The Hunger Games actress Jennifer Lawrence talks about the experience of playing Katniss Everdeen, along with information on the movie and all related events.
JENNIFER LAWRENCE: Well, I mean, I didn’t know it was going to be that much of a phenomenon and so crazy. But I guess, you know, the first movie, I knew that it was going to be big and that it was special. And it wasn’t until after we finished filming this one that I realized what a phenomenon this whole thing had become.
Because for me, as an actress, you do your job and then you go home and nobody really cares what you did all day. But with this one, because the fans are so passionate about the books, they’re just ready to pounce on every piece of information they can get their hands on. So I’m now fully aware of how big it is.
But yeah, as far as Katniss goes, she’s challenged in all ways possible in this film. She’s really put through it. And it wasn’t until after we were done filming that I realize how much of a challenge she was for me. Because once you get into those scenes– like for example when she’s in District 11 and she’s walking through and all the people are bowing down to her– it takes everything in you not to cry in front of all those people because they
Fans of the best-selling book series, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, are excitedly awaiting the March 23, 2012 release of Lionsgate’s film. The movie features some of Hollywood’s hottest young talent including Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark and Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne.
The lead role of Katniss Everdeen is played by 21-year-old Jennifer Lawrence who can currently be seen in the film Like Crazy. The Kentucky native has also been featured in Winter’s Bone for which she was nominated for an Oscar, an Independent Spirit Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Her other credits include House at the End of the Street and The Beaver which co-starred Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster. She will next be seen in X-Men: First Class (May 2011) opposite James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Kevin Bacon.
“I think it’s because of how long the process was. I auditioned for this film in December 2011 and I found out that I had got the part in March 2012. It was such a long time to get her, so when I finally did, I just felt like I had claimed her and she was mine.
“It’s a strange relationship when you’re trying to get into character for something and you don’t have the script yet, but you’re reading the books over and over again to try and find Katniss inside her.
“I think when we started shooting I had almost become Katniss. And once you’re there it’s difficult to leave because she is so real. She has been through so much already that it’s hard not to take some of that with you.”
I knew the character, and I knew that it was going to be a challenge, and I knew that I’d have to work hard. But I also knew that it was going to be so worth it. And I’m learning so much.
I mean, it’s absolutely amazing. And there is a lot of pressure because there are so many people who have done the books, and they’re just so perfect. We’re doing everything we can to make sure that we get it right for them as well.
I think [the fans] should just watch the movie and then decide whether or not they like what we’ve done with these characters they love so much. Because at the end of the day, this is entertainment.
As an actor you want to create your own version of a character, especially one like Katniss Everdeen, who is such an iconic character from literature. You want to do her justice but you don’t want to imitate what has already been written about her.
The Hunger Games is a 2012 American science fiction-adventure film directed by Gary Ross and based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins. It is the first installment in The Hunger Games film series and was produced by Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik, with a screenplay by Ross, Collins, and Billy Ray. The film stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, and Donald Sutherland. The story takes place in a dystopian post-apocalyptic future in the nation of Panem where boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 18 must participate in the Hunger Games, a televised annual event in which the “tributes” are required to fight to the death until only one remains. Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister’s place.
Theatrically released on March 23, 2012 in the United States, The Hunger Games received generally positive reviews from critics with praise going to its themes and messages, as well as Jennifer Lawrence’s portrayal of Katniss Everdeen. However it received criticism for its lack of character depth and development. The film went on to be a major box office success grossing over $694 million worldwide against budget
Jennifer Lawrence, in full Jennifer Shrader Lawrence (born August 15, 1990, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.), American actress known for playing unconventional characters with a dark edge. She won an Academy Award for her performance as a depressed widow in the romantic comedy Silver Linings Playbook (2012).
Lawrence began acting at age nine while living in Louisville. Her first role was in the television series Monk (2006), and she later appeared in the TV shows Medium and The Bill Engvall Show. In 2008 she made her feature film debut with a small part in Garden Party. Two years later she drew attention for her role as Ree Dolly, the teenage caregiver of her younger siblings in the drama Winter’s Bone (2010). The gritty film won critical acclaim and garnered several awards, including an Oscar nomination that made Lawrence the second-youngest best actress nominee ever.
Lawrence subsequently appeared in such films as Like Crazy (2011) and X-Men: First Class (2011), which featured her as Raven Darkholme/Mystique. In 2012 she starred opposite Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro in Silver Linings Playbook. For her performance as Tiffany Maxwell, she received numerous honours, notably from the Broadcast Film Critics Association
