Jennifer Lawrence is one of the most popular celebrities there is, known for her bluntness and relatability. Does this fan-favorite actress know how to speak Spanish?
Jennifer Lawrence does not know how to speak Spanish fluently, nor can she read, write, or understand the language. Lawrence has claimed that the only Spanish she knows she’s learned from a co-star and Spanish songs.
Read more below to find out about Jennifer Lawrence’s Spanish knowledge and where she got it from.
Spanish Lines
The only place she’s encountered Spanish and had to speak it has been while she is acting or when she listens to Spanish music. In many Spanish-language interviews, Lawrence has been honest and open about her lack of Spanish knowledge.
While filming the movie Joy, written and directed by David O. Russell, in which Lawrence plays Joy Mangano, a famous inventor and entrepreneur. In the movie, Lawrence has a line in Spanish, which many fans have posted about in tweets like this one.
As this fan reacted in this tweet, “I have never seen anything more sexy than Jennifer Lawrence speaking Spanish.” That seems to be the general consensus of Lawrence’s Twitter fans, but she can’t take all of the Spanish credit.
According to Lawrence’s co-star, Edgar Ramirez, who played Joy Mangano’s ex-husband Tony Miranne in the film, he taught her how to say her Spanish lines in the film. Ramirez, who was born in Venezuela, is known for his roles in The Bourne Ultimatum, Hands of Stone, The Girl on the Train, and more.
Ramirez has spent a lot of time learning languages, as he’s fluent in Spanish, English, German, Italian, and French. The Spanish lessons he gave Lawrence must have paid off, as she speaks well in the movie, including short conversational words like greetings and asking how someone is, as well as some longer lines.
For her role as Joy, Lawrence was nominated for Best Actress for many different awards and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical. Those lessons in Spanish with her co-star Ramirez must have been helpful, proven by the accolades she earned for her performance.
Spanish Songs
Lawrence has rarely encountered Spanish lines in her movies and is much more familiar with Spanish songs. Music is one way that someone learning a language can get the hang of different pronunciations and colloquial language, some of which aren’t normally covered in a classroom.
In an interview posted by the YouTube channel Telemundo English titled, “Jennifer Lawrence muestra su lado latino a través de la música,” or “Jennifer Lawrence shows her Latina side through music,” the interviewer tests Lawrence’s knowledge of different Spanish classics.
“Feliz Navidad,” the interviewer begins to sing, and Lawrence excitedly cuts in, “Merry Christmas! Well, I want to wish you a Merry Christmas.” While the actress nailed the translation of the song, in trying to sing the rest of the line, “próspero año y felicidad,” meaning “a prosperous year and happiness,” she knew the tune, but not the actual Spanish words of the song.
The next song that they try, “La Cucaracha,” meaning “The Cockroach,” is a very popular song both in Mexico and in the United States. Lawrence is again familiar with the leading words of “La Cucaracha,” and does know the tune or melody of the song, but isn’t familiar with the Spanish words.
For the song “Macarena,” they didn’t even need to sing the song before she was dancing to it while joking, “I don’t know the Macarena, what are you talking about? The Macarena? I’ve never heard of it.”
On the last song they tried, “La Bamba,” Lawrence was similarly familiar with the song, but wasn’t sure of the words.
Check out the YouTube video below to watch the full interview with Jennifer Lawrence on her knowledge of Spanish songs.