"YOU Cast THE HUNGER GAMES"...Does E.W. Read My Blog?

It's very egotistical of me to think that, but it could happen...right? After coming across this article in Entertainment Weekly, I was pleasantly surprised to find many of the actors and actresses that we've been discussing (errrr, DEBATING! ) gracing the pages of my favorite magazine. For a chance to vote on your pick, click on the picture below. The article is VERY interesting for those of you who are as invested in this series as much as I am!

According to Entertainment Weekly, here are their top contenders for the main roles in the flilm...

~KATNISS~

WINNER!
Kaya Scodelario (39% of the vote)
Best Known For: Britain's Skins, Clash of the Titans

RUNNER-UP
Alexandra Daddario (19%)
Best known for: Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

~PEETA~

WINNER!
Hunter Parrish (40%)

Best Known For: Weeds

RUNNER-UP

Alex Pettyfer (22%)

Best Known For: 2011's Beastly

~GALE~

WINNER!
Gaspard Ulliel (40%)
Best Known For: playing the young Hannibal Lector in Hannibal Rising

RUNNER-UP
Drew Roy (38%)
Best Known For: iCarly, Hannah Montana

~EFFIE TRINKET~

WINNER!
Kristen Chenoweth (51%)
Best Known For: Pushing Daisies, Broadway's Wicked

RUNNER-UP
Emily Blunt (15%)
Best Known For: The Devil Wears Prada and The Young Victoria

~HAYMITCH ABERNATHY~

WINNER!
Hugh Laurie (37%)
Best Known For: House

RUNNER-UP
Robert Downey Jr. (36%)
Best Known For: Iron Man

Alli Shearmur from Lionsgate is listening to the fans and is quoted in the article as saying that "some of the actresses who fans have identified as the best potential Katniss are being considered." Smart move,Lionsgate! Movie makers should know how opinionated and passionate fans of a book can be when their beloved characters are going to be projected onto the big screen. Here's to hoping they make the right choice...we can't find out the official cast list soon enough!

Re-Reading Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

My students favorite phrase to say that they think will get them out of work in my classroom is, "But I already read that!" For some reason, students think that it is taboo to reread a novel or short story. Why? Don't we watch our favorite movies over and over again? Do we listen to songs we like the first time around a few more times? OF COURSE! You can derive the same pleasure from rereading a favorite book! (Don't tell anyone, but I've reread the entire Twilight series at least five times. I KNOW!) It's starting to be the same way with Suzanne Collins's addicting series. I teach the first book, so I hear the same chapters repeated six times a day, but IT NEVER GETS OLD! When Katniss is running from the Cornicopia for the first time, my heart quickens and my palms sweat...even if I'd just read that scene to my students the period before!


That brings me to rereading the second book, Catching Fire. When I was first able to lay hands on it, I DEVOURED it. I had to know what would happen to the characters I had come to know and love. When I devour a book, I tend to skip over stuff. My eyes skim the lines with anticipation, and I end up missing out on little details. I'm only through the first two chapters and I'm noticing all kinds of stuff I didn't the first go around. Has anyone else had this experience? I'm planning on chronicling my eye-opening discoveries in a post I'll publish the day before Mockingjay is released! Any tidbits you guys would like to alert me to while I'm rereading? Feel free to leave me a comment!



Totally off the subject, but check out this pic of actress, Kaya Scodelario I found on the Twilightlexicon blog. They were discussing who should play Katniss (aren't all of us?), and a fan recommended her. Add some tan-in-a-can, and I think she looks PERFECT if we are judging by looks alone.

The Hunger Games Movie Cast - Haymitch Abernathy

My 8th grade classes are reading The Hunger Games this six weeks, and we've been working on visualization. As a part of that process, I'm having them visualize characters according to their traits supplied by the author. However, we are also creating a "Dream Cast" that we would like to see in The Hunger Games movie. A lot of you have criticized my Dream Cast for The Hunger Games movie that my students came up with last year, so I'm sure you will have a lot to say about this years suggestions! Keep in mind that teens do not have any desire to visualize "unknown actors" for this movie. They like big-name stars because it is much easier for them to see the characters in their mind, versus simply creating new person in their head.

This brings me to their first suggestion for our 2010 The Hunger Games Dream Cast - Will Smith for Haymitch Abernathy. Before you say, "heck no, Haymitch is supposed to be white", keep in mind that Suzanne Collins only describes him a few times in The Hunger Games as being "a paunchy, middle-aged man". I don't have my Catching Fire book here to directly quote the other description of Haymitch I remember, but I do recall her mentioning something about him having an athletic figure. That by looking at him, you can tell that he was a strong young man during his time in The Games. So I ask you, why NOT Will Smith? Will is in his early forties, and for some, that is considered "middle aged", especially if you live in The Seam. He played a harsh, yet somehow lovable drunk in Hancock, and I think would be a great addition to The Hunger Games movie by bringing star power AND credibility to the storyline. Smith is traditionally known to pick quality roles, so his selection of the role of Haymitch would greatly tout the script and film as being one of quality. Just think about it for awhile...picture Will as Haymitch, loud, drunk, and troubled. It COULD HAPPEN!

See how Will has naturally graying hair in this picture? With the proper wardrobe and makeup, he could easily be Haymitch. He might have to lay off the weights for a few months, but he could be a perfect Haymitch if you gave him a chance!

Click HERE to see The Hunger Games cast list chosen by Entertainment Weekly fans!

Lily Collins as Katniss Everdeen?

I may be fed to the Muttations for recommending this actress as Katniss, but I recently saw The Blind Side and thought that Lilly Collins did a fantastic job in that film. She is beautiful and striking, but also possesses the athletic build that would be needed to play Katniss Everdeen. I know that it is so difficult to cast Katniss because she is such a prominent figure in our minds. We have a certain image of Katniss and it will be EXTREMELY difficult to find an actress that fits the mold that millions of readers have structured. What do you think? Would Lily Collins make a great Katniss Everdeen? Yay or Nay?

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Remember the hoop-lah after Robert Pattinson was cast as Edward Cullen? I do! I was one of the naysayers but eventually learned to love Catherine Hardwick's choice for EC. I can't imagine anyone else as Edward, and would disown the franchise if they recast him for Breaking Dawn. So before you shoot me down, picture Lily Collins with a bow and arrow, dodging balls of flame and avoiding the deadly stings of trackerjackers!
Want to read more opinions for who should play Katniss? Check out this post!

Hunter Parrish as Peeta Mellark?

I've blogged before about the frustrations I have with the lack of information out there concerning The Hunger Games movie. Why is Lionsgate holding out on us? Do they not realize that their is a huge fan base for this book that will double if they would only give us a little bit of information? Every soul that I have peddled this book on to loves it, and with the hype that is surrounding all things "teen" and especially teen fiction, why, oh, why are the marketing execs of this film not capitalizing on this wave of teen love? Anywhoooo, I digress. I meant to show you a few pictures of this hot actor, Hunter Parrish that has been seen on the HBO series Weeds. Don't you think he would make a swell Peeta? Peeta has to be hot, but not pretty boy hot. I think Hunter fits into both of these categories.

Please, Lionsgate, at least release a name or two of actors for Katniss, Peeta or Gale. Sheesh, even a name for Haymitch would at least give me something to mull over until the summer of 2010 rolls around.

Click HERE for a full list of casting suggestions! A great list of potential castings for you to critique...BE NICE! ;)

The Hunger Games Movie Cast List Link

(From Hunger Games fan site, jabberjays.com)

A few months ago, I created a dream cast list of sorts for The Hunger Games movie that is supposedly being made in the near future by Lionsgate. Many people come to my blog looking for the list, and if you are one of those people, click on the link below for a listing of all things pertaining to the Hunger Games Cast on this site. Casting directors for Lionsgate, if you need any help at all in your upcoming task of casting for The Hunger Games, give me a shout! I would be HAPPY to lend a hand!

Click on the pic for links to the cast list:

Want more casting suggestions? Click HERE to see the picks of Entertainment Weekly fans for The Hunger Games movie.

Peeta Mellark...Hotter Than in my Head!

More fan art from Deviantart.net by eerie_wiatt. and this version of Peeta on the left seems to be too chisled for me. I envision him a big, but a bit softer and not so Ken-doll esque, but either way, a great drawing. I've been having so much fun going through the tons of images at Deviant Art. The talent on that sight is amazing!

Below is also another drawing from burdge_bug:

The Hunger Games Cast List - Effie Trinket

My friend, Ashlee, had a great suggestion for Effie. Melissa McCarthy is on the CW show, Gilmore Girls. She has the perfect voice and kooky personality that Effie should embody. Ashlee imagined Effie as bit more busty and heavy-set, and when I thought about it, I did, too. I think Melissa McCarthy would be a great Effie!

Want more casting suggestions? Click HERE!

The Hunger Games Movie Cast List

This cool pic depicts a scene from the reaping. Click on the illustration to go to the artist's website.

If you've yet to read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, you are definitely missing out on the best book of the year. Go pick it up today and read it (click on The Hunger Games book below and it will take you to the Barnes & Noble link to order it), because it will be a huge sensation by the end of this year, when casting for the movie begins.
Before you criticize my choices, I pose a challenge to you: create your own cast list and share them with lenzilikesit.com. Under each posting, give me the name of your recommendation, and I can create a poll for each character that we can vote on and try to decide who would be the best in each roll. I'm sure my pick of Kevin Costner is raising eyebrows, but what Hollywood actor in his mid-fifties would fit Haymitch? I had thought about Terry Bradshaw, who played Matthew McConaugay's dad in Failure to Launch. I wasn't sure if he could be sour enough, and I'm sure I'm totally forgetting of a guy who would do great playing a crotchety middle-aged man with a beer belly. The actor who plays Juno's dad also came to mind...any thoughts from you?

Want more casting suggestions? Click HERE for more!

The Hunger Games Cast List - Katniss Everdeen

This is a picture of actress Lucy Hale who stars the TV Series Privileged on the CW network. Before you shake your head and think I have Katniss all wrong, go back to the text and analyze how Katniss is described by Collins. She and Gale are very similar in appearance and demeanor. Lean, athletic, dark hair, light eyes, and beautiful with out knowing it. The country song, "She Don't Know She's Beautiful" comes to mind when I think of Katniss. She is so no-nonsense and practical, she doesn't have time to obsess about her looks like most sixteen year olds. Her need to keep her family fed trumps all of that nonsense. Imagine Hale without the glamorous Hollywood makeup and tousled hair. Can you see Katniss?

She has potential to gain a bit of lean muscle for the part, doesn't she?

****ATTENTION FANS...MORE HUNGER GAMES MOVIE NEWS ON THE CASTING OF MISS EVERDEEN ON MY MOST RECENT POST. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS! Thank you for visitiing my blog and joining the Hunger Games fan wagon!

The Hunger Games Cast List- Peeta Mellark

Peeta Mellark has easily become my favorite character in the novel. Not only is he head-over-heels for Katniss, but he seems to have a genuine and sweet nature. Suzanne Collins describes Peeta as being of "medium height, stocky build, ashy blond hair that falls in waves over his forhead"...this picture of Lucas Till seemed to fit the bill effortlessly. Any thoughts???

This montage of Lucas was created by a fan of the Miley Cyrus movie he is currently starring in as her love interest. Pretty cute without being too much of a heart throb, huh? I think he has a very adorable boy-next-door kind of aura.

Click HERE for a full list of casting suggestions! A great compilation from Entertainment Weekly fans!

The Hunger Games Cast - Gale

Collins describes Gale as having dark hair and light eyes. He looks so similiar to Katniss that they could easily be related. She doesn't get the fact that she must be good looking if that is the case, because Gale is a hottie. The other girls in school talk about him, and he is obviously in love with Katniss. Who could encompass these qualities without being too "Hollywood"? I found an actor by the name of Adam Gregory, who is currently starring in the new 90210 series. Yes, he is attractive, well, okay, he's amazingly fine...but he seems so much like the Gale I pictured in my mind, I nearly screamed when I found his picture!

Want more cast picks? Go HERE for a full list of casting suggestions!

The Hunger Games Cast - Rue

Rue is described "as looking about ten" and has "bright dark eyes and satiny brown skin". She reminds Katniss of her little sister Prim, and Katniss immediately takes a liking to her. In the Games, Rue is what reminds Katniss of home. As a character, she is loveable, and unforgetable to the reader. I chose the actress Madison Pettis. You may remember her from the Disney movie, The Game Plan and the TV show, Cory in the House. She tiny, cute, and has dark hair and eyes. I'm sure she could darken her skin with a little bit of makeup, but her stature is very small for a 12 year old! Perfect match for Rue!

Want more casting suggestions? Click HERE!

The Hunger Games Cast - Prim Everdeen

"Fresh as a rain drop, as lovely as the primrose for which she was named" is a beautiful picture Collins paints of Prim, Katniss only love and sister. You may know our next cast member from her sister's famous name, Dakota Fanning. Dakota is too old to play a 12 year old tribute, but her little sister is not! Elle Fanning is the perfect age and has the light hair, eyes, and rosebud mouth that Katniss describes. What do you think about this choice? Click HERE for more casting suggestions!

The Hunger Games Movie Cast - Haymitch

Haymitch is hard character to cast. Many picture him as an old man, but in reality, he's only in his early-fifties. I know this because when District 12 is having their reaping, Collins describes him as a "paunchy, middle aged man". I wanted to find a bald actor that had an appearance of being a formerly stout, athletic young tribute. (How else would he have won the Games years ago?) To me, Kevin Costner fits the bill for the role of Haymitch. With the right make up a bit more weight around the middle, I'm sure he could embrace the role of a drunk and crotchety mentor to Katniss and Peeta.

Want more casting suggestions? Click HERE!