Which Flop Horror Movie Was Jennifer Lawrence A Part Of? ( Photo Credit – Instagram )
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Jennifer Lawrence might’ve ruled red carpets and awards seasons, but even Oscar winners have those “let’s pretend that didn’t happen” moments. For Lawrence, that moment came wrapped in horror, clichés, and a house with a tragic backstory. Yep, House at the End of the Street had her cringing, and she didn’t even try to hide it.
While collecting praise for American Hustle in 2013, Lawrence tossed in a self-deprecating jab that left fans laughing and critics nodding. In an open letter to the New York Film Critics Circle (via CheatSheet), she joked, “The critics have been very kind to me thus far in my career. But I guess I’m not receiving this for House at the End of the Street, so you guys must have missed that one, right?” And just like that, she shaded her own horror misstep.
Released in 2012, House at the End of the Street starred Jennifer Lawrence as Elissa, a teenager who moved to a new neighborhood only to find out the house next door had a gruesome history. What followed was a thriller packed with eerie vibes, teen drama, and a twist that didn’t quite land. Critics panned it, audiences skipped it, and Lawrence quietly buried it under her later hits.
Ironically, her performance wasn’t the problem. Reviews called her solid, even compelling. But no amount of on-screen grit could save the film’s muddled plot or awkward execution. And Lawrence, who had already stunned audiences in Winter’s Bone and grabbed their attention as Katniss in The Hunger Games, seemed all too aware of the misfire.
It wasn’t her only offbeat choice. After scoring major wins with Silver Linings Playbook and an Oscar, she dipped into a mix of blockbusters and bold indies. From X-Men: Apocalypse to Passengers and Red Sparrow, her filmography kept fans guessing. Some loved the risks. Others… not so much.
The horror genre, though, gave her some of her most polarizing moments. Mother! divided audiences, while House at the End of the Street became the butt of her own jokes. The actress’s discomfort was clear in Nadia Cohen’s Jennifer Lawrence: Girl on Fire – The Biography. “She [Lawrence] appeared embarrassed about appearing in such a badly received project and made a joke about the role when she won an award for American Hustle,” Cohen wrote about House at the End of the Street.
After 2019’s Dark Phoenix, Lawrence took a step back from Hollywood. But she made a splashy return with Don’t Look Up, earning a Golden Globe nomination for playing a frantic astronomer trying to save the world. And just like that, she was back in her groove.
Whether she revisited horror or left it in the rearview remained to be seen. Projects like Red, White, and Water hinted at a deeper, more dramatic direction. One thing remained certain: She owned her stumbles as much as her triumphs. That moment of embarrassment? Just another plot twist in Jennifer Lawrence’s blockbuster career.
