Speaking as part of the London Film Festival’s Screen Talk series, she said: “I think I lost a sense of control. Between The Hunger Games coming out and winning the Oscar [for 2012’s Silver Lining Playbook], I became such a commodity that I felt like every decision was a big, big group decision.

“When I reflect now, I can’t think of those following years, [because there was] just a loss of control.”

But now, the Don’t Look Up star feels she has clawed her idenтιтy back again.

She said: “It feels personal for me for the first time in a long time.”

Jennifer can next be seen in Causeway, a drama following a soldier struggling to adjust to being home after leaving combat with a brain injury, and she has also produced the film under her banner Excellent Cadaver, and she explained the significance of her firm’s name.

She said: “It’s a Sicilian mafia term for a hit on a major celebrity. It just made sense. I think there was a part of me that wanted to execute that part of me.”

Elsewhere at the event, the Joy star heaped praise on Robert De Niro for the way the screen legend calmed her nerves when they worked together on Silver Linings Playbook.

She said: “He’s a warm, sweet person. Obviously, it’s very intimidating (working with De Niro), but as soon as you meet him, he says ‘Call me Bob.’”

Although it is almost a decade since Jennifer won the Best Actress Oscar for her work on that movie, she admitted the achievement still hasn’t sunk in.

She said: “I keep thinking ‘When will it hit me?’ I don’t think it ever will.”