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Jennifer Lawrence Sent to "Tiny Little Jail"

Actress explains how customs issues in the U.K. created a major problem

By Zach Johnson May 18, 2016 7:19 PMTags

Lying should come second nature to Jennifer Lawrence.

It's ironic, giving that the actress makes a living pretending to be other people. But, as the Academy Award winner reveals on BBC America's The Graham Norton Show (airing Thursday at 11:30 ET), accidentally telling the truth has gotten her into trouble. When she was auditioning to play Mystique in 2011's X-Men: First Class, Lawrence was asked to fly to London to meet with director Matthew Vaughn and other members of the production team. At the time, though, her passport was nearing its expiration date. "They were like, 'Whatever you do, don't tell them that you're here for work, because they'll ask for a work visa; say you're here for pleasure.' And I'm like, 'Oh, my! Good God! I have to lie to a customs officer,'" she said. "So I'm working myself up so much through the line. I'm like, 'OK, I just have to have a backstory. I have to believe it.'"

That technique may come in handy on movie sets, but in this case, it didn't work in her favor. "I get there and he's like, 'Business or pleasure?' 'Pleasure.' 'What are you doing for pleasure?' 'My brother's getting married.' 'Where's your brother getting married?' 'Wimbledon.' 'Is he American?' 'Yes,'" Lawrence lied. "'Do you have an invitation?' No.' 'Are you telling the truth?'"

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The intense line of questioning got to be too much, and Lawrence cracked under the pressure. "'No! No! I'm here for work and I don't have a work visa and my passport expires and I'm not even supposed to be here!'" she confessed to the customs officer. After telling the truth, she said, "I had to sit in a tiny little jail for like five hours while they called my employer; I felt tiny."

No matter. With the customs drama behind her, Lawrence went on to win the role of Mystique and reprised it twice, in 2013's X-Men: Days of Future Past and in 2016's X-Men: Apocalypse. In fact, Lawrence was on The Graham Norton Show Thursday to promote the latter film with her co-star, James McAvoy, who plays Charles Xavier—a.k.a. Professor X. Alice Through the Looking Glass' Johnny Depp, Mother's Day's Jack Whitehall and will.i.am are also on deck.

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