Jennifer Lawrence landed on the A-list earlier than most. Oscar-nominated for "Winter's Bone" at just 20 years old, the Kentucky-born actress won the role of Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games," meaning her meteoric rise should only increase, provided the film cashes in as expected the box office. It's certainly an exciting time for J.Law, though -- at the moment -- she's a little concerned with her awkward "karate hands," which only come out when she runs. "I'm a weird runner," Lawrence told Moviefone when asked about her training for the future blockbuster. "So, that was unfortunate."

In "The Hunger Games," Lawrence is forced to do a lot of running: she plays Katniss Everdeen, the District 12 tribute sent to compete in the annual Hunger Games, a barbaric event where the citizens of Panem, the post-apocalyptic name given to what's left of North America, watch their children kill one another for sport. For fanatics of Suzanne Collins's best-selling book series, the actress is Katniss incarnate (this despite her naturally blonde hair, which was dyed for the film). Lawrence, however, wasn't so sure -- she almost turned down the role of her lifetime, before her mother convinced her otherwise.

Moviefone chatted Lawrence about what "The Hunger Games" means to her, what moment she can't wait to replicate onscreen, and what she thinks about the "Twilight" movies.

When you read the books, did you imagine yourself playing Katniss?
No [laughs]. When I read them, it was before there was any talk of the movie or anything, so I definitely didn't picture myself. That would be slightly narcissistic, anyway. By the time there were talks of the movie, I was so turned off by the idea -- because we've watched so many people destroy our favorite books [by turning them into movies]. There was interest in me for it, so I had a meeting with Gary Ross, and just loved everything he was saying. I knew the movie was being made by people who are fans of the book and wanted to stay true to its story, and understood that it's a sad story, not a cool action flick. There was hesitation, of course, over the size of it and what my life would be like if I were to say yes, but I slowly came around to the idea. I'm happy I did [laughs].

How did you overcome that hesitation about signing on. A lot of actors seem to bristle at the idea of leading these big franchises.
It was funny because I've always been asked why did I always do indies, why didn't I do a big studio film. I always said, "Because it's not about the size of the movie, it's about the script." When I was almost going to turn this down because it was too big, my mom told me I was being a hypocrite, because I loved the story, loved the characters and I truly believe in the message that these films are bringing. I really don't feel like I'm being tied down to it -- especially after filming the first one, where I had the time of my life. I actually can't wait to go back. It's a character I would love to revisit. I think if you sign on to the right franchise [you're OK]. I don't feel like a slave to anyone. I feel like I'm very passionate about this story and what it means about our world and about humanity. It's something I want to talk about, I want people to see, and I'm proud to put my name to it.

OK, well: What does "The Hunger Games" say about humanity?
I took away that, over time, we're just becoming so desensitized to death. Humanity is becoming dulled to itself. We can watch people die on TV; we can watch a snowboarder fall off a mountain and die. We watch it as entertainment. The world is obsessed with reality television, and in a world where history repeats itself, it's plausible, really, that our world could get there.