UPDATE: According to The Wrap, Jennifer Lawrence has officially landed the role! While this wasn’t my first choice for the part, I think I can find some solace in her casting: more Jennifer Lawrence. And now that it’s official, I’m going to immediately stop complaining about her being cast. What good would it do? The choice has been made, won’t do anyone any good complaining about it any more.
But that doesn’t mean the worrying won’t stop. There is still plenty to fret over. We’re no closer to a Peeta and there are a lot of ways for them to fuck this up still. So if you were worried about having nothing to worry about, your worry if for naught. Now I’m even more worried that there is so much to worry over. When is this going to be released? March 23rd, 2012? Oh dear, that’s a long time to worry.
EARLIER: Seems like the cast of The Hunger Games is shaping up with Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson leading the pack to play Katniss and Peeta, respectively. While neither are official, Lawrence is the front runner for her part and Hutcherson just really really wants to play the part. He’s met with the director, but the production is meeting with a lot of young actors at the moment.
Ok, let’s break it down. For those who haven’t read the books, Katniss and Peeta live in a post-apocalyptic world where they are selected to take part in “The Hunger Games” – a sadistic national event where a representative group of kids are put in an arena to fight to the death (kid’s stories these days). Peeta is a baker’s son, optimistic in the face of death – but brave nevertheless. Katniss is a ball of spitfire – willing to do anything to protect her family and has been their sole provider since her father died in a mining accident. She’s wicked with a bow and arrow, but is troubled by the Game’s necessary violence.
I can see Hutcherson playing Peeta. The part is meaty, but it’s not Katniss. The actor will have to be tough, but underneath a soft exterior. Kinda like the Disney boy-stars who wants to break away from the Mouse, which I kind of see Hutcherson doing. There are a thousand actors who could play this part, but I don’t really see why Hutcherson would be exceptional. But I don’t think he’d be horrible in the part, either. I’m fine with this.
Lawrence on the other hand? I’m not so sure. Now, my love for Jennifer Lawrence is well documented – I just don’t think she’s the perfect choice for the role. My money was always on Hailee Steinfeld, I saw her in the part as I read the books. But I understand why they went with Lawrence. She’s 20 as opposed to Steinfeld’s 14 and the character is 16. I know actresses playing parts years younger than they are is nothing new, but this makes fiscal sense as well. Child labor laws would severely limit their ability to film if they chose an underage actress and Lawrence has way more experience in front of the camera. Both are beautiful girls who can play extremely strong women, see their Oscar nominated works in Winter’s Bone and True Grit. They’re both basically playing characters like Katniss. I just saw Steinfeld’s work in Grit as something closer to Katniss than what I saw in Winter’s Bone.
Or it could be that I saw Katniss as a brunette as opposed to Lawrence’s blonde. Something like that.
