Jennifer Lawrence treated like a 'slave' by Hunger Games team, says director

Jennifer Lawrence is a hardworking actress. But with a reported fee of $10 million per movie, most people wouldn’t compare her work to slavery. Most people aren’t David O. Russell…

After promoting ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ throughout last autumn, Lawrence is now doing steady press for director Russell’s 70’s crime caper ‘American Hustle’ (even picking up Best Supporting Actress at Sunday’s Golden Globes Awards). Which is why the filmmaker thinks the 23-year-old star deserves a break, pointing the finger straight at her hectic ‘Hunger Games’ schedule.

[Golden Globe Awards 2014: Our favourite moments]

"I personally think they should give her a bit of breathing room over there because they're printing money," the no-nonsense filmmaker told The New York Daily News, “But she's a very alive person."

"I'll tell you what it is about that girl—talk about 12 years of slavery, that's what the franchise is," he joked, alluding to hard-hitting fellow award season hopeful ’12 Years A Slave’.

"And I'm going to get in so much trouble for saying that.”

He then compared ‘The Hunger Games’ to a “hamster wheel” and claimed Lawrence (who he directed to her Oscar winning performance in ‘Silver Linings Playbook’) took on artistic roles in films like his own as a “vacation” from her more commercial movies.

[Amy Adams: You get used to David O. Russell’s manner]

Russell is infamously unafraid of confrontation. Whilst filming 2004 comedy ‘I Heart Huckabees’ he was caught on camera launching a minute long tirade against actress Lily Tomlin. In 1999 he was reportedly beat up by George Clooney after too much “direction” on the set of war flick ‘Three Kings’.

Was David O. Russell's crack just a harmless joke? Or should he have more respect for the subject matter? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

See Jennifer Lawrence like you've never seen her before in the trailer for 'American Hustle', below.