Reasons Why Shailene and J-Law Aren't the Same Person

Greetings once again readers! I seriously seem to have been on a blogging roll lately, to say I'm proud of myself would be a massive understatement. However, I am not here today to talk about me, oh no, it's time to get serious. It seems that everyone fluttering around the world wide web has recently been comparing actresses Shailene Woodley and Jennifer Lawrence to one another. But why? Well, that is what I am here to flesh out in detail. First off, let's take a closer look at these two Hollywood starlets . . .

Meet Jennifer

I think we're all pretty familiar with the awesomeness of J-Law. If you haven't heard of her, I actually don't know where you've been for the past few years. Seriously, what movies do you even watch? Despite her widespread popularity, I've listed some fun facts below:

- She's 23 and was born on August 15th 1990 (Leos represent!)
- She's received a Best Actress Academy Award
- She's never taken an acting class in her life
- She was voted most talkative in the 7th grade
- She's originally from Louisville, Kentucky

And what movies is she best known for? Once again, I've listed them.

- Winter's Bone (2010)
- X-Men: First Class/X-Men: Days of Future Past (2011/2014)
- The Hunger Games Series (2012-2015)
- Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
- American Hustle (2013)


Meet Shailene

Recently, it seems that Shailene's been gracing our movie screens quite a bit. This time last year, I had literally never laid eyes on her name, yet now, it seems I can't escape it (in a good way of course). I guess I could forgive you if you don't know her by name just yet, but if you haven't ever seen her, I seriously worry about your disconnection from popular culture. To help you guys out, low and behold some fun facts:

- She's 22 and was born on the 15th of November 1991
- She's starred alongside George Clooney 
- She's originally from Simi Valley, California
- She began her career through commercial modelling
- She had scoliosis at age 15 and wore a back brace for 2 years

Time for another film and TV round-up . . .

- The Secret Life of an American Teenager (2008-2013)
- The Descendants (2011)
- The Spectacular Now (2013)
- Divergent (2014)
- The Fault in Our Stars (2014)

Congratulations, you're now officially up to speed with the rest of the world (you know what they say, slow and steady wins the race - however what race this is, I have no idea)! So now we've got the basics over and done with, we can officially get down to business.

Similarities

Obviously the comparisons between these two actresses aren't coming out of nowhere, because even I can admit that there are quite a few parallels. What are these exactly? Well for one, they both happen to be female which I guess is an important factor, as well as the fact that they're both in their early 20's. Is that enough to spur these constant comparisons? Not so much. Admittedly, there are a bunch of other factors as well, which I've decided to list below so you can make an informed decision.

1. They Both Happen to Star in Ridiculously Popular Movie adaptions of Young Adult, Dystopian Novels

Do I even need to expand on this? It's no secret that J-Law plays the strong female heroine of 'The Hunger Games' Katniss Everdeen, while Shailene plays vanity rejecting protagonist Beatrice Prior in 'Divergent'. 

2. They Both Tend to Speak Without a Filter

This I find is quite an admirable quality, one that is often hard to find in Hollywood. So of course, this rarity automatically makes people associate the two actresses with one another. 

3. They're Both Awesome Actresses Who Have Worked with Experienced Awesome Actors

Having seen quite a few of their movies, there's no doubting that these starlets certainly back up all the hype that surrounds them with some substantial on-screen talent. The fact that J-Law got to work with Robert De Niro in 'Silver Linings Playbook' and Shailene got to work alongside George Clooney in 'The Descendants' also happens to be pretty cool. 

And that, I kid you not, is the extent of their similarities. 

Differences

Considering the similarities pretty much mainly consist of their gender, their age and their roles as leading ladies on the big screen, it's time to put this myth to rest. I don't know about them, but I always get super annoyed when everyone compares me to other people, so I can't imagine how these two feel when they're trying to forge their own paths in the messy land of Hollywood. However of course, as well as the minor similarities, there are a bunch of differences that people seem to be conveniently overlooking, which of course I've decided to list as well.

1. They Have Completely Different Diets (and Beliefs)

This may seem trivial to you at first, but when you find out more, you'll definitely be on the same page. I mean, you're probably thinking 'how can what a person eats shape who they are?', yet you could not be more wrong.

Jennifer has expressed many a time her love for all that is eating (because let's face it, who doesn't?).

But what exactly does she chow down on?

Answer, the awesomest kinds of food in the world. However, hippy-esque Shailene would most definitely not be on board with this diet. I mean, processed junk foods, I think she'd absolutely die. What does she opt for instead? Clay! No, I'm not making this up. Miss Woodley has expressed many a time the health benefits of consuming mouldy layers of soil, eating it as a part of her detoxification diet. According to her, the clay 'binds to other materials in your body and helps your body excrete those materials that aren't necessarily the best for you'. Am I interested in this? Kind of. Would I be game to try it? Hell no. Not only does she enjoy munching on some clay, but she also frequently goes foraging for stinging nettles and gathering fresh water from mountain streams which she carries around in her very own personal Mason jar (because of course, she's against the use of plastic bottles). I guess you have to admire her strength of character. I mean, she even whipped out the root of a horseradish on Jimmy Fallon!

This isn't just about slightly differing diets, oh no, this also has to do with clashing ideologies. The sassily laid-back vs. the hippie environmentalist. One put in an order for pizza at the 2013 Oscars, while the other spends their free time making their own tooth paste. They're like chalk and cheese (because let's face it, chalk will probably be making it's way onto Shailene's menu soon enough). 

2. They Have Different Levels of Experience

There's no doubting that both these actresses have been in their fair share of films throughout their career, and in that respect, I'd say their level of experience is proportional, but in terms of being in the spotlight? It's not comparable in the slightest. Jennifer has been the recipient of international idolisation for a while now, not to mention she's one of the most quotable people ever (the tumblr appreciation is ridiculous!). Don't believe me? Feats your eyes upon the gif below.

She knows how to handle all the attention, and has proved that her unique personality is unwavering in the face of fame and the pressures of show businesses. Not to mention, she just so happens to have won an Oscar. But Shailene? She's only a newbie when it comes to the Hollywood hall of fame. She got a couple of big gigs, and has now captured everyone's attention. Sure, she's true to herself now, but will that continue? We just don't know yet. I mean, I have no doubt that she'll stand firm in her beliefs, but there's no way to be entirely sure just yet while she's only starting out. I expect that she has a long career ahead of her, but as of now, she's only been in the spotlight for a few months. However, so far, she's proven her awesomeness. 

3. They Don't Share the Same DNA

When it comes down to it, they are different people with different DNA, and no one can tell them or anyone else otherwise. They lead separate lives and have different interests, so how could they possibly be described as identical? It's just ridiculous, and anger inducing (if you're weirdly touchy like I am). I personally think we should just appreciate the different things that make them individually awesome and quit these stupid comparisons. Even Shailene agrees!

I've now reached the end of my little, slightly ranty post. This has just been bothering me a lot lately, and what better way to vent than on the internet? I really like both Jennifer and Shailene individually, so the fact that they're constantly being compared and described as the same person is just stupid and annoying. So just be cool and accept that they're totally different, okay? Okay. Til' next time . . .

Annabel xx