Jennifer Lawrence has praised her rumoured boyfriend, director Darren Aronofsky, in a new interview with Vanity Fair in which she admits safe-guarding her privacy is a full-time job.

Lawrence, 26, has refused to confirm or deny her relationship with the Academy Award nominee, who is 21 years her senior.

However, the pair have been photographed kissing, holding hands, sharing a lollipop and even campaigning together during the US presidential election.

Speaking to Vanity Fair, Lawrence hailed Aronofsky, 47, as “a visionary”.

The pair got to know each other while filming Aronofsky’s original horror movie Mother in Montreal, a project Lawrence signed on to do even before she saw the script.

Rumours they were dating started to spread in October and intensified earlier this month when paparazzi photographed them sharing a lollipop and walking Lawrence’s dog through New York City.

The duo were then snapped smooching, confirming their romantic ties.

On November 9, a student from Duke University in North Carolina shared a photo of Aronofsky holding up a phone with Lawrence’s face on the screen.

It was later revealed the director was offering students the chance to FaceTime Lawrence in exchange for them heading to the polls to vote in the presidential election.

https://twitter.com/EthanUdell/status/796117768143769604?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

For the notoriously private Lawrence, her romance with Aronofsky has been surprisingly public.

Lawrence has only ever commented on her relationship with ex-boyfriend Nicholas Hoult, who has starred alongside her in several X-Men films.

She was last linked to Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, 38, but neither ever commented publicly on their romance.

“I get very protective of my space,” Lawrence told Vanity Fair.

“[I]f I’m eating dinner and somebody comes up and a flash goes off from someone’s iPhone camera, I am really rude to that person. Then other people at the restaurant will see and be like, ‘Oh, damn, I don’t want to do that’. Privacy is a full-time job and I work very hard at it.”

Aronofsky with his former fiancee, actress Rachel Weisz. Photo: Getty

Aronofsky, meanwhile, is no stranger to dating a Hollywood star – he was engaged to actress Rachel Weisz, 46, for five years and the pair have one son, Henry, 10, together.

Aronofsky found fame after making his first film, a low-budget psychological thriller titled Pi, which he both wrote and directed.

After that critically acclaimed debut, he followed it up with another well-received film, the big-screen debut of Requiem for a Dream.

His subsequent work, including The Wrestler and The Fighter, earned him a reputation for creating original and thought-provoking films.

Lawrence with her ex-boyfriend, actor Nicholas Hoult. Photo: Getty

He cemented his reputation with the dark, ballet-themed drama Black Swan starring Natalie Portman. Aronofsky was nominated for a Best Director Oscar, while Portman earned the Oscar for Best Actress.

While Lawrence is yet to officially confirm her romance with Aronofsky, she’s already thinking about her wedding.

“All of my friends are getting married and having babies,” she told Vanity Fair.

“Weddings rock, but I will never be a bridesmaid again … There needs to be a bridesmaids’ union. It’s horrendous. If anyone asks me again, I’m going to say, ‘No. That part of my life is over. I appreciate the ask’.

“If I do ever get married, I don’t think I will have bridesmaids. How can I rank my friends?”