David O. Russell made ‘Joy’ as a tribute to Jennifer Lawrence

This is officially award season, people. The Golden Globes are tomorrow, and there are so many good movies and talented people nominated for statues. One of our faves of the season is Joy.

Joy tells the true story of Joy Mangano, the inventor of the Miracle Mop, and her rise as an entrepreneur. The film is full of triumph, loss and — you guessed it — joy. It’s a beautiful film by David O. Russell and his familiar cast of characters, including Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro. But make no mistake: Joy is not just another movie that uses the director’s same winning formula.

David O. Russell created Joy as an ode to the real-life Joy. But he also created it for someone else: It’s a tribute to his leading lady, J-Law.

“To me, it’s honoring her,” the director said of the film during an interview with MTV. “I’ve watched Jennifer become a more grounded grown-up. She has become a young woman needing to own herself and protect herself, her true self.”

Joy is a very strong, very realistic female character. She’s determined to succeed, and will do so at any cost. David O. Russell saw the similarities between her and Jennifer from the start.

“I’ve watched her grow up from a 20-year-old who was very guileless and full of brimming, hustling talent and magic and who then — Hunger Games had not come out yet — suddenly has all this attention and success come to her,” he continued. “I said, ‘Please stay true to yourself. And find a way to protect yourself.’”

Knowing that makes us love the movie even more!

(Image via Twentieth Century Fox.)