In the latest cover story from The Hollywood Reporter on The Hunger Games, the publication reveals “nine untold secrets” from the upcoming movie, ranging from budget information, untold set stories, and more.
The article, which is the first of a four part series on THR regarding The Hunger Games includes several new tidbits on how this adaptation came about and several of the film’s obstacles. On Jennifer Lawrence’s decision to accept the role:
Numerous actresses were considered for the lead — among them Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit), Shailene Woodley (The Descendants) and Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine) — but Ross never felt he had the right person. Then he met Lawrence, fresh off an Oscar nomination for Winter’s Bone, the 2010 indie release that put her on the map. But Lawrence hesitated, aware this could take her from being respected by her peers to the center of a pop-culture tornado — precisely the fate that had befallen [Kristin] Stewart with Twilight. “It was the middle of the night in England, and I was in bed when I got the call,” she remembers. “And I was so in love with the books and the script, and suddenly it was right in my face — and the size of the decision was terrifying.”
Her mom helped in the decision. “I called my mom and she called me a hypocrite, because when I was doing indie movies and everyone was asking why I didn’t do studio movies, I said, ‘The size of the movie doesn’t matter.’ And she said, ‘Here’s a movie you love and you were thinking of turning it down because of its size.’ I thought, ‘I don’t want to miss out because I’m scared. Me being scared, I never want that to stop me from doing something.’ But I knew in my heart that I wanted it — it was about working out all the fears.”
On dealing with the elements on set:
There were bears. Some 300 of them living in the woods, and they would come out at the slightest scent of food. And there was the 100-degree heat and the rain that showered down daily, almost precisely at 4 p.m., at least giving Ross the chance to give his team a break. Between the rain and losing light early behind the trees, “we’d only get to shoot four or five hours a day,” he says. But Jacobson says Ross was never ruffled. Adds Hutcherson, “He always had a smile on his face” — even during the hardest moments.
It is also revealed that the trio of Lawrence, Hutcherson, and Hemsworth are all signed on for the full series, although their paydays are expected to increase substantially (Lawrence brought home a relatively small $500,000 for The Hunger Games). The article also adds that Ross is a perfectionist and that few have seen the finished film, including the cast.
Also be sure to check out our post of photos and stills from the spread, right here.
You can read the full article, right here. What do you think of these new tidbits?
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