Cast the next two HUNGER GAMES movies

Self explanatory, though requires you’ve read the books.

Finnick Odair- the rumor is Robert Pattinson, but I really hope not. Pattinson is nice looking but Finnick is supposed to be Walking Sex; if you had to stay with Twilight cast members Taylor Lautner would be better, but he’s hindered by being too young and unable to act.
Darren Criss (buffer than he currently is) from Glee might not be bad, or his onscreen brother Matt Bomer, but still not quite right. Thoughts?

Mags- I pictured Cicely Tyson. For one thing, I figure that after 50 years of playing maids and slaves she’d probably relish the chance to play sombody who at least was once kick ass. Also, I understand she’s a health nut and exercise freak so unlike most actresses old enough to play the part she’d be up to the physical challenge.

Beetee- Brad Dourif, though I also pictured Barry Bostwick.

Alma Coin- screams Meryl Streep, but if she’s too expensive, Susan Sarandon.

There were two castings I wasn’t happy with in the first movie:

Donald Sutherland as President Snow. He was a bit too regal but not really brilliant enough. I think Christoph Waltz would be perfect, and the Capital accent would mask any German accent.

Stanley Tucci (who usually I love) as Caesar Flickerman. In an interview he said he saw Caesar as sleazy, and in fact that was the problem; Caesar’s not sleazy- even Katniss thinks he’s great at what he does. He’s like a Johnny Carson or a Jon Stewart- very skilled interviewer who happens to be a part of a very evil culture. I think Bruce Campbell would have been good.

Brad Dourif as Beetee is perfect! I’ll need more time to think about the others.

Jude Law played Finnick Odair in my head while I read the books. In addition to being Walking Sex, the actor cast as Finnick needs to be able to play a wry sense of humor, and unfortunately that excludes 95% of the Walking Sex Hollywood has to offer. He also needs to be older than Robert Pattinson, thankyouverymuch.

Helen Mirren would also be well cast as Coin, though I like both of Sampiro’s choices.

Colm Meaney, assuming he isn’t looking too old these days, would exude the patient dependability of Boggs.

How old is Finnick supposed to be? My mental image is of late 20s, early 30s. How about Chris Evans? R.Patz would be all wrong.

Chris Evans = walking sex. That’s all I have to say about that.

I think he’s only in his mid 20s- he won the Games when he was an adolescent- but if I didn’t get an actor that age I’d go older rather than younger because his experiences have aged him. He looks damned good of course, but he doesn’t look like a kid.

Hell, having read all of the books and knowing the crimes he committed on his way to and once in power, I would still put a CORIOLANUS SNOW FOR PRESIDENT! on my car if he’d give me a night with Chris Evans as a reward.

I’ll base my proposal for Johanna on whether the filmmakers intend to have her walk around naked.

They were prudish with the nudity from Book 1. In the book, Katniss stands naked in front of Cinna and his crew, and later she strips Peeta naked while she’s nursing him; both scenes were played fully clothed in the movie, probably to keep their PG13 rating.

I saw an article earlier today saying that the new arena had been cast - Kauai!

Jason Lewis seems Finnicky to me. He’s also an actor that is Capitol-esque.

But nothing says ‘walking sex’ like Wentworth Miller. Not sure he’d be interested, though.

I think Finnick was supposed to be 24, if I remember correctly. Anyway, here is who I picture:

Finnick: Zac Efron

Mags: Vanessa Redgrave

Johanna: Mila Kunis or Michelle Rodriguez

Beetee: Michael Emerson

Wiress: Helena Bonham Carter

Trying to think of a good Plutarch. For some reason I pictured Jeremy Irons, but it needs to be somebody who seems a bit more… pampered. Hugh Grant, maybe (I wonder if he can do an affected but not-English accent).

Yeah seriously. Jeremy Irons might do for flashbacks of Katniss’ father, except he’s way too old for that now.

Plutarch always seemed like a beefy if not corpulent person, to me, with a deep voice and a charismatic, self-satisfied manner. Unfortunately no actors are coming to mind, only the whiny real estate agent from last night’s episode of Selling London (though even he lacked charisma).

After giving it some more thought, I’d really like to see Brad Pitt circa Thelma and Louise as Finnick. That seems a touch unlikely, though.

How about Sigourney Weaver as Coin?

I always saw Finnick as Leo Di Caprio.

Scarlett Johansson. Cobie Smulders. Maybe Indira Varma; she has the exotic look that Johanna is supposed to have.

I still say that Coin was always intended to be Mrs Gummer.

Philip Seymour Hoffman has been offered Plutarch Heavensbee. Wouldn’t have been my first choice, but I can see it.

I saw Finnick as Alexander Skarsgård from True Blood. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

Johanna is a little tougher, but I think I’d go with maybe Amber Heard or someone equally blonde and athletic.

Annie would have to be someone cute, but not beautiful and somewhat frail and vulnerable. Chloë Grace Moretz is popping into my head right now, but I think she might be too young and I’m probably just influenced because I watched Let me In today.

Timothy Spall strikes me as the right type for Beetee. I love Michael Emerson and Brad Dourif as actors, but they are too thin and vital to play BeeTee. BeeTee is a pudgy, short couch potato, a guy who rarely sees the light of day. I could also be talked into Paul Giamatti, though I’m sure this role is too small for him.

ETA: Also want to mention that the casting for Gale and Peeta bothered me in the first one. Gale, as I read the books, was always black in my head. Not sure where I got it, but I though he should have been less of a pretty boy. Peeta was far to small and mousy for the role as well. He’s smaller than Katniss for pete’s sake. They needed a Chris Evans type for Peeta instead.

Gosh, almost everything I’m imagining seems to be out of date. Maybe Smithers will be along shortly to inform me that my right fielder’s been dead for 130 years.

So Taylor Lautner can be Brutus? That would make Grace Jones much too old to be Enobaria.

I pictured Finnick Odaire as looking like Harry Hamlin’s portrayal of Perseus in the original Clash of the Titans. Hamlin is far too old, however, and didn’t have the same skin or hair color as described in Catching Fire. To be fair, though, Jennifer Alexander is too healthy and too pale to be Katniss if you’re going strictly by what the books says she should look like.

Is Glenn Close still busy doing Damages? I don’t watch that show, but she occasionally gives a clue in character from it on Jeopardy!

It is by the juice of Sapho that the lips acquire stains… the stains become a warning! Dourif’s a great choice, but while reading, I pictured him looking like Adam Godley, who played Mike Teavee’s dad in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Specifically, I imagine Beetee looks like Mike Teavee’s dad!


I pictured Plutarch Heavensby as looking like Glenn Shadix from his roles in Demolition Man and Beetlejuice, but he’s passed on. I can’t say I really care who they pick, whether Hoffman says yes or not.

Wiress is a scrawny nutcase, as are the morphling addicts from District 6. I imagine them as barely human, like the CGI Gollum from Lord of the Rings. I suppose for Helena Bonham Carter that might not be too much of a stretch, but I’m sure there are scrawnier and crazier looking actresses available for less coin.

Mags is supposed to be a frail-looking (yet surprisingly tough) woman in her 80’s. While reading, I imagined her looking like Patricia Hayes’ portrayal of the sorceress Fin Raziel in Willow. Sadly, Hayes died at the age of 88 in 1998, so I guess we’ll have to pick someone else.

Not sure about Johanna Mason… all sorts of possibilities there! Can I get back to you on that one?