As the red-hot film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games heats up, so does the list of young actresses contending for the lead role. In front of the pack: Jennifer Lawrence, Hailee Steinfeld and Abigail Breslin. Lawrence and Steinfeld are both coming off Oscar nominations. Gary Ross (Seabiscuit) is directing the film from a script courtesy of Billy Ray (Shattered Glass, Breach). Lionsgate bought the property and is planning for a March 23rd, 2012 release. This mid-major studio pick-up is akin to Summit’s sassy purchase a few years back of the Twilight series under all of the big studios’ noses. Someone in a Sony/Warner/Fox/Universal -bought leather chair is still kicking themselves.
The film will tell the story of “a dystopian future where a young girl joins a survival contest to save her community” [Variety].
The big story here is the age difference between Breslin/Steinfeld (both 14) and Lawrence, whose 20 years of age. This is all comes to Ross, who still must decide how hold he wants his heroine, named Katniss Everdeen, to be.
As for the casting call for the part, the production is looking for: “She should be Caucasian, between ages 15 and 20, who could portray someone ‘underfed but strong,’ and ‘naturally pretty underneath her tomboyishness.” In the novel Katniss has olive skin. Hmmm? I guess olive skin isn’t what it used to be. And the white girls can always tan! So there’s that.
What do you think of all this? What age should movie Katniss be? Can any of these talents fill the shoes?