Bryan Alexander

USA TODAY

Jennifer Lawrence in Star Trek Beyond? Who knew?

Simon Pegg says that Lawrence loomed large when writing the screenplay for the latest Star Trek (opening July 22), particularly for the new, butt-kicking character Jaylah (played by Sofia Boutella).

Pegg and screenwriting partner Doug Jung looked to Lawrence's powerful role in 2010's Winter's Bone for inspiration for the new ferociously independent character.

Pegg explained at a Star Trek Beyond press conference on Thursday how this J-Law affection morphed into Jaylah.

"We were trying to create this very independent character. But we didn't have a name for it. So we just called it 'Jennifer-Lawrence-In-Winter's-Bone.' That's a long name. So it started getting tiring always saying, well Jennifer-Lawrence-In-Winter's-Bone is fighting here. So then we started calling her J-Law. And then she became Jaylah."

"So (Jaylah) is actually named after Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone," Pegg said.

The Algerian actress Boutella inhabits the role with a fierceness, well, that would make J-Law proud.

"We love Sofia, she's a nutcase and a golden edition to this group," Pegg said. "There are not a lot of girls in Star Trek. Zoe (Saldana as Uhura) has a lot on her shoulders."