12 Actors Talk About Starring In 'The Hunger Games'
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The Hunger Games was incredibly popular when it first came out, quickly becoming one of the most popular young adult series to be adapted into film since Harry Potter. The unique world of the books detailed was full of interesting lore and an overall narrative that fans found themselves immersed in.
With a big franchise like The Hunger Games, there are a lot of details that fans might miss. That’s why it can be helpful to listen to the film’s actors talk about their roles and provide insight into the world of the movies. Not only are these the people responsible for bringing fans’ favorite Hunger Games characters to life, but they are often fans of the series themselves. Hearing what they have to say about the experience of filming the series can add a lot to one’s enjoyment or perception of the movies and what they meant to the people making them.
- Photo: The Hunger Games / Lionsgate
When Amandla Stenberg was cast as Rue in The Hunger Games, there was a racist subset of the book’s fans that were angry about the decision. Despite the character being described as Black in the book, these readers had hoped she would be played by a white actor instead, going so far as to say they found Rue’s passing “less sad” when she wasn’t white.
Despite facing so much racist backlash at a young age, Amandla Stenberg did not shy away from acting or the public spotlight. Instead, she said that it actually helped her realize how big of a platform she had and how much of an impact she could have if she utilized it correctly. Since her role as Rue, Stenberg has become involved in activism to help use her fame to create a better world.
- Photo: The Hunger Games / Lionsgate
In preparation for the first Hunger Games movie, the crew worked with the stars of the film to help develop their looks. This was an essential aspect of the film, especially for actors like Stanley Tucci, who were playing the extravagant residents of Panem’s Capitol.
When planning out how he thought his character Caesar Flickman should look, Tucci had a lot of different concept ideas. He liked the idea of making it look like Flickman had undergone plastic surgery, and he floated the idea of wearing a prosthetic nose to sell the look. While the nose ultimately didn’t work, Tucci’s other suggestions, such as Flickman’s tan and perfectly white teeth, did make their way into the final film.
- Photo: The Hunger Games / Lionsgate
Hunger Games star Josh Hutcherson was already acting for a while before he landed the role of Peeta. According to Hutcherson, landing the part might have been significant for his career, but he isn’t convinced he’d ever want to do something like it again.
Hutcherson explained that he got into acting simply because he wanted to make movies, and fame never really factored into his decision to pursue the career. Now that he’s tasted the fame a significant franchise role brings, Hutcherson has decided to take on more minor roles going forward. Though he wasn’t a big fan of the attention The Hunger Games brought him, he still acknowledges its positive impact on his ability to keep acting.
- Photo: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire / Lionsgate
Before starring in the movie Precious, Lenny Kravitz was mainly known for his music. His transition into film brought with it a change in how Kravitz looks at his work. He described his work as a musician as “self-indulgent” because he is entirely in control of what he makes, something that isn’t true when he is an actor.
Kravitz describes how in being an actor, he is there to deliver on what the director’s vision is for his character. His role in The Hunger Games somewhat parallels this shift for him, as his character Cinna’s work is also very dependent on pleasing others instead of indulging in his own ideas. As an artist, Kravitz says he felt connected to Cinna and didn’t envy his position of having to create art on other people’s terms.
- Photo: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 / Lionsgate
Although The Hunger Games was adapted from a young adult novel, actor Jeffrey Wright argued that the series has a broader appeal than its target audience. Part of what attracted him to the series was that it was relevant to a wider range of people across different age groups and political beliefs.
Wright also enjoyed his role as Beetee for the contrast he brought to the protagonist Katniss, played by Jennifer Lawrence. According to Wright, where Katniss is motivated by personal means, Beetee is more motivated by political ideals. He enjoyed bringing a new angle to the characters of the resistance.
- Photo: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 / Lionsgate
Although Donald Sutherland wasn’t familiar with The Hunger Games books, he said he was immediately attracted to the project after reading its script. Unlike the villainous President Snow he portrays in the film, Sutherland was hoping that the series would motivate young people to become more politically active. Sutherland pointed to the Occupy Wall Street movement as something he hoped to see more of from younger generations.
Sutherland enjoyed the film’s political messages and even had some input of his own on how to add insight into Snow’s totalitarian rule. Though Sutherland is not like Snow himself, his suggestions prove that he truly understood the character and what motivated him.
- Photo: The Hunger Games / Lionsgate
According to Woody Harrelson, he turned down the role of Haymitch in The Hunger Games multiple times before signing on. Though he had his doubts at first, he says he was very glad he ended up taking the job, especially due to the great relationships he formed with his co-stars.
Harrelson alluded to the fun set environment in an interview and shared one of the pranks he pulled on Liam Hemsworth. With the help of one of the film’s makeup artists, Harrelson made it appear as though he had gotten into a bad bike mishap. He told The Independent:
I am one of those guys who does sometimes like to make people laugh. I did one prank on April Fools’ Day where I got our make-up artist to come over to my house and make my face look like I’d been in a bad bike wreck and skidded, blood everywhere.
I rang [director] Francis Lawrence as I was supposed to film the next day and asked him what I should do. He said, ‘First, you need to get to the hospital!’. Then I called Liam and told him to come to the hospital to pick me up, but I made the name up, and of course, there was no such place.
- Photo: The Hunger Games / Lionsgate
Elizabeth Banks’ Hunger Games character Effie Trinket is the perfect window into the culture and over-the-top opulence of the Capitol. Due to Effie’s elaborate style, Banks spent a lot of extra time getting in and out of her wardrobe.
One of the worst aspects of her costumes was Effie’s long decorated fingernails. Banks explained that, due to the length of her nails, she often had to rely on assistants, which she referred to as her ladies-in-waiting. She elaborated:
I couldn’t type on my phone. I couldn’t go to the bathroom. I couldn’t get in and out of [the costume]. By the time I got to the lunch line, everybody was back in their trailers, done with lunch. I was like, ‘There’s no one to eat with! I just got here!’ It took me 25 minutes to get in and out of my costume. My lunch hour was a full 10 minutes of eating, and that’s it. But, it was fine.
- Photo: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 / Lionsgate
Julianne Moore is a pretty prolific actor, but by her own admission, she hasn’t done too many movies that are made for younger audiences. When she was given the chance to star in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, she took it due to her children's enthusiasm for the series. She knew that being a part of the series would mean a lot to her kids, so she took it even though it wasn’t the type of film she would typically do. She explained:
Most of the films I make are not for kids. My son was in line for the midnight show when The Hunger Games first came out. They both loved the books. For them, my being in Mockingjay was fairly meaningful.
- Photo: The Hunger Games / Lionsgate
Fans familiar with Jack Quaid as the good-natured and often heroic Hughie Campbell from The Boys might not remember that he was actually the villainous Marvel from The Hunger Games. In fact, Quaid’s character was responsible for killing the fan-favorite character Rue, played by Amandla Stenberg.
Ten years after the film’s release, Stenberg shared a video forgiving Quaid for having terminated Rue in the first Hunger Games movie. Upon seeing the video, Quaid fell to his knees and cried out in joy, saying he had been spit on in the streets for years due to his role in the movie. While this claim was clearly exaggerated for laughs, it was still fun to see the two actors interacting again and bringing some closure to their fictional feud.
- Photo: The Hunger Games / Lionsgate
In The Hunger Games, Liam Hemsworth plays Gale, one of Katniss’ two competing love interests. While the romantic scenes between Gale and Katniss may have been convincing on the big screen, Hemsworth revealed in an interview that they were actually pretty uncomfortable to film.
Answering fan questions on The Tonight Show, Hemsworth pointed to any scenes where he had to kiss co-star Jennifer Lawrence as the most awkward ones to shoot. Hemsworth made it clear that it was nothing to do with Lawrence personally but was more the result of a mean prank she used to pull on him. Any time they had a kissing scene coming up, Lawrence would admit to having eaten something with a strong taste, forcing Hemsworth to act like he was enjoying their kiss, even with a mouth full of fish or garlic taste.
- Photo: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 / Lionsgate
Many young actors probably fantasize about reaching the heights of success Jennifer Lawrence had achieved by the age of 21, but to her, it wasn’t all roses. In fact, Lawrence has stated that the stardom she gained from her role in The Hunger Games essentially robbed her of her identity.
More recently, Lawrence has taken her husband’s name for use in her private life as a means of separating her life and her work. While Lawrence wasn’t thrilled to ditch her birth name, she said fame had already taken it from her. She told the New York Times:
I was born with the name Jennifer Lawrence, but that got taken from me when I was 21 and I never got it back. So it didn’t feel like I was giving up anything. That name already belongs to them.
