Jennifer Lawrence's 'Joy' Director Told Her To Stay True To Herself

Jennifer Lawrence leaves her hotel for a business meeting in New York City on Friday afternoon (March 25).

Joy director David O. Russell spoke to MTV about watching Jennifer, 25, grow into not only a big dreamer, but achiever.

“You have to be willing to become a different person. You have to become very tough, fierce, and at the same time hope you haven’t lost the tenderness that was your reason to dream. I’ve seen Jennifer do it in her life,” he said. “I’ve watched her grow up from a 20-year-old who was very guileless and full of brimming, hustling talent and magic and who then – Hunger Games had not come out yet – suddenly has all this attention and success come to her.”

David added, “I said, ‘Please stay true to yourself. And find a way to protect yourself.’ I remember when Jennifer cut her hair after Silver Linings. It was sort of a big moment because until then she had always had this long, long hair. She said that she cut it because the hair was so damaged from being dyed so much for X-Men and for Hunger Games. But I felt there was a passage. There was kind of a Joan of Arc thing going on where I witnessed her taking ownership of herself, and that’s why I wanted to put that hair cutting in the movie.”

10+ pics inside of Jennifer Lawrence…