Joseph Zada has received some unexpected guidance from Woody Harrelson while preparing to play a younger Haymitch in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. The upcoming film asks several actors to revisit characters previously made famous by established performers, but the new cast is being encouraged to create its own interpretations.
Zada discussed the production during a wider cast interview with ScreenRant. Harrelson, who played the older Haymitch in the earlier films, suggested that Zada watch Cool Hand Luke, the 1967 Paul Newman film.
The recommendation was less about copying a particular performance and more about understanding Harrelson’s approach to acting. Zada said Harrelson explained that the choices he has made throughout his career are informed by that film.
Harrelson is also returning as the older version of Haymitch in Sunrise on the Reaping. That gave the two actors time together during production, where their conversations largely involved sharing stories and discussing Zada’s experience on the project.
Rather than prescribing a specific way to play Haymitch, Harrelson appears to have given Zada broader professional advice. That leaves the younger actor room to shape his own version of the character, who is at a very different point in his life from the Haymitch audiences know from the original films.
A new cast, familiar characters and fresh performances
Zada is not the only performer taking on a younger version of a well-known character. Kelvin Harrison Jr. plays a younger Beetee, the technical expert previously portrayed by Jeffrey Wright in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
Harrison said director Francis Lawrence told the cast not to perform impressions of the actors who came before them. The instruction was to make each role their own, while still preserving enough recognisable detail for fans to connect the new performances with the characters they already know.
Elle Fanning has taken a similar approach to Effie Trinket, following Elizabeth Banks in the role. Banks encouraged Fanning to develop her own interpretation, although Fanning also wanted to respect the standard set by the earlier performance.
That connection reportedly extends to the costume design, which includes nods to Banks’ version of Effie. Fanning also experimented with improvisation and contributed her own lines, echoing the creative freedom Banks brought to the character.
The film’s approach should give Sunrise on the Reaping a distinct identity while retaining links to the wider series. For readers who enjoy the design and atmosphere of fictional game worlds, RETROCADE’s arcade blog covers more gaming and entertainment news, while our arcade videos offer another way to explore the industry.
Release date
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is scheduled to open in cinemas on November 20. Its story offers a new look at Haymitch’s Hunger Games, with a cast determined to build on familiar roles rather than simply repeat earlier performances.
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