TMB Casting Agency: The Hunger Games Movie

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins was picked up for a movie to be produced by Nina Jacobson (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) over a year ago. It wasn’t until then that I even bothered to read the young adult series, but I found it gripping and graphic. Now since that has been announced there has been NO movement on that front. The rights to the film are bought, but it seems that they are not doing anything just yet.

So I took it upon myself to introduce a new feature here at TMB where we cast movies that haven’t been cast yet. Then should the film come out we can compare our picks to what really happens to see how close we are.

The Hunger Games is a young adult book that features a fictional world of Panem (though some speculate it is a post apocalyptic United States). The nation revolves around a splendid and visually stunning Capitol and 12 numbered Districts that each provide the Capitol with a specific industry.

According to their history, a 13th district once existed, and when they rebelled against the Capitol, it was wiped out and the punishment to the other Districts to ward off thoughts of rebellion was the Hunger Games.

Each year one male and one female (between the age of 12-17) from each district would be chosen at random to fight to the death in an elaborate arena, and aired as entertainment. The winner would be rewarded for their survival, while the losers were a harsh reminder of the punishment for rebellion.

The books are great, touching on some very mature concepts to introduce to young readers. Its a gripping read, and a second book has already been published with a hotly anticipated third book coming out this August.

If it were to finally be made into a movie, this is how we see it playing out. If we had any say…

Katniss Everdeen – Alexandra Daddario
Katniss is slender 16 year old with black hair, grey eyes and olive skin. She is often quiet and is generally liked by District 12’s residents, mostly because of her ability to provide highly-prized game for a community in which starvation is a constant threat. Katniss has been the sole provider for her family, a role she was reluctantly forced to assume at the age of eleven when her mother’s grief overcame her ability to function.

Alexandra Daddario is the perfect visual for who I see in my head reading these books. She has a maturity beyond her very young looks, and physically she matches the book’s description of her. After seeing her in Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, this is how I see Katniss.

Peeta Mellark – Jesse McCartney
The 16-year-old male tribute from District 12. He is described as being “medium height with a stocky build” and has “ashy blond hair that falls in waves over his forehead” with blue eyes. Upon arriving in the Capitol, it is discovered that Peeta has an instinctive ability to perform on camera and manipulate public sentiment. He has harbored a secret liking for Katniss since they were five that continues through the Games. He is rarely moody or upset and generally takes things lightly.

This young voice actor and popstar has had some on screen presence as well, and visually this is what I think of when I picture Peeta Mellark and I think he would do well to draw the girly swooning admiration the fans of this series have embodied in the lovestruck suitor to Katniss’ affections. His boyish good looks would make it easy for him to pass as 17.

Rue – Abagail Breslin
The 12 year old female tribute from District 11. She formed an alliance with Katniss. She was small and dark skinned from working all day long. Her love of music inspired her to teach Katniss a simple, 4-note melody which she used to signal quitting time in the orchards back home. She reminds Katniss of her younger sister Prim, which played a major factor in her deciding to team up with her.

Breslin has the ability to capture the heart strings and this is a due requirement of Rue. Rue embodies the harsh reality of the Games, and Abigail could bring that charm and appeal to such a young soul.

Gale Hawthorne – Kevin Zegers
An 18-year-old who is Katniss’s best friend and hunting partner. Like Katniss, he has dark hair and gray eyes. His father died in the same explosion that killed Katniss’s father. The pair have combined their respective talents, his at trapping and hers at archery, to become a highly effective team. Their success makes them fixtures at District 12’s black market, where they trade their illegal game for other valuable items. He is in love with Katniss as well, and his unrequitted love becomes a love triangle that tugs at Katniss.

Zegers is a bit of an unknown, but still has been around for quite a while. His rough and tumble looks match Gale’s stern presence, but he is still prettyboy enough to swoon the girls and present a real conflict for Katniss’ affections.

Haymitch Abernathy – Kurt Russell
A “paunchy, middle-aged man” who was the victor of the 50th Hunger Games. Since winning made him independently wealthy, he has spent almost all of his intervening leisure intoxicated to the point of embarrassment. Being the only surviving Hunger Games champion from District 12, Haymitch acts as a mentor for Peeta and Katniss before they enter the Games, as he has for every couple in the twenty-five years since his own victory. He is often sarcastic and anything but sober, which Katniss finds highly irritating. However, when pushed, he emerges as the pair’s greatest advocate and shows himself to be highly canny as he guides his protégés in a cleverly designed, highly unorthodox strategy aimed at securing the survival of both tributes.

Kurt Russell plays broken really well. Just watch Stargate to see him as the perfect loving father figure with survival and instinct behind those soft caring eyes. Made callous by his repeated involvement in the brutal games, his caring for this particular pair of tributes brings out his best side.

Cinna – Hugh Dancy
Katniss’ stylist, responsible for her public appearance. After designing the spectacular outfits of the opening ceremony, which included igniting Katniss and Peeta’s costumes, he calls Katniss “The Girl Who Was on Fire.” Cinna is in his first year as a stylist for the Games and his audacious designs immediately win over the audience for Katniss and Peeta. Despite (or perhaps because of) his professional interest in images, Cinna proves to be better than most at seeing through the superficial spectacle of the Games to their barbaric core. He and Katniss establish an easy, comfortable relationship and he demonstrates a genuine concern for her well-being.

The every charming Hugh Dancy is a fan favourite for the role, and I have to agree. He could pull off this charm, presence and ambition very well.

Effie Trinket – Miranda Richardson
Effie works as an escort for District 12, particularly to Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. From drawing the tributes at the reaping to escorting them to the Capitol, Effie Trinket does it all. At first, she detests her job, doing her best to be promoted to a better, richer district. But as time goes by, Effie gets attached to her District 12 acquaintances. Effie Trinket has bright pink hair, speculated to be a wig. Effie can be a bit of a airhead at times, totally oblivious to the sorrows and misfortunes that fall upon District 12. She’s very strict about manners and being “proper”, as that is the Capitol’s way.

After seeing Richardson as Rita Skeeter in Harry Potter, I can’t get that stylized bold personality out of my head. Miranda Richardson does many different outrageous roles and looks very different in all of them but she manages to do them all well.

Primrose Everdeen – Jodelle Ferland
Katniss’ little sister. She is 12 years old and has her name put in the reaping for the first time. She was originally chosen as the District 12 female tribute but Katniss volunteered in her stead.

No one ever volunteers to take another’s place in the Games, so when Katniss’ little sister is put up, the strong devotion and sacrifice required would have to have some pull. Jodelle Ferland has that draw of innocence that Katniss is sacrificing herself to spare.

There are others in the cast such as the other Tributes in the Arena, but these are the main players that will make up the cast. Its difficult to say if any of these will stick as these actors are mostly pretty young, and if the movie doesn’t get made soon some of them may be too old to pass off as teenagers.

Have you read the Hunger Games? How close am I with my picks? What would you pick instead?

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56 thoughts on “TMB Casting Agency: The Hunger Games Movie

  1. First of all, Katniss (in the book) has OLIVE skin color, not on the lighter side. And if anyone read the book, Rue is supposed to be darker than Katniss with brown eyes. I don’t understand why people in the mainland want only famous actors in their movies, why can’t we start off original and find new actors?

    1. The “mainland”? I dont know what that is supposed to mean.

      And when making guesses for actors to play the parts, we have to choose existing stars because we cant name off unknowns. They are unknown.

      And if they skimp on it and use a less than Olive skinned actress I doubt it will break the movie. Her skin tone does not define her character. Besides, the reason I picked that actress was for her talent and her less than mainstream presence. Also, the ONE illustrated image of Katniss we have seen (official Hunger Games website) looks a lot like her.

  2. i disagree with your choice of katniss, but all the other casting is good. it does say in the books that katniss has olive skin. alexandra, i believe, has too pale skin to play her. most of the choices i have seen for katniss have the same problem.

  3. What about Selena Gomez as Katniss?? I think she would fit in perfectly…
    For Haymitch I would pick Hugh Laurie, too, other than that I agree wholeheartedly with Rodney :)

  4. I totally agree with who you’ve cast for Rue, Gale and Prim.

    However, Hugh Dancy as Cinna??? I know that’s a fan favourite, but please, NO! Not how I imagined Cinna at all. I think if anyone can pull Cinna off, it’s Adam Lambert. That’s who I pictured everytime I read one of Cinna’s scenes.

    As for the others, I think Kurt Russell is a bit old to play Haymitch. Jesse doesn’t look anything like how I pictured Peeta, and something just seems…off about Alexandra as Katniss.

    But hey, that’s just my opinion. I think Abagail Breslin is perfect for Rue, or maybe Prim. Either. :)

  5. I also think rue and prim should be different I don’t know who should be them intead but the ones that were choen don’t seem… right… to me at least if you dissagree go ahead and say so.

  6. What would you pick instead?
    I have read the Hunger Games and they are my favorite books so far! I think your picks were okay… But who I would personally pick if I could would be Emily Browning as Katniss, Either Jake Abel or Austin Butler as Peeta, Ryan Whitney Newman as Prim, Chris Massogila as Gale, Johnny Depp as Haymitch,and John Patrick Amedori as Cinna. I’m really not sure how young Effie is supposed to be so I cant really name an actress for her… :/

  7. I always thought that H. Laurie (Dr. Gregory House from House) would make a great Haymitch. He has the same dry humor and sort of fits the general description of him in the book. I think Laurie has that kind of dry humor Haymitch has, but can still play the seriousness of some of Haymitch’s scenes. In my opinion, he would make the best Haymitch.

  8. Why are you so sure that Rue it not black? I felt certain from her description, and the description of district 11 from the second book, that she was black. The Description of 11 was that it is located south of and was much warmer than 12. I got the feeling that the author was comparing the oppression of that district to a slave run plantation from the old south.

    1. Why would you think she was? The book clearly says that her skin was dark from exposure to the sun. Why say it was from spending most of her days in the sun if she was dark for any other reason?

      1. I like your picks. Most of them i haven’t seen before. I think that Abigail Breslin should be Primrose, though. And Rue should be played by Alana Locke. Just my opinion. I don’t pay enough attention to character descriptions, so I didn’t think that Rue had dark skin until people kept saying that she was dark skinned. But it does say darkened by the sun in the book…. I think Alana Locke would be perfect. And Prim has blonde hair and fair skin like her mother. Mrs. Evergreen – Naomi Watts. I think Agnes Bruckner could be either Katniss or Clove. Or Katniss could be played by Jessica Stroup, maybe, although I like your pick for Katniss, too. I like Alex Pettyfer as Peeta, and Cameron Bright as Gale. Kevin Zegers would probably make a good Gale, too, though. There are so many options for Haymitch, and I think I’d be happy with any actor in that role. Miranda Richardson would be a fabulous Effie Trinket, but I still haven’t found someone who looks quite how I imagined her. I don’t like Cinna played by Hugh Dancy, ugh. No offense at all, he just doesn’t look at all how I imagined Cinna. I also think the red-headed Avox girl should be played by Hayley Williams, and I haven’t figured out the rest. :P I like most of your picks, though!!!! ;)
        -V ;)

  9. Must say you have a lot of good picks . . . except for Rue. Rue is black, so Abigail Breslin doesn’t really fit that part. “And most hauntingly, a twelve-year-old girl from district 11. She has dark brown skin and eyes, but other than that, she’s very like Prim…”

  10. Nah, I think Kaya Scodelario should be Katniss, Elle Fanning should be Prim, Alana Locke should be Rue, and Hunter Parrish should be Peeta.
    But I like your other choices :)

  11. I dont agree with some of your choices. Prim has blonde hair and light eyes. Rue has dark skin and black hair. Your pick for Peeta looks to “old” to me. Haymich looks too old to me as well. I don’t picture Gale or Katniss like that either. Gale actually looks older yet younger.He has a bit of a beard yet he is only 18. Katniss just isnt “Katniss” enough. Those are just my oppinions though. I can`t wait for the movie!

    1. Its fine to disagree, but please go to the official Hunger Games website where they have illustrations of Katniss and Peeta.

      This girl looks JUST like Katniss’ illustration on the offical site.

      As far as hair colour, you can easily dye hair or get a tan to change any of those other minor things

    2. I sort of agree with Allie I think that Peeta should be played by Alex Pettyfer because peeta hs CURLY blond hair not those spikes that
      jessie calls hair (no offense he is so hot!)and his face I don’t know it just seems wrong, and Haymich sould be played by Jonny Depp cuz if you diried him up a bit he could pass in my opinion or if you don’t think so then just stick Hugh Laurie in there and then BOOM Haymitch. Then Effie shold beplayed by a younger lady like Kristen Chenoweth, she shouldnt be old and wrinkley. Also Gale shouldn’t be sooooo… Goth, i thin he should be Nicolas Hoult. If you don’t beleive me you can look up these Actors/Actresses any time and think long and hard about if I’m wrong.

      1. also jonny depp would be good as haymitch cuz he did jack sparrow the drunk captain on pirates of the carribean so he has experience playing the role of a drunken old guy.

  12. HA!
    I actually agree with your casting role only…
    I think who you have as rue and Primrose should be switched.
    that and I dont think Haymitch is really that old.
    The character description from the book and how he is basically, doesnt seem to fit.
    I’d give my own examples, but eh, I dont have a clue about the actors names and such. I just recognize em.

    Good job though.
    Can’t wait for the Movie!

  13. The premis for this movie has a little bit in common with the plot for Battle Royal. Not saying it’s a bad thing, just sounds a little similer. I loved the Battle Royal movies, so I’m deffinetly excited for this one.

    1. I’ve read the book and it pretty much IS Battle Royale for a younger audience…but don’t let that detract you. The book really is quite a damn good read. I have yet to read the sequel though, so I don’t know what that one is like.

      1. Ya the sequel is okay you’re going to like the books!
        I read the trilogy twice over Thanksgiving break!
        The second half of mockingjay wasn’t my favorite though!

        To the issue of casting!
        I think that Gale should be played by an unknown actor.
        Nothing is better than helping some one pursue their dream!
        I think Rue should (not t o be at all raisist) be played by a black
        girl. Katniss, in my opinion, should be played by Megan Fox!
        She has to be skronny so why not? Besides, since Megan Fox
        isn’t preoccupied with Transformers anymore it’ll be even better!
        Last, Haymitch should be played by Robert Downey Jr.

        Fingers crossed Jackblack won’t get the part for Haymitch!

        ~sincerely {kinda)
        ~obsessive reader
        ~topazeyez17

    2. I think the comparison to Battle Royal is pretty superficial. Kids kill each other true, but that is like saying Star Wars, Star Trek and BSG are the same because they have star ships.

      The point of BR was to control population–done. The point of the Hunger Games is for The Capital into exert total control over the 12 Districts that make-up this post-apacalypic US (Capital destroyed the 13th after the Districts rebelled). Only one kids lives and he/her district gets great rewards for one year, until the next games. Also The Captials population treat the whole spectacle as one big gambling reality TV show complete with forced love stories! Even better the kid who wins get to travel around the country meeting with the parents of the kids they just killed– yah!

      The book is great! As is the 2nd book in the series (which actually made the story even better) and I have high hopes for the conclusion. Worth the read.

      1. The Comparison is valid, and it goes deeper than your example of saying Star Trek and Star Wars are the same because they have space ships.

        Both movies have children being herded to fight to the death in a contained environment. The why and how they got there is the only real difference, aside from that there are some very strong parallels.

  14. well i’m curious what you would think Rodney, because I am not so knowledgeable about the actors out there.

    Anna Sophia Robb comes to mind for Katniss, she has that optimistic feel to be the talk of the town. I don’t know if Robb can best your pick though because maturity doesn’t “quite” come to mind when I think of Robb’s performances.

    otherwise…I can’t think of someone better for the others.

    1. Robb just doesn’t feel right for the role. She usually plays over confident enlightened girls (so far) and that just doesnt feel like Katniss to me.

      Good actress, but not right for the role.

      1. i totaly agree with you on that one. I found a couple of actresses that i thought of when imagining Katniss – Troian Bellisario/Nina Dobrev/Willa Holland. The last two especially.

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