Welcome to Cast Countdown with Hamilton. I will be regularly introducing a member of the Hunger Games cast and discussing what it is that they will be bringing to the role of their character. Fair warning, just in case you have not yet read the book, there may be spoilers here.
Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne
About Gale: Gale’s father died in the same mine explosion that Katniss‘s father did, and has since provided for his family. He is slightly older than Katniss at 18 and is described as being rather tall – over six foot – and having a similar complexion and look about him as Katniss. He is a hunter as well, having learned from Katniss after becoming her hunter partner. His specialty is snares and strategy, which he taught Katniss, and later applied to the war. He’s very much opposed to the Capitol and not afraid to say so, which worried Katniss and causes him to get into trouble, especially later on in the series. While in the arena, Katniss often thinks about him and wonders what her feelings for him vs her feelings for Peeta might mean.
About Liam Hemsworth: Like Lawrence, Hemsworth does not quite have olive skinned, brown haired look of the seem, being a blonde Aussie. Makeup and hair dye seem to have taken care of that though. He is also, like most of the actors, a bit older, at 22. He is, like Gale, quite tall though at 6’3. He is the younger brother of the (for now) more famous Chris Hemsworth (Thor). Hemsworth has not had a lot of movie experience, getting his start in the Australian soap opera, Neighbors. His first starring role in a movie was 2010′s The Last Song, based on the Nicholas Sparks novel, alongside now-girlfriend, Miley Cyrus. With The Expendables 2 coming up this year also, and a number of other movies in the works on top of The Hunger Games series, Hemsworth has a lot on his plate right now and will undoubtedly become a very well known figure very quickly.
I have to admit, of all the casting choices, Hemsworth as Gale is the one that I am still not that sure about. I always pictured Gale as much more of a fit and trim woodsman, Native American esque with longer hair, and less of a muscular pretty boy. I worry that he will be bringing too much of the romantic hunk character to the role. I’m hoping that it’s only because I’m associating him with Nicholas Sparks and Soap Operas and that he has a lot more dimension to give. Those roles will surely come in handy though as some of the more emotionally intense parts of the story unfold. Still, he just doesn’t match up to my mind’s eye of who Gale was. Perhaps it is that I am coming from a guy’s perspective – I never thought of him as an object of affection, but as a capable survivor, scrappy and rough, who feels powerless despite his skills until later when they can be put to use.
I know mine may be an unpopular opinion, but it is what it is. What do you think, guys, do you get where I’m coming from? Girls, am I off base and Hemsworth is exactly how you pictured Gale? Let me know!
Welcome to Cast Countdown with Hamilton. I will be regularly introducing a member of the Hunger Games cast and discussing what it is that they will be bringing to the role of their character. Fair warning, just in case you have not yet read the book, there may be spoilers here.
Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark
About Peeta: The male tribute from District 12, Peeta Mellark joins Katniss in The Hunger Games. The son of a baker, his family is wealthier than most others in District 12 and does not come from the Seam. Still, they cannot even afford to eat the bread they bake unless it is too old or burned to be sold. He is of medium height, stocky, with ashy blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Years before the Reaping he had left some bread for Katniss as she was desperately looking through garbage for any food to feed her starving family. Though they were the same year in school, this was the only interaction the two had before the Games. Katniss had never forgotten the moment with the bread and resented the fact that she felt she owed the boy who gave it to her something. It wasn’t until later that she found out how he really felt about her.
About Josh Hutcherson: Hutcherson was 18 at the time of filming the first film. He is 5’7″ with brown hair and brown eyes. Like his co-star, Jennifer Lawrence, he was born in Kentucky. Acting since 2002, he has had a wide variety of roles, including an impressive resume of book to film adaptations. He has been in the film adaptations of Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Bridge to Terabithia, Zathura: A Space Adventure, and The Polar Express, often in starring roles. In addition to these, and other works, Hutcherson’s big breakout movie was the 2010 Oscar nominated film, The Kids Are All Right.
Hutcherson has said that he would like to appear in every type of film genre and his quickly growing resume has him well on his way to that impressive goal. He has shown a wonderful diversity of talent not often seen in younger actors.
Though he does not sport Peeta’s signature blonde hair and blue eyes – much to the chagrin of many fans – Suzanne Collins has said that it only took a few lines from him to convince her that he was the right one for the part. His hair color has been changed for the film, though it seems his eyes have stayed their natural brown. In any role I’ve seen him in, his character always struck me as having a “stocky” quality. Not necessarily physically (though he does have one of the most square jaws I’ve ever seen) but emotionally he is very present. From dealing with the issue of childhood death in The Bridge to Terabithia, to searching out his biological father and dealing with the unexpected consequences with his two mothers in The Kids are Alright, Hutcherson has had some extremely meaty emotional roles – ones that take great presence of mind to portray. To me, Peeta always had much more of an emotional presence than a physical one, and nothing I’ve seen gives me reason to think that Hutcherson cannot fulfill those expectations.
Below is perhaps the most emotionally intense scenes from The Bridge to Terabithia where Hutcherson’s character, Jess, learns about Leslie (warning, major spoiler if you haven’t read the book or seen the movie.)
One thing we haven’t really seen from him is action – unless there is an action intense movie that I haven’t seen. However, I did come across this great screen test Hutcherson filmed for the part of Peter Parker in the upcoming Amazing Spiderman movie in which he kicks some serious butt.
While there are some (such as my wife) who are not a fan of this casting choice (he’s “too pretty,” according to her), I am sold on Hutcherson as Peeta. He has shown a great control in how he conveys his emotions and looks like someone I could imagine being a baker’s son. In any interview I’ve seen with him, he’s extremely well spoken and seems like a likable person as well. Overall, I could not be happier with this choice.
Josh Hutcherson on IMDB
Josh Hutcherson on Twitter
Josh Hutcherson on Facebook
Welcome to Cast Countdown with Hamilton. I will be regularly introducing a member of the Hunger Games cast and discussing what it is that they will be bringing to the role of their character. Fair warning, just in case you have not yet read the book, there may be spoilers here.
Phillip Troy Linger as Mr. Everdeen
About Mr. Everdeen: Not much is known about the final member of the Everdeen family. He was a native of the Seam and is who gave Katniss her darker looks. He was killed in a mining accident when Katniss was eleven years old, leaving her to try to keep her family together and alive. It is said that his voice was so beautiful that the birds would go silent to listen when he sang. He was the one who taught Katniss how to hunt and survive.
About Phillip Troy Linger: Linger is not a well known actor, primarily appearing in bit parts in television shows and made-for-TV movies. He frequently plays a cop or sheriff. I was unable to find out anything on whether or not he sings. You can see a brief clip of him in the video below as a sheriff in The Jailhouse which recently made its network debut on Chiller. He appears in the clip at the 1:13 mark.
Even though Mr. Everdeen is not actually in any of the books, it is obvious that there will be some flashbacks in which Linger portrays Katniss’s father. He will surely be on screen for so little time that anyone that can pull off the “ruggedly handsome mountain man,” type look would be able to fill the part. Linger does have the brown hair and eyes with a slightly darker complexion (or a nice tan) that works. I am disappointed that I could find nothing on him singing since that would be the one important thing he might have to do. Honestly, though, his singing voice could easily be dubbed by someone else if that becomes an issue. Ultimately, this bit of casting doesn’t matter very much, but it is interesting to see what Mr. Everdeen looks like.
Welcome to Cast Countdown with Hamilton. I will be regularly introducing a member of the Hunger Games cast and discussing what it is that they will be bringing to the role of their character. Fair warning, just in case you have not yet read the book, there may be spoilers here.
Paula Malcomson as Mrs. Everdeen
About Mrs. Everdeen: Like her youngest daughter, Katniss’s mother does not look like most of the other inhabitants of The Seam, the poorest part of District 12. Her blonde hair, fair skin, and blue eyes are evidence of her heritage elsewhere. She is described as having been quite beautiful in her youth, but now is worn down and haggard. She did not deal with the death of her husband well and lost touch with reality, leaving Katniss to keep the family alive. She is a healer, and the time she is able to focus best is when someone injured needs her skills.
About Paula Malcomson: Malcomson is 40 years old and a native of Ireland. Her fair skin and blue eyes match the character’s description, and she is often seen with her darker hair died a much lighter blonde. Since 1992, Malcomson has had a large variety of roles on various films and numerous television shows. She has had recurring and starring roles on Caprica, Sons of Anarchy, The Event, Lost, Deadwood, ER, and more. This will be her first starring role in a feature film.
The clip below is from her motherly role on ER.
I have unfortunately seen very little of Malcomson. I remember seeing her on an episode of Star Trek Enterprise, as well as Lost, but she doesn’t stick out as being that memorable in either. She fits the visual profile quite well, though, in my opinion. At first I was wondering if she was too young looking, but thinking back to Mrs. Everdeen, I don’t think she really was all that old, she just looked and acted more worn and tired than her age. As I’ve watched clips of her acting in various shows, I’m convinced that she can pull off the emotionally damaged widow that is Mrs. Everdeen without a hitch. While not a major part in the book, she may have more onscreen time as we see her, and others’, reactions to what is taking place in the Games. I’m glad to have an experienced and versatile actor in the part.
Welcome to Cast Countdown with Hamilton. I will be regularly introducing a member of the Hunger Games cast and discussing what it is that they will be bringing to the role of their character. Fair warning, just in case you have not yet read the book, there may be spoilers here.
Willow Shields as Primrose Everdeen
About Primrose: Known as Prim, the younger Everdeen girl looks more like her mother and less like her older sister and most of the other inhabitants of The Seam, the part of District 12 in which they live. Her blonde hair, fair skin, and blue eyes make her stand out from the crowd. She is twelve years old in The Hunger Games and is facing her first year participating in the Reaping. Though she does not appear much in the first book, it could be argued that she is the single most important character to the story – being the catalyst for everything that happens when her name is unexpectedly drawn.
About Willow Shields: At eleven years old, Shields is the right age for the part and her fair skin and blonde hair match Collins‘ description, though her brown eyes do not. Shields is a relative unknown, having very little film experience. Her most recent, and only feature length, role is that of Grace, a homeless girl in the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, Beyond the Blackboard. She can be seen at the :08, :16, and :24 marks of the trailer below.
At this point it is too early to tell what the young Shields will be bringing to the film – she had no speaking parts in the trailer and what few video interviews with her we’ve seen have been very brief and mostly consisted of typical canned responses about how talented the cast is and that the movie comes out on March 23. It could be a bit worrisome that we haven’t really gotten to hear her in the trailer as that can sometimes be a sign of the editors trying to hide a weaker performer. However, in this part of the story especially, Prim is such a minor character that it shouldn’t matter even if that is the case. She is more of a symbol and the embodiment of Katniss’s emotion and ideals. Emotion is the number one thing she needs to show and evoke, and if you weren’t moved by her stricken performance in the trailer, it is possible that you are not human.
Bottom line, Shields seems like a lovely young girl with great looks who fits the part almost to a T and is able expressive her emotions very effectively with no words needed. I’m sure I speak for all of us when I say that I hope she continues to grow into a strong actress and can show us what she is capable of when March 23 comes around.
Welcome to the first issue of Cast Countdown with Hamilton. This is a new My Hunger Games segment in which I will be regularly introducing a member of the Hunger Games cast and discussing what it is that they will be bringing to the role of their character. Fair warning, just in case you have not yet read the book, there may be spoilers here.
Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen
I thought it fitting to start with the main protagonist, Katniss Everdeen, who is being played by Jennifer Lawrence in the film.
About Katniss: Katniss is described as having olive skin, grey eyes, and straight black hair that is often pulled back in a distinctive braid. She is sixteen in the first book, small for her age, but strong for her size. She takes care of her mother and younger sister Prim in District 12. Through necessity, she has become a master of archery and is a proficient hunter and survivalist.
About Jennifer Lawrence: Lawrence was twenty at the beginning of filming The Hunger Games and is around 5’7″ with naturally blonde hair. She’s been acting professionally since 2006 and got her first mainstream starring role as the oldest daughter on The Bill Engvall Show the next year. It was last year’s breakout role in Winter’s Bone that threw her into the spotlight and garnered her an Academy Award nomination for best actress. Since then she has also taken on the iconic role of Mystique in X-Men: First Class (along with Zoe Kravitz, Lenny Kravitz’ daughter). She most recently appeared in the romantic drama, Like Crazy.
There was some controversy when Lawrence was cast as Katniss. Some people were concerned that she was too old, too blonde, or too much of a “babe.” Others have accused Lionsgate of “whitewashing” the character – Lawrence is not the olive skinned, black haired girl Suzanne Collins wrote about. All of those arguments have some validity, but they all fly out the window for me having seen her performance in Winter’s Bone. Katniss is a role she seems to have been born to play. In fact, you can pretty much ignore all of her other roles when it comes to looking at what she’s going to bring to the table when it comes to portraying our favorite dystopian heroine.
There are striking similarities to Lawrence’s character Ree Dolly in Winter’s Bone, and Katniss Everdeen. In both cases, she is in a difficult situation of poverty and oppression where the law is not going to help her. She struggles to survive and care for her younger siblings and a mother who cannot care for them or herself. She’s forced to grow up quickly in the absence of a father and faces no shortage of obstacles in a situation where it seems like a winning move is nonexistent. If you want a preview of her role as Katniss and you haven’t seen Winter’s Bone, I would recommend it.
In the film it’s obvious that she is not afraid to get dirty, nor does she shy away from physical altercations. Lawrence throws herself into the role 100%, even learning to skin a squirrel with an expert hand that Gale would be proud of.
While there are plenty of characters that are just as important to the overall story as Katniss is, none of them are going to have to carry it. It is encouraging to see the role in the hands of someone who has proven she has what it takes to carry a film squarely on her shoulders – especially one with so much emotional and physical weight as Winter’s Bone has.
Bottom line – I think Jennifer Lawrence has exactly what it takes to be Katniss in every way. Do you agree? Do her age and ethnicity bother you?
