Ralph Fiennes Joins Hunger Games as President Snow in Sunrise Prequel

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The odds are certainly in Ralph Fiennes‘ favor.

62-year-old actor from the show “Conclave” has been added to the illustrious cast of “The Hunger Games: Sunrise at the Reaping,” where he will portray President Coriolanus Snow, a character from Suzanne Collins’ book adaptation.

Indeed, Fiennes is the third performer to breathe life into the renowned villain. Previously, the role was portrayed by the late Donald Sutherland in the initial Hunger Games films, while Tom Blyth stepped into the character as a younger version in the 2023 prequel The Ballad of Songbird and Snakes.

Producer Nina Jacobson expressed her intention to pay tribute to Donald Sutherland by selecting one of today’s top actors for the role of President Snow, as stated in a press release. She also mentioned that this was 24 years prior to when Katniss Everdeen first stepped into the arena.

In November 2026, a new film in the Hunger Games series is scheduled for release, marking the sixth installment. This upcoming movie will delve into the 50th Hunger Games, or the Second Quarter Quell, which happened 40 years after the prequel released in 2023 and 24 years prior to the first Hunger Games film from 2012.

In the heart of my fandom, I can’t help but excitedly share that the main tale in this upcoming installment revolves around none other than 16-year-old Haymitch, a character famously portrayed by Woody Harrelson in the initial five films and now to be brought to life by Joseph Zada in the latest chapter. You might remember Haymitch as a Hunger Games victor who guided Katniss and Peeta through their own games in the original novel and on-screen adventures. In this new story, “Sunrise at the Reaping,” we’ll witness an unexpected turn of events – our beloved mentor himself will be selected as tribute!

Added to the cast are Whitney Peak, Jesse Plemons, McKenna Grace, Maya Hawke, Kelvin Harrison Jr., and Lili Taylor.

In his new role as the ruthless leader of Panem, Fiennes is not new to portraying intense characters. Over three decades ago, he played a Nazi officer in the film “Schindler’s List,” and more recently, he embodied the infamous character of Lord Voldemort in the final four “Harry Potter” movies.

In an interview for CBS News Sunday Morning back in October 2024, Fiennes expressed that he’s often been given roles as villains and psychopathic characters. However, he enjoys portraying characters with internal conflicts instead.

For secrets about the Hunger Games franchise, read on…  

I genuinely mean it when I say that numerous young actresses were eager to take on the role of Katniss Everdeen in “The Hunger Games,” a character who masterfully wields a bow and arrow. Among those who auditioned were Hailee Steinfeld, Abigail Breslin, Emma Roberts, Saoirse Ronan, Chloë Grace Moretz, Jodelle Ferland, Lyndsy Fonseca, Emily Browning, Shailene Woodley, Kaya Scodelario, and Troian Bellisario. However, it was Jennifer Lawrence, who had already earned an Oscar nomination, that director Gary Ross had his sights set on from the very start.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly back in 2011, Ross stated that he unequivocally chose the perfect actor for the role of Katniss, and in his opinion, there wasn’t any debate about who was the best fit. He further added that it was the most straightforward casting decision he ever made throughout his career.

2. However, Lawrence was uncertain if she was ready to accept the part, as she was apprehensive about the magnitude of fame that would come with it, similar to the experiences of Twilight‘s stars like Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson.

At midnight in England, I was fast asleep when the call came, as Lawrence shared with MTV News. The books and script had captured my heart completely, and then, all of a sudden, it was there before me – overwhelming in its significance. However, it was my mother, Karen Lawrence, who provided the encouragement I needed to take on the movie role.

As an ardent admirer, let me share a poignant moment: “She labeled me as a hypocrite, claiming that while I was engrossed in indie films and fielding questions about studio movies, I asserted ‘The scale of the film isn’t significant.’ This resonated with me profoundly when she pointed out a movie I adored, which I had considered turning down due to its size. In that moment, I realized, ‘I don’t want my fear to prevent me from experiencing something incredible.’ Fear has never been an ally of mine, so I vowed it wouldn’t hinder me again. Deep within, I yearned for the opportunity – it was about conquering my apprehensions.

3. Following the official announcement of Lawrence as Katniss, the internet, as it often does, became angry due to the fact that the 20-year-old actress was older than the character (who is 16 in the first book) and had blonde hair. However, Ross wasn’t troubled by the initial criticism, explaining to Entertainment Weekly that the author of The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins, who also co-wrote the script, endorsed Lawrence’s casting.

The filmmaker stated that Suzanne didn’t mind Jen’s age, but felt strongly that the actress playing Katniss should possess a specific level of maturity and strength because the character is leading a revolution. She emphasized that it wouldn’t be appropriate to have an underdeveloped actor portray Katniss and also pointed out that she was worried about casting someone too young for the role. Instead, Suzanne expressed her concern was more about being too young rather than too old.

4. Lawrence dismissed the feedback on her casting, saying to MTV News, “Nope, as I view the internet as a sort of cosmic void. I rarely ever venture into it.

She mentioned, “I hadn’t realized everyone was so bothered until after I had my hair dyed. That’s when folks would exclaim, ‘Wow, blonde hair can change to brown!’

5. In the initial film, Lawrence earned a salary of only $500,000. However, for the follow-up movie in 2013 titled “Catching Fire“, she pocketed $10 million.

6. Among the contenders vying for the role of Katniss Everdeen’s fellow District 12 tribute and future love interest Peeta Mellark were Alexander Ludwig, Hunter Parrish, Lucas Till, and Evan Peters. However, it was Josh Hutcherson who eventually landed the part.

In his statement, Ross expressed that when he was reading the book, he believed casting Peeta would be the most challenging part. However, he feels incredibly fortunate that they found an actor who perfectly portrays such a multi-faceted character. Ross is eagerly looking forward to collaborating with Josh on this project.

7. In the role of Gale Hawthorne, Katniss Everdeen’s taciturn childhood friend, it was Liam Hemsworth who emerged victorious against contenders such as David Henrie, Drew Roy, and Robbie Amell. As the producer, Nina Jacobson, explained, Gale is a man of few words, so it was essential that the chosen actor convey his character effectively through actions rather than dialogue. This challenge was masterfully met in Suzanne Collins’ writing, and Liam Hemsworth demonstrated this skill flawlessly on-screen.

8. For the film, all three main actors needed to change their hair color. Chris Hemsworth, who originally has blond hair, dyed it dark, while Jennifer Lawrence, who is naturally a brunette, went through an extensive process to lighten her locks and Joshua Hutcherson bleached his hair.

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In 2014, renowned hair stylist and designer Linda Flowers disclosed to Cosmopolitan that they leased six wigs worth $5,000 in various shades of brown for a project. It was ultimately David Ross who selected the deepest shade among them as a reference point when dyeing Jennifer Lawrence’s hair, despite her preference for the lighter tones.

9.  To prepare for the physically demanding role, Lawrence underwent various workout methods. 

She shared with MTV News that although the training is quite extensive, it’s incredibly enjoyable. For roughly six weeks, she’s been practicing archery, scaling trees, doing combat exercises, running, and even jumping over obstacles. However, she also includes yoga and other activities in her routine to maintain a feline-like agility.

10. On the final day of her six-week training period, Lawrence collided with a wall while performing an exercise, nearly causing a delay in production.

Lawrence shared with The Hollywood Reporter that he dashed toward it but didn’t lift his foot off the ground, causing him to collide with the wall using his abdomen instead. His trainer feared he had ruptured his spleen. As a result, he needed a CAT scan and had to be placed inside a tube where they injected a burning liquid into his body for examination. Fortunately, no bones were fractured, just a bruised Lawrence managed to carry on with his activities.

11. Prior to filming, Hutcherson underwent extensive training as well. In an interview with Collider back in 2012, he mentioned, “I hadn’t really done that for a movie before. I gained around 15 pounds of muscle, so that involved a lot of eating chicken and following a diet high in protein but low in carbs.

12. Concerning Hemsworth, he disclosed that his elder brother, Chris Hemsworth, who plays Thor, gave him some unexpected guidance in preparation for the film.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Chris Hemsworth shared that his brother jokingly advised him to shed some pounds prior to a shoot. He quipped, “Apparently it’s ‘The Hunger Games’, not ‘The Eating Games’!

During the thirteenth week of filming, Lawrence unintentionally struck Hutcherson with a kick to the head after an accidental mishap, causing him to lose consciousness.

In an interview with Yahoo, Hutcherson recalled that she acted as if she were a high-flying action star like Jackie Chan, boasting her martial arts skills. She performed air kicks and exclaimed, “Josh, I can kick over your head!” Unfortunately, she accidentally struck me in the temple, causing me to black out. When I regained consciousness, she was crying and apologetic, comforting me while I lay there on the ground.

14. During shooting in North Carolina, the team battled sweltering temperatures of up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, encountered frequent rain showers, and occasionally had bears wandering onto the set whenever they caught a whiff of food.

15. Woody Harrelson initially turned down the role of Katniss and Peeta’s tipsy mentor Haymitch Abernathy twice, confessing to The Hollywood Reporter in 2017, “I didn’t realize how massive it would become, but I thought it wasn’t a good role. I was mistaken. It turned out to be a fantastic role and an incredible experience, but I’m grateful Gary Ross reached out to me.

16. Elizabeth Banks needed a daily manicure to maintain the appearance of Effie Trinket, the escort from Katniss and Peeta’s Capitol, and the elaborate nail designs were found to be inconvenient on set.

In a 2012 interview with Collider, Banks stated that he was practically incapacitated. He had assistants who handled everything for him. He couldn’t text on his phone, he couldn’t use the bathroom, and even getting into and out of his costume took him 25 minutes. By the time he reached the cafeteria for lunch, everyone else had already finished eating and returned to their trailers. Banks lamented, “There’s no one to eat with! I just got here!

17. In my role as a devoted fan, I’d like to share an interesting tidbit: Lenny Kravitz, who portrayed Katniss’ stylist and trusted confidant Cinna in the films, was acquainted with Jennifer Lawrence before the filming, thanks to his daughter, Zoe Kravitz.

In 2012, he shared with HeyUGuys that they were filming “X-Men: First Class” in London, but since he lived in Paris, the cast often stayed at his place. He would bring different people from the cast for weekend visits in Paris and it was there he met Jennifer Lawrence. He instantly fell for her, describing her as incredibly funny and entertaining. Over time, he developed a friendship with her. It turned out to be amusing when he asked Gary who would play Katniss, and Gary revealed it was Jennifer Lawrence. Gary liked the fact that they already had a relationship because it meant he could look after her like a daughter, which he believed would be beneficial for their working relationship.

At the 55th Annual Grammy Awards in 2013, “Safe & Sound,” a song from the film that Taylor Swift co-wrote and performed with the band Civil Wars, won the award for Best Song Written for Visual Media.

19. In March 2012, when the film debuted, it broke records for a single day’s box office earnings (earning $67.3 million) and a non-sequel’s opening weekend ($152 million). Eventually, it ranked as the third highest earning movie of that year.

Initially, I had anticipated that Director Ross would rejoin the series; however, in the end, he chose to step back, leaving me, Francis Lawrence, at the helm for the following three films in the franchise.

Ross clarified to Variety in March 2022 that the choice was quite challenging for him. It turned out that he had two roles, both writing and directing. Typically, you do one job before moving on to the other. In just three-and-a-half months between projects, there simply wasn’t enough time to give both jobs my best, so I decided to move forward. I was fortunate to direct Free State of Jones, a project that, although not widely viewed, remains among my personal favorites. So, everything worked out well in the end.

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2025-05-17 01:47