10 years have passed since the release of The Hunger Games. Since storming this unusual dystopia in cinemas, the film has become almost a cult, gaining a huge fan base around the world.
Today we decided to collect 11 interesting facts about the movie, some of which are unlikely to be known even to the most devoted fans of the film. So, interesting facts that you may have known or, on the contrary, did not know about the film franchise!
The Hunger Games Concept Was Inspired By A Reality Show
Author Suzanne Collins said that she was literally inspired by reality TV programs and the spirit of competition in them.
Several famous actors auditioned for the role of Katniss Everdeen, which eventually went to Jennifer Lawrence
Before Jennifer landed the part of Katniss, many actresses auditioned for the part, including Shailene Woodley, Saoirse Ronan, Chloë Grace Moretz, Emma Roberts, Abigail Breslin, Kaya Scodelario, Emily Browning, and Hailee Steinfeld (who was a favorite for the role).
Jennifer was asked to lose weight for a role but refused because she didn’t want young girls to face a character who was “unattainable and skinny”
“In the first movie, they said things like, ‘This is The Hunger Games, you need to lose 5 kilos,’ and I thought, ‘We control this image; we control this role model,” said Jennifer. “Why do we make her some kind of inaccessibly thin character?”. This is a person that young girls – well, all women, but mostly young girls – will look up to and want to be like her, and we have control over that, so why not make her strong? Why not make her beautiful, healthy, and fit? I was extremely adamant about it…”.
Jennifer was reportedly paid $26 million for the trilogy of the franchise
She was reportedly paid $1 million for The Hunger Games, $10 million for The Hunger Games Catching Fire, and $15 million for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 and Part 2.
After the debut of The Hunger Games, interest in archery skyrocketed around the world
Katniss’ favorite weapon was the bow and arrow, and fans of the franchise took notice. USA Archery even wrote a letter to Suzanne saying: “You made archery popular. Almost the first time in modern America.”
Producer Nina Jacobson Was Obsessed With The Hunger Games Books
“I couldn’t put it down,” Nina told The Hollywood Reporter. “I was totally obsessed with it and I couldn’t stand the idea of someone else producing it.” She was also determined to contact Suzanne Collins. Nina admitted that she “stubbornly pursued Suzanne. I spent a lot of time talking on the phone with her and with her agent Jason Dravis.”
Linda has designed over 100 hairstyles for the cast
To keep Katniss’ hairstyle special, none of the other actresses were allowed to wear hair that resembled her braid. Linda has created several weave variations, including braided headbands and braided bagels.
Katniss Was Named After A Plant
“[Katniss] was a born archer,” Suzanne told the New York Times. “Her name came later when I was studying survival training and edible plants in particular. In one of my books, I found the arrowhead plant, and the more I read about it, the more it seemed to reflect her. Its Latin name has the same roots as Sagittarius.”
Jennifer deliberately ate garlic before kissing Liam
“Whenever I had to kiss Jennifer, I felt pretty uncomfortable,” Liam told Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show. — When you look at it from the outside, everything looks like a great picture. She is one of my best friends. I love her. But if we had a kissing scene, she would definitely eat garlic, or tuna, or something else equally unpleasant, and right before the scene she would be like, “I didn’t brush my teeth…”.
Woody Harrelson teased Jennifer about her Oscar
Josh Hutcherson told The Guardian that during filming, Woody, who played Haymitch Abernathy, made fun of Lawrence and her Oscar, which she won for her role in the play My Boyfriend Is a Crazy. “Every time she forgot a line, Woody would say, ‘Oh, you better bring that Oscar back.’
The Hunger Games franchise is related to Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and Avril Lavigne
Francis Lawrence, director of Catching Fire and Mockingjay – Part 1 and Part 2, has also directed music videos for a host of famous artists, including Beyoncé, Gaga, Avril, Britney Spears, Jay-Z, Jennifer Lopez, Whitney Houston, the Goo Goo Dolls, Backstreet Boys, Lil’ Kim and Janet Jackson.
