Joseph Zada and Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy. Photo:
Hugh Stewart; Murray Close/Lionsgate
Warning: spoilers for Sunrise on the Reaping ahead.
The Hunger Games franchise is getting revamped again with the movie adaptation of Sunrise at the Reaping, and as Haymitch’s voiceover teases in the first look: “these Games are going to be different.”
Ever since Haymitch’s Quarter Quell was introduced in Catching Fire, fans have been waiting with bated breath for author Suzanne Collins to turn it into a full novel. So when she not only announced the official prequel book but also a film in 2024, fans were overjoyed.
Of course, nothing could have prepared us for all the twists and turns in the actual novel. While several tidbits about Haymitch’s games — where double the number of tributes were reaped that year — were revealed in the original trilogy, the book proves that there is way more than meets the eye.
Not only do we learn more about Haymitch’s history and his epic love story with Lenore Dove Baird — a member of the Covey with a subtle connection to Katniss Everdeen — but countless familiar faces pop up throughout the novel, making the upcoming film adaptation even more anticipated.
Joseph Zada and Whitney Peak. Hugh Stewart; Pascal Le Segretain/Getty
Amid various casting reports as of late, Lionsgate officially put some rumors to rest on Wednesday, April 23, as the studio officially announced the casting for Haymitch and Lenore Dove, up-and-coming actor Joseph Zada and former Gossip Girl star Whitney Peak, respectively.
As anticipated with such a rabid fandom, reactions quickly poured in online. While some were pleased with the casting choices, others weren’t as convinced.
Leading up to the book’s release, fans had already been fan-casting a number of notable names for Haymitch, ranging from Outer Banks’ Drew Starkey and Rudy Pankow to House of the Dragon’s Tom Glynn-Carney. Most recent casting rumors put Charlie Plummer as the frontrunner for the role.
So, when Zada, who only has a few projects under his belt, was announced, reactions were mixed. But what naysayers are failing to realize is that a relatively unknown actor is exactly what the adaptation needs to succeed.
Slipping into the shoes of Haymitch, especially after Woody Harrelson’s epic portrayal in the original films, was always going to be difficult, similar to Tom Blyth taking on young President Snow in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes following Donald Sutherland’s scene-stealing performance. But just like young Snow in the prequel, the Haymitch we meet in Sunrise on the Reaping is drastically different from Haymitch in The Hunger Games. The franchise needs a completely fresh face to breathe his own life into the character.
And hey, it worked in Blyth’s favor. While his own casting in Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes came with mixed reactions, he proved everyone wrong when the film hit theaters, by doing what we thought was completely impossible when the original franchise came out: make the internet actually catch feelings for Snow. (Don’t worry, all those feelings will diminish when Snow returns to his true form in Sunrise on the Reaping.)
Peak’s casting as Lenore Dove Baird has been another topic of conversation, notably among book fans who pictured the character as a white redhead. Though Collins does describe the character as having flecks of red in her hair in the sunlight, she never specifies Lenore Dove’s race. In fact, people from the Seam are typically described as having dark hair, olive skin and gray eyes in the books.
Whitney Peak, Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snake. Pascal Le Segretain/Getty; Murray Close/Lionsgate
But perhaps what makes Peak’s casting the most intriguing is her striking similarity to actress Rachel Zegler, who famously played Lucy Gray Baird, the winner of the 10th Hunger Games and Snow’s starcrossed lover, in The Ballad of Songbirds in Snakes.
As book fans know, Lenore Dove and Lucy Gracy’s familial relationship is heavily hinted at in Sunrise on the Reaping. Aside from sharing a last name, Lenore Dove is confirmed to be a member of the District 12 singing group, the Covey, as well as a distant cousin of Katniss’ father, Burdock Everdeen.
Though Lenore Dove’s exact bloodline isn’t specified in the books, as it’s mentioned that her mother died in childbirth, theories have ranged from Lenore Dove being Maude Ivory’s daughter to Lucy Gray’s granddaughter. Even Snow himself draws parallels between Haymitch’s love, Lenore Dove, and his former flame, Lucy Gray.
With Peak’s casting, it seems like the film adaptation could further delve into Lenore Dove and Lucy Gray’s connection, and perhaps even put to rest what really happened to the latter at the end of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
Looks aside, Peak certainly has the acting chops to pull off the role. Her roles in the Gossip Girl reboot and Hocus Pocus 2 have a similar quality to Lenore Dove in that they both have an outwardly quiet reservedness with a fiery spirit beneath.
Whether you’re happy or upset about the recent casting decisions, there is one thing longtime fans need to remember: The Hunger Games casting directors hasn’t failed us before.
Over 15 years ago when the first Hunger Games film was first announced, people had similar qualms about Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta and even Harrelson as Haymitch. Remember: in the books, Haymitch is actually described as a paunchy, middle-aged man with dark curly hair … a far cry from the Haymitch we meet in the first film.
Even as Catching Fire casting was announced, fans were upset that the film went with up-and-comers like Sam Claflin as Finnick Odair over Garrett Hedlund, who was a popular fan cast at the time.
Sam Claflin, Jennifer Lawrence The Hunger Games – Catching Fire. Lionsgate/Kobal/Shutterstock
Now, years later, it’s hard to imagine anyone else taking on those beloved roles. Each and every actor was able to bring their own spin to the iconic book characters, which no doubt played into the franchise’s larger success and launched the young leads into stardom.
Of course, the first two casting announcements for Sunrise on the Reaping are just the beginning. As book readers know, there are many more exciting announcements to be made, including everyone from middle-aged President Snow, to a young Effie and young Plutarch, just to name a few. And that’s not even mentioning the potential cameos that could come from the epilogue!
As Haymitch told Katniss and Peeta in Catching Fire, “these Games are going to be different,” but one thing is for sure: the (casting) odds are usually in our favor. We should have full faith in the production team and Collins to give us yet another faithful adaptation.
