'The Hunger Games' finds its Katniss in Jennifer Lawrence. Is she the right choice?

  Jennifer Lawrence, the Academy Award-nominated star of "Winter's Bone," will play Katniss in the film adaptation of Suzanne Collins' "The Hunger Games," TheWrap reports.

According to TheWrap, the 20 year-old Lawrence emerged as the "clear frontrunner" to play Katniss, "one of the hottest roles in town," four days ago. The deal, which was closed on Wednsday, is assumed to include not just "Hunger Games" but also its two sequels, based on Collins' books "Catching Fire" and "Mockingjay."

Although Lawrence glammed up for the many awards ceremonies she attended, her on-screen persona in "Winter's Bone" was much closer to a girl fighting her way through a post-apocalyptic landscape. What do you think: Is Jennifer Lawrence the right choice to play Katniss?

-- Carolyn Kellogg

Photo: Jennifer Lawrence in "Winter's Bone." Credit: Lionsgate

 

Comments

[Will]

Worst choice ive ever seen! So upset I think this may just ruin the whole series for me!!! They better make some good cast choices for the other characters! This is the complete opposite as to what Katniss is supposed to look like. Small brown hair olive skin and skinny! This girl is chubby with blond hair and is pathetically pale!!! Very bad choice.

[Hank]

not the best choice. i mean she can obviously act but its hard to picture the 20-year-old who indeed was "glammed" up at the Oscars and looked smoking hot as the spunky 16-year-old Katniss. She'll probably pull it off but thought there were better choices who fit the character better.

[Suua P.]

Jennifer Lawrence is a good choice. Physical appearances doesn't matter much, what matters is how well the actress can perform, so she's perfect in every detail.

[s]

HORRIBLE CHOICE !, she shouldve audition as Glimmer, i mean she doesnt have that figure Katniss has , Jennifer Lawrence has that sexy figure, WOWW, what a let down. I really thought for once i REALLY REALLY thought that Gary Ross and Debra Zane wouldve done better . but i guess, wait i dont guess, i was wrong . Soo now, i guess idk anymore well thats life so w/e now . i can NEVER see her as "Katniss The Girl On Fire" .. And i thought it was gonna be an unknown WOWW, now i know maybe unknowns arent really likely to get a part .

[s]

And She's old though. The disturbing part of the Hunger Games is that it's children killing children. Not nearly as effective when it looks like college kids killing college kids . That's what makes The Hunger Games amazing because its Kids killing kids . Because kids are involved in the war . Sure they can make her look young but , when im watching the movie next year IF I DO , i wont have that feeling that she's 16 but oh well, i'll just picture someone else the whole time while watching it IF I DO .

[jarm]

Okay, how about you read the opinion of a Hunger Games fan who ISN'T insane?. Jennifer Lawrence is a fine choice...not only has she received critical acclaim for every film she has been in so far (and take a look at the quality of filmakers and actors she has worked with up to and including Winter's Bone)but for me, there was no other choice when I learned she was in the running (the last twenty minutes of Winter's Bone including the part where she has to hold her dead father's hands so a very scary Ozark woman can saw them off...the way she cries, oh man) her role in that film has striking similarities to Katniss Everdeen. As far as hair color, skin tone and eye color...good Lord!...dye her already medium brown hair black, she can wear contact lens and her skin always appears a shade tanner to me anyway. Lawrence is an ACTRESS she will transform. These fans seem to be an unsettling combination of Comic Book Guy and Beetlejuice...absolutely out of their minds.

[Laura]

Horrible choice. She is not Katniss. Dont get me wrong, I hope I will stand corrected. But I just don't believe her as a 16 year old from the Seam. I can only hope the director and others saw something that I can't...

[Cyn]

The first commenter, Will, thinks Jennifer Lawrence is "chubby." Dude, you need help.

[clarely]

@Will You have a skewed perception of women's bodies. And you wonder why so many women have eating disorders and BDD? Jennifer Lawrence = NOT CHUBBY. She can dye her hair. I don't recall Katniss being overly characterized as "small." I think of her as of average height (contrasted w/ Rue & Foxface, who are diminutive).

Do I think she's a little too old? Yes. Casting older will take away from the "children killing children" horror. That said, in terms of pure acting chops, she has it. First of all, she's actually FROM Kentucky, which is the region where District 12 is set. That will lend her Katniss an air of authenticity that the other top contenders did not have (Steinfeld, Breslin - both SO California). I wouldn't describe Katniss as "spunky" or "plucky" (the latter was THR's word choice) which, agreed, I don't think of when I see Lawrence. Katniss is gritty, independent, clever, conflicted and complex. Lawrence can handle all of those with depth and skill. She may have to grow into Hunger Games' Katniss, but she's ready for Mockingjay's Katniss. I believe they cast with the entire trilogy in mind. They likely weren't willing to take a risk on a younger, less skilled actress not "getting there" for Mockingjay. I think this bodes well for the artistic integrity of the series, IMO.

That said, she would have made a PERFECT Glimmer or Johanna. Especially Johanna.

[lbef]

isn't Katniss like, ethnic? this girl looks pretty boring

[Happy]

This is about picking an excellent actress, not someone who just looks the part. You can always dye someone's hair and make them more tan...you cannot, however, bestow acting talent onto someone. I am so glad that a good actress gets chosen for once in these sorts of films. Thank God it's not another Kristen Stewart or Vanessa Hudgens...

And for what it's worth, the way that Jennifer Lawrence carries herself is EXACTLY what I imagined Katniss to be like.

[Tatianna]

Appearance-wise, I can't seem to picture her as Katniss. More like an older Prim, or a younger version of Katniss' mom. BUT I'm betting (hoping) they'll really change her appearance in the movies to look more Katniss-like.

According to clarely, Jennifer Lawrence is from Kentucky. One of the areas where District 12 is in. So, she would might a Southern accent, just as Collins pictured Katniss with.

I'm not sure how her acting is, since I've never seen "Winter's Bone," but apparently, she's amazing.

So, should she play Katniss? I'd say yeah.

[Lori]

She’s blonde, she’s pale, she’s 20 years old. I don’t think Lionsgate could have cast a more wrong person for Katniss. It totally ruins the whole concept of children being forced to kill other children. She's not fat, but she's too curvy too portray Katniss. And what makes it worse it that now they have to pick a a guy who's around 20 years old for Peeta. I wouldn't be suprised if they go for 40 for Gale. To think I had faith in Lionsgate.

[Darlene]

I think what Will meant by chubby was not stick thin. Remember everyone in the time period this takes place are STARVING. She doesn't look anywhere close to the Katniss I envisioned. Her acting is great but so are other girls who could be a better fit for Katniss. Her role could really make or break this ovie, and i don't think they made the right choice.

[Tess]

Oh thank goodness I'm not the only one that's not obsessed with getting the physical (and therefore malleable) attributes exactly right. Jennifer Lawrence is not *old*. She's 20! The youngest of the Glee cast is that age! I'm a HUGE fan of the books. I've read them cover to cover more times than I have bothered to remember, and have introduced at least 6 people to the series. I am thrilled that they've gone with acting chops over lookalikes

[Krystle]

Jennifer Lawrence is an excellent choice! I'm so impressed that Gary Ross has hired an Oscar-nominated actress as the lead for The Hunger Games. This series is incredible and I'm very excited to see how the films shape up. Great choice with Jennifer!

[Matt]

For whatever reason, I pictured Katniss as the girl from "The Lost World: Jurassic Park."

Also, isn't Katniss's whole schtick that she looks all normal until she's glammed up and everyone's like OOOOOOOOOOH?

[Matt]

Since they chose to veer from the books in casting, here's hoping they'll do the same with that final ending.

[Matthew]

So knowing an actresses real age ruins the whole part if she's older then her character. Look at that picture of Jennifer and tell me you definitively know she's 20 by just looking at it, or even the 19 she probably was when she filmed it. She's supposed to playing a teenage Mystique in X-men too. Look at stills or the trailer and tell me she looks definitively 20. Stop making such a big deal out of her age and be thankful they cast someone who can actually act. If it bothers you that much or takes you out of the movie watching experience you shouldn't be in the theater anyway.

[Atlanta Roofing]

I think that by going with a slightly older Katniss they're hoping that this will be a cross-over film that captures the adult market too. It's a good bet because it's gritty. Unfortunately, having older actors play the leads totally undermines one of the most powerful aspects of the books - that these are kids being put in this horrible kill-or-be-killed situation.

[maxgames.me]

HORRIBLE CHOICE !, she shouldve audition as Glimmer,

[alistair]

lawrence is an excellent actress but i wish they'd gone younger - it is the horror of a very young girl thrown into extremes which is at the heart of the hunger games. Now they might cast a not very likeable though also ok actor josh hutcherson (i really want to play Peeta) for the male lead role. Peeta has to be self-effacing with a hint of sweetness and a tortured soul - don't think hutcherson has that. Hunter Parrish or Logan Lerman may be better choices to salvage the casting. This has been rather underwhelming and i fear the casting has failed to catch the fans' interest. wish they'd gone for a lesser known actress but hollywood budgets, marketing, and box office came into play

[alix]

horrible choice. it should have been kaya scodelario. her presence is just SO demanding, very Katniss in my opinion. i cannot believe they passed on kaya?? she's incredible.

[Matthew]

She can play younger. Its called "acting" for a reason people. Stop treating this like its something that will be impossible for her to pull off just because she's older then the character.

[Tom]

So, let me get this. A sexy, voluptuous , blond woman plays an ethnic, brown skinned, hungry, skinny child. Wow, is that lame or what? I would say that is racist at best. Just cast the real character. Why is Hollywood such a racist industry? This is bad. They need to do a better job.

[mb]

I guess a dark skin actress was not good enough for you. You had to make the hero of this trilogy in your own image. It is so typical. Another racist Hollywood film. I guess an olive skinned, dark haired, skinny girl with small breasts was not good enough. These pinheads in Hollywood must realize that the book found a fan base with a dark skinned hero on board. Any of you guys who have read the book must know that she was dark haired and hairy (they have a difficult time waxing her body hair to prepare her for the games). Just like Hollywood. Racist, racist, racist. In the old days white people played Indians, Blacks, Asian, etc by the aid of makeup.
What are they gonna do? Put dark paint on her, make her shed thirty pounds, give her a dark haired wig, and give her dark contact lenses? Change her into someone entirely different? I find this to be rather insulting to all ethnic people. I am white and I find this outrageous.
How fake.
(Again, Lionsgates in case you did not get it: Katniss is dark, hairy, poor, hungry, tough, and totally underprivileged.)
This is wrong. The casting is screwed up.
Let this one go down like the "300", with all of their racist stereotypes, or Prince of Persia with not even one Persian in it. Or The Last Air Bender where all the Asian roles went to Indians and whites. Lionsgates you really screwed this up. You took a great trilogy and turned it into another lame, racist Hollywood film.

[Matthew]

mb,
Olive skin can be anyone of any ethnicity, Katniss's was never mentioned. Her similarity to other people in the Seam were but never her exact ethnicity. She could have been an caucasain. Olive as a color isn't dark, nor like like the fruit is it green.
"These pinheads in Hollywood must realize that the book found a fan base with a dark skinned(AGAIN OLIVE ISN'T DARK.) hero on board. Any of you guys who have read the book must know that she was dark haired and hairy (they have a difficult time waxing her body hair to prepare her for the games).(SO WHY AREN'T YOU WHINING ABOUT JENNIFER NOT BEING HAIRY. LIKE ANY ACTRESS WHO WAS WOULD BE CAST JUST BECAUSE THE CHARACTER WAS.)
"What are they gonna do? Put dark paint on her(AGAIN OLIVE ISN'T DARK), make her shed thirty pounds, give her a dark haired wig,(APPARENTLY WHO'VE NEVER HEARD OF HAIR DYE) and give her dark contact lenses? (BECAUSE IT'S NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE LOL)Change her into someone entirely different? I find this to be rather insulting to all ethnic people.(AGAIN HER ETHNICITY IS NEVER MENTIONED. AS IS THE POSSIBILITY OF HER BEING NON-WHITE. AND FOR THE RECORD PEOPLE WITH OLIVE SKIN ARE TYPICALLY THOUGH NOT ALWAYS FROM THE MEDITTERANEAN. THERE ARE SOME EASTERN AND NORTHWESTERN EUROPEANS THAT HAVE OLIVE SKIN AND oh my gosh SOME NATURAL BORN AMERICANS. NOT DEFINITELY NAMING HER RACE OR ETHNICITY IS A PLOT DEVICE TO ENGENDER A GREATER CHANCE OF THE READER IDENTIFYING WITH THE CHARACTER) I am white and I find this outrageous.
"Again, Lionsgates in case you did not get it: Katniss is dark, hairy, poor, hungry, tough, and totally underprivileged.) AND WHY DO YOU DOUBT THAT JENNIFER CAN BE TURNED INTO THAT?

If you think thats racist, then I guess it was ageist to have Tom Hanks play the high school/College version of Forrest Gump or for Brad Pitt to play the older Benjamin Button. Someone might even call you sexist for assuming that a girl of no true, unaccomplishable difference other then height could play the role. The only thing worse then a racist is someone crying wolf about it.

[christina]

bad bad choice it should have been Jodelle Ferland
i mean shes younger then the real choice . when i seen Jodelle Ferland in twilight saga eclipse i was hooked she is a really good actriss i know she wasnt one of the big choices but who cares how many awards you win or how many people you know it just matters how good you are at the job and she is one of the best iv seen shes great so just to you movie people who made the choice she whould have been perfict i see Jennifer Lawrence as glimmer or someone else not katness but do a favor for all the fans out there make the parts right i dont see katness as blond and putting on a wig not better at all. etleast make katnesses sister prim like 17 as an actier i already think Jennifer Lawrence is to old for the part i love this book and it shouldnt be ruined as a movie because of one big bad mistake i mean sure the movie will still be ahit but most of the peolpe that watch it they will be thinking man i wish katness was played by someone else but you know how movies are nobody cares they just go with it like normle crazy fans do when a great movie comes out so in my head i think the part should be played by a 15 year old at maxime and defently dark hair but i will still love the movie just not as much as i would if a younger person played the part

[Anonymous]

Another racist casting. That's all there is to it. Nothing more can be said, and if you don't see it now, well...if you're white, you never will.

[Astrid]

horrible choice looks like they already made a huge mistake she has already ruined the series for plenty of fans and the movie is not going to be good with her as katniss goodbye idea of the next harry potter hello another failed movie this is really depressing it could have been a amazing movie and it might be just not for fans or people over 13 or 14

[Tracy]

There are some very immature folks commenting on this story. Hair dye, contact lens, weight loss - all that can be achieved if it means SO MUCH to you that she looks exactly like Katniss in the books. Edward is a redhead in Twilight but everyone is gaga over Robert Pattinson now. I'm sure it will be the same for Jennifer. A fine choice.

[Slushie]

She looks too old for Katniss. Her apperance doesn't fit the "Seam" look at all. She can act though, which is great and all, but as of right now (and being a loyal fan to the books) I just don't see her as a Katniss.

[Jessica Kemper]

horrible choice. Jodelle ferland would have been the best choice. She's a better actress, the right age, and fits the visual that the author originally depicted. plus she has a neat ethnic look now that she has aged a bit. This is such a let down. This was my favorite series of books ever created and anyone who genuinely loves that book wouldn't like this pick. Its not even close. I wanted to see a unique, maybe a little odd girl, with a strong demeanor. not your stereotypical blonde model. (She is bland when held next to the rest of the cast and too sexy) She is a good actress none the less but a horrible pick for this role. I say that from the heart because I hate to see these novels turned into what I feel like it is going toward. Its not the right choice at all.