Jennifer Lawrence Says Oscar Season Helped Prepare Her for The Hunger Games

Now that most of the major speaking roles in The Hunger Games have been cast (correction: slowly cast), all that's left are the pictures, clips and spoilers bound to flow out between now and the release of the 'tween-lit adaptation next spring. With that in mind, EW debuted a first look at star Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, a role which J.Law says she unknowingly prepared for during Oscar season.

In the cover story on newsstands this week (never too early to start hyping!), Lawrence recalls a conversation she had with Hunger Games director Gary Ross prior to accepting the career-changing role.

"He was asking me what the experience [of Oscar season] was like, and I just kind of opened up and said, 'I feel like a rag doll. I have hair and makeup people coming to my house every day and putting me in new, uncomfortable, weird dresses and expensive shoes, and I just shut down and raise my arms up for them to get the dress on, and pout my lips when they need to put the lipstick on.' And we both started laughing because that's exactly what it's like for Katniss in the Capitol. She was a girl who's all of a sudden being introduced to fame. I know what that feels like to have all this flurry around you and feel like, 'Oh, no, I don't belong here.'"

You can see a first look as Lawrence -- without her signature blond locks -- as Katniss above. Expect to see plenty more where this came from over the next ten months. The Hunger Games will arrive in theaters on March 23, 2012.

· This Week's Cover: First look at Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss in 'The Hunger Games' -- EXCLUSIVE [EW]