Friday, March 11, 2011

GIRL ON FIRE: Since I didn't see Winter's Bone, my sole exposure to Jennifer Lawrence has been her red carpet appearances (though I'll see her in X-Men: First Class, and may see The Beaver). As I result, I'm not quite sure what to think of reports that's she's close to signing a deal to play Katniss Everdeeen in The Hunger Games. From what I've seen thus far, she looks a little too old and too glamorous to play Katniss (though she's deglammed quite effectively in the clips from Winter's Bone I've seen)--two of the other finalists--True Grit's Hailee Steinfeld and Abigail Breslin--seem to fit the bill a little better. With Katniss cast, there's still a bunch of interesting stuff to be cast--Peeta, Haymitch, Gale, Rue, Effie Trinket (loved EW's pitch of Elizabeth Banks for the role), Cinna (Project Runway's Austin Scarlett?). Any suggestions?

25 comments:

  1. Dan Suitor11:48 PM

    <span><span>I've been saying it everywhere, but I'll repeat it: I think Chloe Moretz would do a great job as Katniss.</span><span>
    </span></span>

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  2. Joseph J. Finn12:29 AM

    Having seen her in Winter's Bone...I think she's slightly too old, though I'm not going to bet against her if she does play it. (My preference is Steinfeld)

    But if Abilgal Breslin wants to play Rue, I'm all over that.

    By the way, completely random thought the other day that four out of the five cast members of Zombieland have now been nominated for Oscars, Emma Stone being the only holdout.

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  3. Jenn C7:32 AM

    Hugh Laurie=Haymitch

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  4. Genevieve8:02 AM

    I've seen longer clips of Lawrence in Winter's Bone and she is definitely not too glamorous - she went fancy (kind-of -- more like Baywatch fancy) for the red carpet, but it was by contrast to her Winter's Bone character.  
    I would've liked to see Hailee Steinfeld - I guess she's too old for Prim?  There might be another character for her, though.  Ditto Chloe Moretz (one of the really tough, 'I'm gonna kill you all so stay out of my way as long as you can' characters).  Breslin could be Prim, but I think Rue should be African-American, unless I'm remembering the book wrong.  (please not Willow Smith, please not Willow Smith - unless she's a good actress like I remember her brother being in The Pursuit of Happyness, but the "Whip My Hair" overlay could really ruin it)

    I love the idea of Hugh Laurie for Haymitch, especially as my first choice, Randy Quaid, is unavailable.

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  5. Genevieve8:19 AM

    Look at the pix here from Winter's Bone - not glamorous.  http://www.blu-raydefinition.com/reviews/winters-bone-blu-ray-review.html
    Wonder if John Hawkes would be interested in Haymitch or another part?

    YES to Elizabeth Banks as Effie.  Or possibly Kristen Chenoweth.

    Helen Mirren for President Coin - that's who I pictured all throughout Mockingjay.

    Talented young actors who would be great to see in this (no specific roles in mind, and I'm including those over 18 if they can play 17/18):  Mae Whitman (please please), Keisha Castle-Hughes, Freddie Highmore (assuming he does a non-British accent), AnnaSophia Robb, Josh Hutcherson of Bridge to Terabithia and The Kids Are Alright (perhaps for Gale?), Ivana Baquero from Pan's Labyrinth, Miles Helzer (I wonder if he has the range for Peeta?  He does so well playing a sweet and decent kid on Parenthood, close to how I see Peeta at the start of the book.).
    I haven't seen Bailee Madison in anything since Bridge to Terabithia, but she's been getting nominations for her work, she's the right age for Prim, and was apparently in the Sarah Conner Chronicles and didn't object to being in violent scenes (so her parents likely wouldn't object to her being in the film).  And she has a lead role coming up in a Guillermo del Toro horror film.
    Would lovelove love  for Thomas Sangster to play someone, as he can be heartbreaking and endearing as well as funny (trying to remember him playing with an American accent?).  

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  6. christy in nyc8:29 AM

    Yeah, Rue is black. And she and Prim both need to look 12 to Katniss's 16. I know they'll probably fudge a lot of the physical descriptions, but the size and race differences/similarities for those three characters are pretty important if they care at all about the character-driven side of the story.

    I think Lawrence, Breslin, Steinfeld, or Moritz would be great as Katniss. I love that this past year-or-so of movies has brought so many solid candidates in the right age range out of the woodwork. A year ago it didn't seem possible that Katniss could be played by an actor we'd already heard of.

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  7. I noted that about Zombieland over on Twitter a few weeks ago.  If "The Help" is any good, Stone could well get a nomination this year.  (Technically, Zombieland had three other billed cast members--Amber Heard as the girl at the start, some guy as 'Clown Zombie," and Mike White as "Gas Station Owner."  White has two indie spirit awards, and should probably have an Oscar nod of his own for co-writing the title song for "School of Rock.")

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  8. I love Hugh Laurie and think he'd make an interesting Haymitch, but he might be a little too old .  Haymitch is no older than 42 at the events of the first book.  (He was no older than 18 when he competed, which was 24 years prior.)  This may be a little off-the-wall, but what about Matthew Perry in that role? 

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  9. Ramar9:33 AM

    Isn't Katniss *supposed* to look glamorous in red-carpet situations?  She just doesn't get many of them.

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  10. Anonymous9:52 AM

    She may be a little young, but I think Kristen Bell would be a great Effie, and she's overdue for a good role.

    Jennifer Lawrence could probably pull of Katniss, even if she's a little old, but when I was watching True Grit, I couldn't stop thinking about how near-perfect Hailee Steinfeld would be.

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  11. calliekl12:29 PM

    I've read that the purpose of having someone Jennifer Lawrence's age play Katniss is so the romantic parts aren't as... off-putting to a wide audience. Plus, a big part of the way that Katniss is glamorized is to make her sexy... I think it's mentioned that way in the book. Hard to get away with calling someone who is 14 or 15 sexy- opens up all sorts of cans of worms.

    Please see Winter's Bone. I loved it, and she was amazing in it, and almost plays a Katniss-type character. I think the other mentioned options would be almost too cutesy for the roll... especially at the beginning, Katniss is an outwordly quiet, gruff person... I don't see either Abigail Breslin or Hailee Steinfeld as gruff- they do cute too well.

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  12. calliekl12:32 PM

    My problem with this option is twofold- one, I don't think Perry can do dark (remember, Katniss thinks Haymitch is the enemy for large chunks of it)... which leads me to another issue- that I have yet to see him in something that I don't think it's Chandler playing a part- and Chandler can't be Haymitch.

    What about RDJ? I love the thought of him in this roll... he can do dark, he can do drunk.

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  13. Genevieve12:36 PM

    Hell yeah to RDJ.

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  14. Genevieve12:38 PM

    Kristen Bell is a great idea!

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  15. Joseph J. Finn12:47 PM

    Ooooh, that's an interesting idea.  I did get the impression that Effie is not that old since she's stuck with District 2 for the moment,

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  16. Robin1:32 PM

    Just from the TRAILER for True Grit, Hailee Steinfeld was my image of Katniss when I read the book (I am that jerk who wants every good book she reads to be a movie).  When I saw True Grit, this was confirmed. I will be disappointed if it is anyone but her.

    That being said, Jennifer Lawrence would be LEAST disappointing. Even though I think she is too old/too fair to really fit the LOOK, she's got the HEART of the character down. Ree in Winter's Bone IS Katniss pre-games, minus the SciFi setting. I know she's got the chops to play the role.

    And I will be a dissenting voice and say Willow Smith could be a great Rue, if she can play timid, which maybe she can't. I will lose my mind if they whitewash the other kids in the games.

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  17. isaac_spaceman1:36 PM

    As Ramar points out, Katniss is supposed to be beautiful.  She just doesn't know it.  That's what all of Peeta's whining about "she doesn't know the effect she has on people" is about.  The difficulty of casting this part is that the actress has to be hot enough to stay hot through all of her incessant self-pity without being so hot that it creeps people out because she's just a kid. 

    And then Peeta has to be a chiseled, muscular hulk but also a gentle soul, kind of a humanoid Ferdinand the Bull. 

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  18. Genevieve2:22 PM

    Well, and I know her brother can act.  I just am not a fan of "Whip My Hair," but before that, I had thought she might be good if she can act the part.

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  19. Joseph J. Finn2:25 PM

    Huh, didn't even remember that it was Amber Heard. Derek Graf (Clown Zombie) is a pretty damn busy stunt guy going by his IMDB page; I'm just amused that he's also Jason Segal's stunt double in the upcoming Muppets movie.

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  20. Genevieve2:58 PM

    More actors to play tributes:  Saoirse Ronan, Keke Palmer, J.R. Villareal, Alexis Bledel (she could be one of the older, former Tributes from Catching Fire), Jurnee Smollett, Michael B. Jordan, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Miller, Kodi Smitt-McPhee.
    Elle Fanning keeps getting mentioned for Prim.  Also a girl who was in Never Let Me Go as Young Kathy (I should see that), Izzie Meikle Small.  But I'm really liking the idea of Bailee Madison.
    Stacey Dash for one of the pampered, superficial women Katniss meets in District 1.

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  21. Genevieve3:01 PM

    David Tennant for Cinna!

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  22. Joseph J. Finn3:19 PM

    Hell and Yes as the kids would say (I keep seeing rumors of Tennant being considered for the Elf king in The Hobbit, by the way).

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  23. Michelle4:23 PM

    I second the recommendation to see Winter's Bone.  I have not read The Hunger Games, so I can't contribute to that portion of the conversation, but I can say that Winter's Bone is fantastic.

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  24. Adlai8:22 PM

    Armie Hammer as Finnick.
    Harry Shum Jr. as a Career tribute. 
    Zeljko Ivanek as President Snow.

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  25. Andrew1:46 PM

    I also haven't read The Hunger Games, but I did just watch Winter's Bone last night, and Lawrence was fantastic in it. 

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