Woody Harrelson Discusses The Hunger Games; New Photo Released
Posted 01.11.12 by Ryan
Once it was announced that director Gary Ross was going to adapt The Hunger Games, fans of Suzanne Collins' trilogy of novels began scrutinizing every casting choice, particularly lead character Katniss Everdeen. When Jennifer Lawrence eventually landed the part, some fans wondered how a blonde-haired actress with a fair-complexion would play a character described as having "straight black hair, olive skin [and]... gray eyes." Almost before anyone could say "hair dye, skin tanner, and contacts" the first trailer for the movie arrived, and seemed to please even the most obsessive of Hunger Games fans.
One character casting that has seemed to avoid some of the harsh scrutiny was Woody Harrelson in the role of Haymitch Abernathy. A former victor of the Hunger Games, the televised battle to the death that is the catalyst for Collins' story, Abernathy serves as a mentor for Katniss, despite his heavy drinking problem. In an interview with The LA Times, Harrelson said he wanted the fan-favorite character to be more than "a typical version of an alcoholic."
He's got a drinking problem and he's got some issues and he's damaged, but I didn't want to do it totally like your typical version of an alcoholic in a movie. So I tried to keep him a little put-together. I dressed him up from what you would expect, too. That was one of my things I wanted — to make him, particularly in the Capitol, a bit of a snazzy dresser — or at least a dresser with his own style.
While Harrelson only appears briefly in the trailer, some of Haymitch's style can be seen in one of the recently released stills from the movie. Not one to appear in sequels, Harrelson seems content to appear in The Hunger Games franchise, which could go as far as four installments, and admitted to being greatly impressed with the production, especially after recently seeing a small portion of the finished product.
I only saw one scene — that's all they had me in to do, just loop [the sound for] one scene — and that scene looked great. I don't know how the whole movie is going to turn out but it's Gary Ross so I'm sure it's going to turn out great.
It's good writing and it just keeps you on the edge, and making [the movie] was a fun experience with just really cool people. I was really impressed by everybody that was associated with it. The look of everything is amazing too. The wardrobe is incredible and the makeup, the [stuff] they came up with is mind-blowing. The imagination behind the hair and the makeup and set decoration, it was just really impressive. It's the work of brilliant people.
Harrelson is not featured in the latest photo from The Hunger Games, which instead shows Katniss (Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) in their District 12 training outfits as they prepare themselves for the Hunger Games.
The Hunger Games, which was adapted by Collins and screenwriter Billy Ray (State of Play), co-stars Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman, Wes Bentley as Seneca Crane, Paula Malcomson as the mother to Katniss and Primrose, and Donald Sutherland as President Snow.
Next Showing: The Hunger Games opens on March 23rd