With all of these "Capitol Couture" stylized character portraits being released this week, I am reminded of how much I dislike the casting for this movie and it predecesor. I did some searching and found who I think would have made better acting choices for the main character in THE HUNGER GAMES TRILOGY!
KATNISS EVERDEEN Currently being played by Jennifer Lawrence
This was the only choice I was okay with. Jennifer Lawrence is a fantastic actress. I get miffed when a blonde actress is cast as a brunette (implying there are no good brunette actresses out there), but that is what hair dye is for I guess. If I had to replace Jen, I would go with Kaya Scodelario.
She was absolutely brilliant in Wuthering Heights (2011) and fits how I pictured Katniss Everdeen. Slightly olive skin tone, dark hair, wild look in her eyes! I think she would have been perfect!
PEETA MELLARK Currently played by Josh Hutcherson
I was 100% Team Peeta in the books. But now how normal fangirls were. I was more like "Leave Peeta alone, you manipulative bitch! Go kiss Gale!" I wanted Peeta to succeed on his own. I loved Peeta's character and I thought it was heartbreaking to see Katniss lie to him and then squash him so many times. And though I am a fan of Josh Hutcherson, I am not a fan of him being cast as Peeta. Peeta is supposed to be a sweetheart, but also built like a brick house. He lifts giant sacks of flour over his head throughout the day. Josh is tiny. Short. So very, very short. The actor I personally pictured while reading the books was Lucas Till.
Blonde, blue eyed, average height, and strong looking. Perfect for Peeta.
GALE HAWTHORNE Currently played by the Lesser Hemsworth (i.e. Liam Hemsworth)
Anyone who knows me knows that I think Liam Hemsworth is a terrible actor. I'm not saying his older brother is the finest actor of our time....but at least he's fine! Liam is just not attractive to me at all. I felt Gale should have been played by someone attractive, but not distracting. He needs to hold his own against Peeta in the "fight" for Katniss' attention and affections, but he can't be the crush of every girl in the District. The actor I would have looooved to see play Peeta is Logan Lerman.
Logan is just adorable in my opinion. If I was a 16 year old girl in a desolate, depressing, post-war world, I'd be all over him. I can say that, right? He's of age now, right? ((googles Logan's age)) Yes, he's 21 now. And coincidentally born on the same day as my sister. Who knew!
HAYMITCH ABERNATHY Currently played by Woody Harrelson
Woody was surprisingly good as Haymitch. I will admit that. I am always shocked when I like Woody Harrelson in something, because I have this dislike of him for no good reason. I do think that he needed to be more scruffy, more drunk, more downtrodden. This was a character who hated himself for winning The Hunger Games and hated that he had to mentor kids who were basically set up to die every year. I think William H. Macy would have been a great Haymitch.
Have you see William in
Shameless? If so, then you know I am correct in my casting. He has drunk, washed up loser down pat.
EFFIE TRINKET Currently played by my arch-nemesis Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth looked fantastic as Effie, but portrayed her like a stiff board. The movie needed more of her character...her life...to shine through that makeup. I heard that Elizabeth practically beat the door down to the casting directors until she got the part of Effie because she loved the character so much. Well, it did not show. She didn't bring any life through all that makeup, wig, and garish Capitol couture. I would have chosen Kristin Chenoweth.
There could not be a better Effie Trinket than Kristin Chenoweth! She is perfect for this role! She is so freaking spunky that no amount of makeup or hairpiece would overshadow her. She has a grace about her, from her years of dancing musical theatre, that Effie's movie persona needed badly! Plus, you could throw her in any Capitol Couture and she would rock it all! She'd rock a paper bag for crap's sake!
PRIMROSE EVERDEEN Currently played by some super pale kid, Willow Shields
This one is a bit confusing for me. On the one hand, Willow Shields pretty much summed up the uselessness of Prim to a tee. She also looked a lot like how she was described in the book (blonde, look of a merchant's child, etc). However,
Game of Thrones was debuting when I first read The Hunger Games, so I automatically pictured Maisie Williams as Prim.
Which goes against my whole "pick an actress with the same damn hair color" minset. Plus I think if this little girl was actually selected for the Hunger Games, she would kick everyone's ass in there!
CINNA Currently played by Lenny Kravitz
I was fairly shocked by Lenny Kravitz being cast as Cinna. Not because he is a black (Cinna's skin color is never defined in the books...so he could be purple for all we know), but because he is Lenny freaking Kravitz. Who wouldn't have been shocked?! Keeping with the ethnicity the casting director went with, but also sticking with the book's description of Cinna being "twenty something", I would have chosen Donald Glover as my Cinna.
I would probably cast Donald in anything. He is amazing and adorable. I think he could definitely channel Cinna's quiet rebel.
PRESIDENT SNOW Currently played by Donald Sutherland
I honestly thought that Donald Sutherland had passed away many years ago. I don't know why. And now I feel bad for thinking that. Donald's President Snow was menacing, but that man is menacing just standing on a street corner. I would have chosen someone with a likable, cheery face. A face that can run a Capitol full of simpering, indulgent idiots. But an actor who could also flip the switch on that face and scare the beejezus out of you. I would have chosen Eric Stonestreet.
He is so damn likable on
Modern Family. And I know other fans of the books have fancast him as Cinna, but I think that's ridiculous. I think Eric could pull of the inner demons that President Snow harbors. And look at his face. I can just tell that he would be an amazingly scary villain.
And just because I felt so strongly about this casting choice, even though he does not make an appearance until Catching Fire.....
FINNICK ODAIR Currently played by Sam Claflin
I pictured Hunter Parrish for this role from the very first description of Finnick! He is so very perfect for this role! ((drool))
So that is it. I stayed away from recasting the other Tributes and District 12 townspeople (though I strongly believe that Madge should have been in the damn movie and the one to give Katniss her Mockingjay pin) since there are just so many of them.
What do you think? Did you picture anyone in particular for a character when you read the books?
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