Jennifer Lawrence reveals her struggles with sleeping pills and how she hallucinated on the sets of Hunger Games 2

Jennifer Lawrence revealed she accidentally took Ambien and hallucinated during a dance scene with Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. 

The story came up in her December 2025 Actors on Actors interview with Leonardo DiCaprio for Variety. They discussed sleep challenges on demanding shoots. Lawrence shared-

“I also once took an Ambien in the morning, thinking it was something else. It was a dance scene with Philip Seymour Hoffman on the second ‘Hunger Games’ movie. I was hallucinating. Elizabeth Banks got really annoyed with me.”

She also added-

“When I did “Red Sparrow,” I took an Adderall instead of a sleeping pill, and then I didn’t sleep all night. I was taking hot showers in a panic. I am not somebody who can function without sleep. And then I had to say the phrase ‘Senate Armed Services Committee’ in a Russian accent. That sucked.”

Lawrence has spoken about sleep obsession at work. She counts the hours needed to perform well. This incident shows the toll of intense schedules.

Jennifer Lawrence became a star as Katniss Everdeen in the 2012 Hunger Games film. The series based on Suzanne Collins' books made her a global name. She won an Oscar for Silver Linings Playbook the same year. 

In Catching Fire, she played Katniss dealing with fame threats and early rebellion signs. Katniss protects Peeta and Gale while sensing unrest in the districts. 

Lawrence's role demanded physical action and emotional depth as Katniss evolves into the Mockingjay symbol. 

Jennifer Lawrence shares her Ambien mix-up story on the Hunger Games Set

Lawrence described the incident as an accidental morning dose of Ambien, a strong sleeping pill, mistaken for another medication. The mishap occurred as the crew filmed an elaborate gathering in the Capitol, featuring her character Katniss sharing a dance with Plutarch Heavensbee, the role played by Philip Seymour Hoffman.

The sleeping aid triggered hallucinations, leaving her struggling to remember dialogue and maintain concentration. She kept seeking explanations from director Francis Lawrence about scene details which eventually frustrated Elizabeth Banks who was present and unaware of the cause. 

In the same interview, Lawrence mentioned an opposite error while making Red Sparrow, where a wakefulness pill taken by mistake kept her up all night ahead of a demanding sequence.

These incidents point to the fatigue common in extended film schedules and the challenges of managing it with prescriptions.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire plot insights

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire hit theaters in 2013. Francis Lawrence directed. It continues after Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark survive the 74th Hunger Games. Their bold act inspires districts.

President Snow views Katniss as danger. He mandates a Victory Tour to dampen sparks. Snow declares the 75th Games a Quarter Quell pulling prior winners back in. Katniss and Peeta prepare once more and join fresh faces.

New allies feature Finnick Odair by Sam Claflin, Johanna Mason by Jena Malone and Beetee by Jeffrey Wright. 

Core returns include Josh Hutcherson as Peeta and Liam Hemsworth as Gale Woody. Harrelson played as Haymitch while Donald Sutherland as Snow and Elizabeth Banks as Effie.

Jennifer Lawrence leads as Katniss. She captures the hero's rising grasp of tyranny. Katniss juggles staged love with Peeta true bonds with Gale and sharp survival drive. Her bow skills and steady resolve anchor the plot. The movie ramps up revolt ideas with fierce arena fights and pacts.

It won praise for richer world-building and stronger characters.

Fans can watch The Hunger Games: Catching Fire now on Prime Video and MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel.

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