Old Hollywood magnetism, flawless taste in movies and a penchant for photobombing... Why we can't get enough of Jennifer Lawrence, winner of the Daily Mail Hot List film category

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Jennifer Lawrence was today announced as the winner of the Daily Mail-Perrier Hot List TV/film category
At 25, the actress has already been nominated for three Oscars and won the coveted gold statuette for her performance in Silver Linings Playbook
Forbes estimates that Lawrence has taken home $52 million in 2015, more than any other actress this year

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Published: 06:48 EST, 16 September 2015 | Updated: 06:49 EST, 16 September 2015

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Popular, profane and profound, Jennifer Lawrence epitomizes the 21st century leading lady. And today, the actress was announced as the winner of the Daily Mail-Perrier Hot List TV/film category.

It's hard to believe that J-Law (to use her widely-used nickname) is still only 25 years old. She's already been nominated for three Oscars, winning the coveted gold statuette for her performance as a depressive sex addict widow in Silver Linings Playbook.

Her role as renegade warrior Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games has propelled the sci-fi series into being one of the world's most popular film franchises and its global box office will likely exceed $3 billion when The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 is released in November.

Star quality: Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence, pictured at Comic Con in San Diego in July, was announced today as the winner of the Daily Mail Hot List film category

Forbes estimated that Lawrence has taken home $52 million in 2015, more than any other actress this year.

But there's more to stardom than screen time and a stellar salary. Why does everybody love Jennifer Lawrence? A significant reason could be she's more real than her A-list celebrity counterparts. Whether it's admitting to Googling unflattering pictures of herself or photobombing Sarah Jessica Parker at the 2013 Met Gala, women all over the world relate to J-Law while her sense of humor and tomboyish personality appeals to men.

Classy and crude in equal measure, Jennifer Lawrence connects to people with a unique down-to-earth, direct style that renders her unpredictable and indiscreet but never gets her on the wrong side of public opinion.

Look at what happened during the run-up to the release of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1. Dozens of private nude pictures of Lawrence were leaked online in September 2014 as part of the wave of hacks into celebrities' private online accounts.

Success story: Lawrence's role as renegade warrior Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games has propelled the sci-fi series into being one of the world's most popular film franchises

Yet instead of retreating or appearing contrite at the leaked photos, Lawrence came out fighting. 'It is not a scandal - it is a sex crime,' she said of the incident. 'It is a sexual violation. It's disgusting. The law needs to be changed, and we need to change.' The public firmly sided with her.

[Lawrence] takes the lead with her agents at CAA when it comes to choosing her roles. She's not one of those indecisive actors who relies heavily on others advising her what to do.

Then there was J-Law's reaction to an uncomfortable revelation arising from another hack. The confidential data disclosed by the Sony Pictures Entertainment hack last November included the news that Lawrence had received a smaller percentage of the profit pool from dramatic comedy hit American Hustle than her male co-stars Bradley Cooper, Christian Bale and Jeremy Renner. Rather than publicly take issue with the slight, Lawrence reportedly negotiated a $20 million salary for her role in sci-fi epic Passengers, the next film that she is making with Sony.

'Jennifer has the lethal combination of being a very modern girl but possessing old-fashioned movie star sensibilities,' says a producer speaking on condition of anonymity. 'Like Marilyn Monroe and Rita Hayworth, she is exuberant and animated without being irritating or overbearing. It's a rare quality in today's Hollywood.

'She also has great taste in what films to act in and takes the lead with her agents at CAA when it comes to choosing her roles. She's not one of those indecisive actors who relies heavily on others advising her what to do. I remember a few years ago a couple of people at the agency she was then with tried to warn her off from working with director David O. Russell [who has a reputation for being difficult] on Silver Linings Playbook. She was having none of it and ended up winning an Oscar for the part.

Sense of humor: Lawrence, pictured play-wrestling Lupita Nyong'o for an Oscar statuette backstage at the 2014 Academy Awards

Tomboy personality: Lawrence with Emma Watson at a Christian Dior couture show in Paris last year (left) and with Silver Linings Playbook and Serena co-star Bradley Cooper at a Cinema Society event in March (right)

Advantage, Lawrence: A potential drawback which instead has become a huge asset for the actress is her ditziness, most memorably demonstrated by her tripping over in successive years at the Oscars

'Her sheer range gets overlooked. She can do comedy, drama and action and mixes blockbusters with indie films. She's having too much fun in movies right now but she keeps getting a lot of offers to do TV and theater. I know one West End producer who asks her to go and act in London half a dozen times a year.'

Even before she was famous, she was dating obscure English actors. She adores the irreverent, cheeky Brit.

Another potential drawback which instead has become a huge asset for Jennifer Lawrence is her ditziness, most memorably demonstrated by her tripping over in successive years at the Oscars.

'I'll never forget seeing her leaving her limo in London to enter Soho House for a BAFTA Awards Party for Silver Linings Playbook and she lost her shoe,' says an entertainment source. 'Most celebrities would have been mortified by what had just happened but Jen turned it into a charming moment, like a scene out of Cinderella.'

But then Jennifer Lawrence has always done things her way. She was born in Louisville, Kentucky, the youngest of three children. She remains close to her mother, father and two brothers though she once confessed, 'My parents were the exact opposite of stage parents. They did everything in their power to keep it from happening. But it was going to happen no matter what.'

Red carpet risks: Lawrence has won the approval of the fashion set too, thanks to her sensational red carpet choices. In Dior at the 2014 SAG Awards (left) and Dior again at the Cannes Film Festival 2014 (right)

Powerhouse pair: Lawrence is currently collaborating with Trainwreck star Amy Schumer to write and act in a comedy. They will play sisters in the movie which could well prove to be the biggest comedy in years

Following a stint as a teenage model and minor acting roles, she aimed big. One notable career setback was being turned down for the role of Bella Swan in Twilight which went to Kristen Stewart. But soon afterwards she got cast in a tiny independent movie, Winter's Bone, which put her on the map, winning her an Oscar nomination to boot.

She downplays her intellectual side in favor of being terrifically fun company.

Her private life has been as colorful as her personality with relationships with X-Men co-star Nicholas Hoult and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. 'Even before she was famous, she was dating obscure English actors,' says the producer acquaintance. 'She adores the irreverent, cheeky Brit.'

Jennifer Lawrence is at home both pranking on a film set and painting during her downtime. It is the latter artistic side that defines her distinctive fashion sense. She knows how to shine on the red carpet as evidenced by the Prabal Gurang gold dress she wore to The Hunger Games premiere or her black and floral Christian Dior gown with midriff cutout she had on at this year's Met Gala. Off-duty she has a penchant for summery white dresses or Rag & Bone denim cut-offs.

On the map: Lawrence got an Oscar nomination for her role in 2010 movie Winter's Bone (left). And pictured in 2013 hit American Hustle (right)

Dream team: Lawrence has joined forces with Silver Linings Playbook co-star Bradley Cooper once again in this year's Serena

As well as resuming Katniss Everdeen duty, J-Law will soon be seen in Joy, a biopic of the home shopping entrepreneur Joy Mangano. Future films include an adaptation of John Steinbeck's East of Eden - previously filmed with James Dean - and playing a spy in Red Sparrow for her former Hunger Games directors Gary Ross and Francis Lawrence respectively. Most excitingly of all, she is collaborating with Trainwreck star Amy Schumer to write and act in a comedy. They will play sisters in the movie which could well prove to be the biggest comedy in years.

What is Jennifer Lawrence really like? 'She downplays her intellectual side in favor of being terrifically fun company,' says the producer. 'I once said to her, "It's your world and we're just living in it." She replied, "Take it back from me any time you like." But it really is her world.'