Joseph Zada unpacks the “life-changing experience” of stepping into Woody Harrelson’s shoes in a brand new featurette released Saturday for this year’s “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.”
Zada stars in the new “Hunger Games” spinoff, which is based on author Suzanne Collins’ 2025 novel of the same name, as Haymitch Abernathy, a younger version of the mentor character played by Harrelson in the first four “Hunger Games” films. Set in between “The Hunger Games” and its 2023 prequel “The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,” the new film follows Zada’s young Haymitch as he is forced to compete in a version of the franchise’s murderous annual battle royale that features twice as many tributes as usual.
The film will feature younger versions of multiple characters that appear in the original “Hunger Games” movies. Jesse Plemons, for instance, has stepped up to fill the shoes of the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman as Plutarch Heavensbee, while “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” star Elle Fanning stars in the film as Effie Trinket, a character originally played by Elizabeth Banks.
“Elizabeth and Woody, their dynamic is so fantastic,” Fanning says in the featurette of Banks and Harrelson’s chemistry together in the original “Hunger Games” movies, adding, “Joe and I have tried to incorporate that.”
You can watch the “Sunrise on the Reaping” featurette yourself below.
“Sunrise on the Reaping” is set to be director Francis Lawrence’s fifth “Hunger Games” film, following 2013’s “Catching Fire,” 2014’s “Mockingjay — Part 1,” 2015’s “Mockingjay — Part 2” and 2023’s “The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.” Lawrence notes in today’s featurette that Harrelson’s original, fan-favorite portrayal of Haymitch is a “very iconic portrayal of a character.”
“[I’m] such a fan of his work. It’s been intense being like Woody’s Haymitch,” Zada confesses in the featurette. “It’s just so special to share that space with him.” His part in the new film marks the first major big-screen role of the up-and-coming Australian performer’s career.
“Being in this film, I mean, it’s the most life-changing experience,” Zada says in the featurette. “This story really hits home that your involvement, even as insignificant as you think it may be, has the power to change things over time.”
“The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” is set to hit theaters on Nov. 20.
The post ‘Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ Star Unpacks ‘Life-Changing Experience’ of Filling Woody Harrelson’s Shoes appeared first on TheWrap.
