Jennifer Lawrence has opened up about one of the most painful “what if” moments of her career — and it has everything to do with internet criticism. In a recent appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the Oscar-winning actor revealed she believes online chatter claiming she wasn’t “pretty enough” played a role in her missing out on portraying Sharon Tate in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
The role ultimately went to Margot Robbie, opposite Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt.
“They said I wasn’t pretty enough”
Speaking with host Josh Horowitz, Lawrence recalled that Quentin Tarantino had expressed interest in working with her and had discussed her involvement in the film.
“Well, he did, and then everybody was like, ‘She’s not pretty enough to play Sharon Tate,’” Lawrence said, reflecting on the wave of online reactions at the time.
She admitted she’s replayed the story in her head so many times that she sometimes questions whether it unfolded exactly that way — but believes the criticism was very real. Either the internet shut the door on her, she said, or she was never truly in the running and still ended up being publicly torn apart.
What Tarantino has said publicly
Tarantino later clarified in a 2021 appearance on WTF with Marc Maron that while he had “flirted” with the idea of casting Lawrence in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, it wasn’t for Sharon Tate.
Instead, he considered her for the role of Manson follower Squeaky Fromme, which ultimately went to Dakota Fanning.
Tarantino praised Fanning’s performance as one of the film’s best, while also calling Lawrence a “very nice person” and an actor he deeply respects — noting that talks happened, but “something didn’t work out.”
Another Tarantino regret for Lawrence
The Sharon Tate role wasn’t the only Tarantino project Lawrence passed on. During the same podcast appearance, she revealed that she also turned down The Hateful Eight, where she was offered the role of Daisy Domergue.
The part went to Jennifer Jason Leigh, who earned an Oscar nomination for her performance — a decision Lawrence now openly regrets.
“I turned it down,” she said bluntly. “I should not have done that.”
Sharon Tate’s family weighed in too
The casting debate around Sharon Tate was so public that Tate’s sister, Debra Tate, addressed it at the time. In a statement, she expressed support for Robbie, citing her physical resemblance and presence as closer to her late sister’s essence — comments that echoed the uncomfortable beauty standards Lawrence says hurt her.
After the film’s release, Debra later praised Robbie’s portrayal, saying it moved her deeply and made her feel as though she was seeing Sharon again nearly five decades later.
Final words
Jennifer Lawrence’s candid reflection highlights a brutal truth about Hollywood — even for an Oscar winner, online perception and beauty standards can quietly reshape careers. While Once Upon a Time in Hollywood became a cultural landmark, Lawrence’s story adds a sobering layer to its legacy, reminding audiences how much power the internet can wield long before a casting decision is ever finalized.
