Here’s What J Law ACTUALLY Meant When She Said She Was Taking An Acting Break

When she initially announced she'd be taking a year off, fans were shocked at how long Jennifer Lawrence's acting break was supposed to be. Luckily her rep has since delivered a welcome update: The break could be less than a year after all. In an exclusive statement to Entertainment Weekly, Lawrence's rep clarified her earlier comments, saying: "She [Lawrence] will return to work when one of several projects in development is ready to go." Of course, the clarification, while helpful, doesn't doesn't name Lawrence's next project (which there are many of in the works) or confirm when she's coming back to Hollywood, so the break will apparently still take up a significant part of her year.

Regardless of the length of time Lawrence has between promoting her current film Red Sparrow and the next gig, however, the Hunger Games lead is passionate about dedicating her free time to Represent.Us, a non-partisan organization fighting to end political corruption. She told ET that she wants to work with the organization to try to "get young people engaged politically on a local level." She explained:

"It doesn't have anything to do with partisan [politics]. It's just anti-corruption and stuff trying to pass state by state laws that can help prevent corruption, fix our democracy."

This isn't the first time J. Law has spoken up about wanting a break. Though she is still in hers 20s, she has been charging full speed ahead with her career since she was nominated for an Oscar in 2011 for Winter's Bone, appearing in major action blockbusters and smaller, critical darlings alike. In an interview with NBC News' Today Show, last September, Lawrence told Savannah Guthrie, “I’m taking [a break.] I don’t have anything set for two years.” At that time she didn't mention focusing on activism, but she did site how difficult it is to constantly live in the limelight. She revealed,

"I was angry and resentful. I thought that I deserved the right to do what I love and to do my job, and then still have privacy. And then after a few years you’re like, that’s not the way it is, it’s just not.”

She also had an interview with Elle last November, in which she also talked about wanting a break. When she was asked about what would come next in her life she said, “I want to get a farm.” She added, “I want to be, like, milking goats.”

Lawrence, however, is no stranger to activism. Since her 2015 essay for Lenny Letter she has been outspoken about the gender wage gap, an issue that she still speaks about frequently. She has also opened up about harassment in Hollywood and the industry's obsession with weight. Last December, when she received the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award, Lawrence said in her acceptance speech, "It's not easy to speak out, it's not easy to face criticism on a global scale. But the fact is, I have been given a platform, and if I don’t use it, then I don’t deserve it."

In addition to this work in Hollywood, she has been committed to Represent.Us. She and her frequent director, filmmaker David O. Russell (American Hustle, Silver Linings Playbook) are both on the board of the grassroots organization. Just a few weeks ago Lawrence surprised a high school in Cleveland Heights, Ohio by giving a speech on government.

Though Lawrence's prior movie commitments might get in the way of her dedicating as much time as she'd like to this important issue, it's nice to see a celebrity use their free time to tackle the problems affecting people across the country as well as in Hollywood.