despite being separated, they’ve been awfully affectionate! There’s a buzz among their friends that they are still sleeping together,’ a source said. ‘They even stayed in the same hotel rooms in both Texas and New York.’

  Neither Gwyneth nor Chris made any suggestion that they might consider reconciliation, but their closeness was believed to be the reason Jennifer kept her distance over the holidays. She was said to have often felt like a third wheel when she was with Chris, and felt like she had no choice but to step back while he remained so close to his ex. According to a HollywoodLife source: ‘Jennifer just couldn’t compete and didn’t want to. Chris is clearly not over Gwyneth and his main priority is his kids. Jennifer really respects him, but she wants a man of her own. And Chris has been spending lots of time with Gwyneth and their kids lately.

  ‘It was just a bit too much for Jen. She doesn’t want to be second to anyone. You can’t blame her. Gwyneth still has a lot of control over him, which isn’t exactly desirable to prospective girlfriends.

  ‘The way things are at the moment, no sane person would want to be an accessory to their conscious uncoupling.’

  It then emerged that Chris was planning to take time off from his band to focus on his personal life, and fans expressed their shock when it was suggested that Jennifer had threatened to walk away for good unless he stopped spending all his free time with Gwyneth.

  ‘It’s hard for her to understand the feelings between Chris and Gwyneth,’ a source told Celeb Dirty Laundry: ‘It’s unclear whether Jennifer dumped Chris because she figured out he was still sleeping with Gwyneth, or if Chris and Jennifer had a completely unrelated falling out, so he ran and hopped back in bed with Gwyneth because he can’t stand to be single for a day.

  ‘Regardless of the circumstance, one thing is for sure, Chris Martin is playing a dangerous game.’

  At the end of December 2014, Gwyneth confessed that she still sometimes had doubts about splitting from Chris. The actress spoke candidly to Harper’s Bazaar magazine and explained that there are times when she thinks it would be better if they had stayed married: ‘We’ve made a lot of mistakes, and we’ve had good days and bad days, but, I have to say, I’m proud of us for working through so much stuff together – and not blaming and shaming.

  ‘Of course, there are times when I think it would have been better if we had stayed married, which is always what your children want. But we have been able to solidify this friendship, so that we’re really close.’

  The family had relocated from London to Los Angeles, and Gwyneth revealed how happy she felt following the move. ‘There’s a deep comfort about it because it’s so familiar. The other day I was lying on the grass and the kids were playing and I was looking at the sky and the palm-trees – and there was something about the weather and the smell and I was, like, eight years old again,’ she said. ‘I had such a strong memory of being a kid here. It’s a really nice place to be a little kid, and it’s great to watch my children have that experience.’

  But as soon as the Christmas holidays were behind them, Jennifer and Chris reunited and appeared to be doing their best to get back on track again.

  They saw in the New Year together – to everyone’s surprise they were spotted at a Japanese restaurant in LA, leading to fevered speculation that they had rekindled their low-key romance. A photo emerged of the pair sitting in a quiet restaurant called Kiwami Sushi in the Studio City area, chatting happily across the table as they ate with chopsticks.

  Jennifer wore a grey jacket and black trousers, while Chris was equally casual, sporting a thick layer of facial stubble. Despite suggestions that Jennifer had ended the relationship because she felt Gwyneth’s meddling had became too much for her to handle, they both appeared happier than ever.

  An eyewitness said: ‘They were engulfed in their little world of conversation. They were into each other and not noticing anyone else around them. They seemed to be just content with each other. He was really listening to what she was saying.’

  And from then on, things became better than ever for the couple, with Jennifer even planning a style and fashion makeover. Friends revealed that while she is known for her modest and classy wardrobe, Jennifer wanted to update her image to fit into the live music scene: ‘She really wants to look cool as the girlfriend of a rock god,’ an insider told the American edition of OK! magazine. ‘This new relationship will see her immersed in a whole new lifestyle involving concerts and tours. She’s totally into the whole scene and loving her new life as the leading lady of a music legend.’

  According to the whispers, Jennifer was eager to get rid of her ‘gawky image’ and replace it with something more alternative: ‘She has splashed out on a whole range of new edgy T-shirts and jeans so she looks the part backstage when Chris is performing.

  ‘It’s all part of her “I don’t care” approach to life since the humiliation of her nude picture leaks,’ the source concluded.

  Chris and Jennifer decided to make their romance official when they made a public appearance together after both being invited to celebrate Harry Styles’s twenty-first birthday at a glitzy star-studded bash in F
ebruary 2015. As well as the One Direction star’s Victoria’s Secret model girlfriend Nadine Leopold, other guests at the raucous party at Lulu’s Cafe in LA included David Beckham, Adele, Courtney Cox and Cara Delevingne.

  It was the first time the couple had openly attended such a high-profile event together, and according to website Just Jared, they stuck by each other’s side throughout the £200,000 bash. But apparently their display left British model Alexa Chung feeling ‘totally thrown’ since she and Chris had briefly enjoyed a few dates following his split from Gwyneth but their relationship had never really got off the ground: ‘Alexa hadn’t seen Chris since they dated last year and was totally thrown when he walked in holding hands with Jennifer Lawrence,’ a source told Closer. ‘She avoided them all night and got a little upset in front of friends, saying how hard it was to see Chris with someone else.’

  It seemed Chris and Jennifer were openly flirtatious with each other at the party, and despite her best efforts at putting a brave face on the situation, Alexa was thought to be upset by the vibe at the event: ‘Chris and Jennifer were really tactile with each other, which left Alexa feeling even more hurt,’ an insider added. ‘She tried to say hello to him while Jennifer was talking to other friends but told her pals it was really awkward.’

  Days later Chris and Jennifer were out again, this time sharing an intimate dinner at trendy Hollywood hotspot Chateau Marmont.

  ‘The better she gets to know him, the more she likes him, she says he’s super funny and sweet.’

  Despite spending as much time as she possibly could with the Coldplay lead singer, Jennifer refused to ditch her female friends and did her best to carry on with her normal life. Just days before their date at Chateau Marmont, she came under fire for making an obscene hand gesture while out celebrating a friend’s birthday. At a party for Lauren Ash, she was snapped by actress Rebel Wilson, who posted the photo on her Instagram account, leading to widespread comments about how different party-loving Jen is to Chris’s clean-living ex-wife Gwyneth.

  Jennifer also enjoyed nights out with award-winning singer Adele – the two were spotted out together, grabbing a bite to eat at exclusive Craig’s restaurant in West Hollywood. According to Just Jared, they looked like they were having a great time as they caught up over dinner while sitting in a corner booth: ‘Adele and Jen were both in very good spirits the whole night,’ a source told the website. ‘They were both wearing heels and dressed in head-to-toe black. Jen wore her hair down in a straight bob and looked super cute!’

  Stacey Kubasak, Dior’s director of Entertainment Relations, and a male companion, joined the high-profile pair.

  Days later Jennifer and Chris were spotted enjoying a candlelit dinner date at Madeo, a swanky restaurant in Los Angeles. They arrived through the back door but dined in the main restaurant for two hours and ordered several items from the menu. The pair shared a mille-feuille dessert, and an onlooker said that the two were seen ‘giggling’ and ‘laughing’ during their date and seemed delighted with each other.

  A source told the New York Post’s Page Six column: ‘They were totally into each other. The romance is on, for sure.’

  Another onlooker told People: ‘They looked happy and just focused on each other. They were smiling, talking and very friendly.

  ‘Even though they are both busy, the relationship is solid. They see each other when they can. Jennifer understands that the children come first with Chris and his relationship with Gwyneth is based around the family and it will always be a part of his life,’ the insider continued. ‘Things are good between them.’

  Their unexpected decision to step out into the spotlight followed Gwyneth seemingly giving their relationship her stamp of approval during a series of revealing interviews, which led to Jennifer feeling more comfortable about taking things to the next level: ‘Jen took Gwyneth’s comments as the green light to go public with their relationship. She’s persuading Chris to make things official,’ a source told Closer. ‘She’s tired of sneaking around trying to keep it a secret – it’s making her feel as if their relationship is controversial or she’s doing something wrong. She’s now keen to show the world she and Chris are an item.’

  When asked about their relationship Gwyneth told Howard Stern’s SiriusXM radio show: ‘Who says I don’t approve [of Jennifer]? Why not? Why is it going to be an issue?

  ‘I respect him as the father of my children. It’s his life and it’s his decision and I do think that he loves the kids so much and I don’t think that he wouldn’t be with someone who isn’t great. And if I’m wrong, I’ll come back here and tell you.’

  Explaining her friendship with Chris, she went on: ‘The idea is you try to do it with minimal acrimony and you say, “Look, we have kids, we’re always going to be a family and let’s try to find all the positives in our relationship, all the things that brought us together, the friendship.”

  ‘He’s lovely,’ she added. ‘He’s such a sweetheart. We actually have a really strong friendship and we laugh and we have fun.

  ‘But there are times when it’s really difficult and things happen and you’re like, “I’m sure he doesn’t want to hang out with me and I don’t want to hang out with him”. But for the sake of the kids you do it. But you also don’t do it all tense.’

  When asked how ‘consciously uncoupling’ works, Gwyneth explained: ‘It’s a very noble idea, it is kind of a goofy term. You say, “I really want to find my love for you, and I want to forgive you and I want you to forgive me, and let’s have some fun as a family.” Because, you know, he’s going to be in my life for the rest of my life.

  ‘When I was talking to friends of mine who had grown up and their parents were divorced, there was a common thread which was, “Oh yeah, now my parents are great and they were both at my wedding, but there was five years where they didn’t talk”, or “There were seven years where they wouldn’t be in the same room.” And I was like, “Can we just skip that?” Because I don’t want to do that to my kids.’

  She added: ‘We’re lucky in that our parenting styles and philosophies overlap a lot. We see eye to eye on how to do it.’

  Stern then asked Gwyneth how she would she feel if he dated Rihanna. ‘She’s cool,’ she responded.

  When asked about actress Lindsay Lohan, Gwyneth replied: ‘There’s redemption, people get their acts together.’

  She also talked about her famous relationship with Brad Pitt, saying: ‘I definitely fell in love with him. He was so gorgeous and sweet. I mean, he was Brad Pitt! I was such a kid, I was twenty-two when we met. It’s taken me until forty to get my head out of my ass.

  ‘You can’t make that decision when you’re twenty-two years old. I wasn’t ready, and he was too good for me. I didn’t know what I was doing.’

  Within days of Gwyneth appearing to give their relationship the thumbs up, Chris and Jennifer seemed more relaxed about appearing in public. And there were even suggestions that they had never actually split up at all, but had somehow managed to keep their meetings very private in the hope that people would lose interest.

  Celeb Buzz reported: ‘Sources close to [Jen and Chris] are revealing they never actually broke up in the first place. They just wanted the public to think they did.’

  Despite Gwyneth appearing to be relaxed about it, there were also contradicting reports that privately she was not happy about Chris moving on, so he was perhaps being cautious and respectful towards his ex-wife. ‘Chris feels torn – he knows he could risk losing Jen if he doesn’t make it official soon, but he’s told her he is trying to tread carefully for Gwyneth’s sake,’ an insider explained. ‘It seems he isn’t sure if she’s ready to watch him and Jen become Hollywood’s newest couple.’

  As The Stir reported: ‘Apparently, Chris and Jen have even found a way for him to visit her Los Angeles home when he’s in town without anyone finding out. Considering how swift the paparazzi are – they’re basically ninjas with cameras – this is quite a feat on their part. I im
agine both have a pretty solid support system built around them and that their people are damn good at keeping secrets.’

  Meanwhile Radar Online claimed that Chris was so smitten that he wanted Jennifer to meet Apple and Moses. ‘Chris has fallen hard for Jen, and they are having a lot of fun together,’ a source told the website. ‘It’s happened very fast, and it’s extremely intense. Apple and Moses haven’t met their dad’s girlfriend, yet. Chris hasn’t been discussing the relationship with Gwyneth, out of respect.

  ‘It won’t be happening right away, Chris wants to make sure this relationship is not going to just fizzle out before taking such a big step.

  ‘He sees this relationship going the distance,’ the source added. ‘But it seems he isn’t sure if Gwyneth was ready to watch him and Jen become Hollywood’s newest couple.’

  By that stage, Jennifer had not even met Gwyneth, and she deliberately stayed away from the 2015 Oscars because Gwyneth wanted to go, and they wanted to avoid an awkward encounter on the red carpet.

  ‘Chris hasn’t wanted them to meet just yet,’ a friend of Jennifer’s told Us Weekly. ‘Gwyneth and Chris are co-parenting without Jen involved for now.’

  Meanwhile Gossip Cop suggested that Gwyneth did not want Jennifer around her children, but Chris was waiting for the right time to introduce them, adding that he was the one putting the brakes on a potential meeting date. But Celebrity Dish fuelled the rumours that all was not as harmonious as it appeared, by reporting: ‘According to the latest report from Naughty Gossip, Jennifer Lawrence has “demands” for Chris Martin.

  ‘More specifically, Jennifer has ordered Chris to stay away from his ex-wife, Gwyneth Paltrow, not see her, not talk to her, and basically have the most limited interaction with her as possible. Obviously, they are raising two children together, so a complete cut-off isn’t possible.

  ‘Naughty Gossip’s sources add that Chris apparently isn’t taking Jennifer’s demands seriously, and he thinks they’re all rooted in jealousy and insecurity.’