With the Hunger Games quietly building its cast, we finally find out which two hunks will be vying for the affections of Jennifer Lawwrence’s Katniss.
Seems Team Peeta will be lead by Josh Hutcherson, while the gruff hunter pal Gale Hawthorne will be played by Liam Hemsworth
Josh Hutcherson (The Kids Are All Right) and Aussie Liam Hemsworth (whose brother is Thor) have both won roles in Gary Ross’ upcoming sci-fi tale that pits teenagers against one another in a televised match to the death. The Hunger Games is the first book in a trilogy that follows Everdeen, the story’s female protagonist who is forced to fight against other teenagers from District 12, the poor area of the fictional nation of Panem, one of whom is school chum Peeta Mellark (Hutcherson). Mellark and Everdeen enter into a fictional romance to get the audience on-side since outside support, and gifts, will only increase their chances of survival.
Hemsworth will play Gale Hawthorne, Everdeen’s best friend and hunting partner who also hails from the maligned district and who is presented as her cousin so as not to arise any suspicion that the Katniss-Peeta romance is anything less than real.
This is starting to make me a little wary of this adaptation.
I really think Jennifer Lawrence being cast as Katniss Everdeen was a publicity push since it came on the heels of her Oscar Nomination for Winter’s Bone. But at least they have a qualified actress in the role, so I have hope.
Katniss is 16 in the first book. And while Lawrence is going to be 21 or so by the time the movie is made, she could easily pass as a teenager. She has a petite slim look that matches Katniss’ description in the books. This could potentially be an issue as she is only 17 in the following two books which may become followup films years down the road.
Peeta Mllark is also 16. Josh Hutcherson has some boyish good looks that could make him look younger than his 23 years of age.
Now Gale Hawthorne is 18, and notably older than Katniss, but not by much. He is the same age as Jennifer Laurence, but looks more mature. This works too.
There will likely be some hair dye swapping these two guy’s traditional hair colours as Peeta is described as very light blonde, while Gale is very much dark haired.
What do you think of these picks?
I am on board with it.
Josh Hutcherson is 18, not 23. And while I doubt this is going to be the type of role that requires lots of acting chops, I actually think he proved himself a pretty strong actor in The Kids are Alright. I don’t see where the worries lay.
Well, from look alone Jennifer Lawrence is anything but petite slim. Curvy is more appropriate (which is not a bad thing). For me personally, she is just way to old for the character, although she is not a bad actress at all. I’m agree with your concern regarding the movie development in conjuction with the next 2 books in the future, as at least given the approximation of movie production timeline, at least it will take 3 or 4 projection years from now until the movie trilogy wrap up. She will be pushing 25. While in the book, Katniss just rolling past 17.
I wonder, what the intention behind the studio decision to give Katniss role to much older actress, while there are plenty of brilliant young actresses under 20 available nowadays. Better yet, why Hollywood keep giving teenage roles to someone alot older?
I hv no reservation on the actors choice thought…..
just a safe bet i guess, not too excited for this film, Hutcherson might have worked as spiderman though…
Who knows, maybe they are planning to ignore the age thing. In the first Percy Jackson book I think he was 11 or 12, in the movie he was old enough to drive.