‘Hunger Games’ Director Discusses Challenges of Casting Young Haymitch

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As a film critic with over two decades of experience under my belt, I must say that the challenge of casting young Haymitch Abernathy for the upcoming prequel “Sunrise on the Reaping” is reminiscent of finding a young Albus Dumbledore for the “Fantastic Beasts” series. The pressure to find an actor who can embody the essence of Woody Harrelson’s iconic performance while still leaving room for growth and development is immense.

However, as we saw with Tom Blyth’s portrayal of a young Coriolanus Snow in “Songbirds and Snakes,” it’s not about finding someone who will do an impersonation, but rather someone who can take the essence of Harrelson’s performance and make it their own. Director Francis Lawrence is right to avoid the temptation of simply casting a Harrelson doppelganger; instead, we need an actor with the talent and charisma to bring a fresh take on Abernathy while still honoring the character we know and love.

In short, whoever ends up playing young Haymitch better bring their A-game, because they’ve got some big shoes to fill! And if they can manage that, maybe they’ll even get a chance to play a tipsy mentor in a future Hunger Games film – I hear Woody Harrelson is always looking for someone to share his whiskey with on set.

As a die-hard Hunger Games enthusiast, I was taken aback earlier this year with the unexpected announcement that not only will there be a new prequel novel due in 2025, but a movie adaptation is set to release in 2026, titled “Sunrise on the Reaping.” This fresh installment from author Suzanne Collins delves into the 50th Hunger Games and heavily centers around the character of Haymitch Abernathy, previously portrayed by Woody Harrelson in the original films. Now, director Francis Lawrence is shedding light on some of the significant hurdles he’s encountering when it comes to finding the perfect actor for this role.

Discussing with ComicBook.com, Lawrence mentioned that casting a young Abernathy was similar to the task he faced when selecting a younger version of Coriolanus Snow, originally played by the late Donald Sutherland for ‘Songbirds and Snakes’. This role eventually went to Tom Blyth. He explained that the challenge isn’t just finding an actor who can embody Harrelson’s traits but someone who audiences will accept as growing up to become the mature character we knew from ‘The Hunger Games’.

In the movie “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” we needed an actor to portray a younger version of Donald Sutherland, didn’t we? That’s the challenge. While Donald and Woody have different traits, they are vastly distinct individuals. But you find yourself wondering, ‘How do I cast a young person who could convincingly grow into Donald Sutherland? Who has that kind of intelligence, sophistication, a touch of mischief, authority, and all those qualities. Who will embody and make believable the idea that they’ll transform into that character and become the president of Panem?’ And it’s the same dilemma with Haymitch.

In the novel “Songbirds and Snakes,” Blyth effectively portrayed a young Sutherland, while simultaneously adding his unique touch to the character. Given that Abernathy eventually matures into Katniss and Peeta’s troubled mentor, it will be intriguing to observe who Lawrence selects for the role. At the point where “Sunrise on the Reaping” is set, he is still a smitten boy who has yet to grow too weary of the world – that is until he takes part in the 50th Hunger Games.

Francis Lawrence Doesn’t Want Someone Who Will Do “An Impersonation” of Woody Harrelson

Lawrence elaborated further on his statement, delving into how Blyth’s portrayal of President Snow was not merely an imitation of Sutherland. Rather, the budding actor skillfully incorporated elements that made Sutherland’s performance captivating, and then infused his own abilities to mentor District 12’s Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) in the role. This way, the interpretation was unique yet reminiscent of Sutherland’s iconic portrayal.

Instead of casting someone who resembles him or imitates Woody Harrelson, we needed an actor who convincingly embodies the character. When Tom Blythe portrayed Donald Sutherland, it wasn’t an impersonation. To find such an actor, we had to discover someone who could make you think, ‘Ah, yes, I can see how this man at over 70 years old could transform into Donald Sutherland.’

Undeniably, whoever gets chosen by Lawrence to portray their character in “Sunrise on the Reaping” will find themselves facing significant expectations, given that Harrelson’s depiction of Abernathy in “The Hunger Games” continues to be fondly remembered by fans even today. Keep an eye out for the casting announcement, and in the meantime, enjoy revisiting the original movies streaming currently on AMC+.

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2024-12-30 23:32