Jennifer Lawrence Says She Lost a Quentin Tarantino Role After Being Labeled “Not Pretty Enough”

Jennifer Lawrence has opened up about a role she believes she lost because of comments about her appearance. The actress recently spoke at an event hosted by 92NY, where she reflected on rumors surrounding the casting of Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood.

Back in 2017, news broke that Quentin Tarantino was working on a film inspired by the Manson murders. Soon after, online talk began about who might play Sharon Tate. Jennifer Lawrence and Margot Robbie were both named in fan speculation. In the end, Robbie landed the role and starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt.

Years later, Lawrence shared her own version of what happened. She said Tarantino may have been interested in her at one point, but the conversation quickly shifted because of how people judged her looks. She recalled the reaction as being along the lines of, “She’s not pretty enough to play Sharon Tate.”

During the same discussion, interviewer Josh Horowitz pushed back and suggested that might not be true. Lawrence answered honestly, saying she has told the story for so long that she now believes it, adding that it either really happened or the internet simply decided to tear her down on its own. She also admitted it is possible she was never seriously considered and the criticism came from online chatter instead.

Much of that criticism traced back to Sharon Tate’s sister, Debra Tate. In a 2017 interview with TMZ, Debra openly said she did not think Lawrence was right for the role. She explained her choice clearly, saying, “She’s not pretty enough to play Sharon. My pick would be Margot simply because of her physical beauty.” Debra later praised Robbie’s performance, telling Vanity Fair that seeing her on set was emotional and reminded her strongly of her sister.

Tarantino has since clarified that Lawrence did meet with him during casting. Speaking on Marc Maron’s podcast in 2021, he said she came to his home to read the script in person. He noted that she was interested in the project, but nothing ultimately came together. Lawrence was reportedly reading for a different role, not Sharon Tate, which later went to Dakota Fanning.

During her recent appearance, Lawrence also admitted she has regrets about past choices with Tarantino. She said she turned down a major role in The Hateful Eight, something she now wishes she had not done. That part eventually went to Jennifer Jason Leigh.

This story shows how harsh and unfair Hollywood can be, especially toward women. Being judged so openly on looks, even at the highest level, says a lot about the industry. Jennifer Lawrence’s honesty is refreshing, even when she admits she is not fully sure what happened. What do you think about this situation? Do looks still matter too much when casting major roles? Share your thoughts in the comments.